ZIP Code 29801

Aiken is the largest city in, and the county seat of, Aiken County, in western South Carolina. It is one of the two largest cities of the Central Savannah River Area. The National Civic League gave Aiken the All-America City Award in 1997. Aiken has a humid subtropical climate characterized by hot, humid summers and cool, dry winters. It experiences milder temperatures throughout the year than the rest of the state. The coldest recorded temperature was 4 °F or 20 °C on January 21, 1985. The hottest temperature was 109 °F (42.8 °C) on August 21, 1983. According to 2020 census, the population was 32,025. The city is 20 miles (32 km) northeast of Augusta, Georgia, along U.S. Route 1 and 78. Interstate 20 passes 6 miles (10 km) to the north of the city, with access via South Carolina Highway 19 (Exit 18) and US 1 (Exit 22). According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has an area of 20.8 square miles (54.0 km²), of which 20.7 square miles. (53.6 km²) is land and 0.15 sq miles (0.4km²), or 0.68%, is water. It was named after William Aiken, the president of the South Carolina Railroad. It became part of Aiken. County when the county was formed in 1871 from parts of Orangeburg, Lexington, Edgefield, and Barnwell counties.

Geography and climate

Aiken is the primary city name, but also Vaucluse are acceptable city names or spellings. The official name is Aiken. Aiken has a humid subtropical climate characterized by hot, humid summers and cool, dry winters. It experiences milder temperatures throughout the year than the rest of the state. The coldest recorded temperature was 4 °F or 20 °C on January 21, 1985, and the hottest 109 °F (42.8 °C) on August 21, 1983. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has an area of 20.8 square miles (54.0 km²) of which 20.7 sq miles (53.6 km²), or 0.68%, is land and 0.15sq miles (0.4km²) is water. It is 20 miles (32 km) northeast of Augusta, Georgia, along U.S. Route 1 and 78. Interstate 20 passes 6 miles (10 km) to the north of the city, with access via South Carolina Highway 19 (Exit 18) and US 1 (Exit 22) Aiken is near the center of Aiken County, in South Carolina, and has a population of 1,816 (1,823 in 2011). It is located on the banks of the Yemassee River, a tributary of the Little Rappahannock River, which flows into the Savannah River. The city is located in the eastern part of South Carolina's Piedmont region, near the border with South Carolina and the state's Atlantic Coast. It has a latitude and longitude of 20°N, and its longitude is 20°S.

Demographics

As of the 2020 U.S. census, there were 32,025 people, 12,923 households, and 8,479 families residing in the city. The racial makeup of the city was 66.8% White, 28.5% Black or African American, 1.28% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander,0.44% from other races, and 1.09% from two or more races. The city's median income was $49,100, and the median income for a family was $63,520. About 10.1% of families and 14.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.0% of those under age 18 and 10.5%) of those age 65 or over. The average household size was 2.34 and the average family size was2.90. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females,there were 87.2 males. The per capita income for the city is $24,129, including the average income of $29,988 for males and $28,009 for females. the city's average age is 40 years old, with 23.2% under the age of 18, 9.4%. The city has a population density of 1,416.3 inhabitants per square mile (546.8/km²), with 14,162 housing units at an average density of 703.1 per squaremile (271.5/ km²).

Government

Aiken is governed via a mayor-council system. A mayor is elected at large. The city council consists of six members. All six members are elected from single-member districts. The mayor is Rick Osbon and the city council members are Gail Diggs, Lessie Price, Kay Brohl, Ed Girardeau, Andrea Neira Gregory and Ed Woltz.

History

The municipality of Aiken was incorporated on December 19, 1835. The community formed around the terminus of the South Carolina Canal and Railroad Company, a rail line from Charleston to the Savannah River. In the late 19th century, Aiken gained fame as a wintering spot for wealthy people from the Northeast. The U.S. Atomic Energy Commission's selection of a site near Aiken for a plant to produce fuel for thermonuclear weapons was announced on November 30, 1950. Residents were moved to New Ellenton, which was constructed about eight miles north, or to neighboring towns. In 1903, the Jewish-American peddler Abraham Surasky was the victim of an antisemitic murder. In 1905, a group of Russian-Jewish socialists from New York founded a farming colony in Aiken County that was known as "Happyville" Adath (Adas) Yeshurun (Congregation of Israel) Synagogue was chartered in Aik in 1921 and the cornerstone was laid in 1925. An historical marker was added to the synagogue in 2014, sponsored by the Jewish Historical Society of South Carolina. The Savannah River Plant, and renamed the Savannah river Site in 1989, contains five production reactors, fuel fabrication facilities, a research laboratory, heavy water production facilities, two fuel reprocessing facilities, and tritium recovery facilities. It is located in the eastern part of the state, about 30 miles from the state capital of Charleston. It was named for William Aiken, the railroad's first president.

Historic places

The Aiken Colored Cemetery, Aiken Mile Track, and Aiken Training Track are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. St. Mary Help of Christians Church, St. Thaddeus Episcopal Church, Charles E. Simons, Jr. Federal Court House, Whitehall, and Willcox's are listed. Aiken Preparatory School, Court Tennis Building, Crossways, Dawson-Vanderhorst House, Immanuel School, Joye Cottage, Legare-Morgan House, Phelps House, Pickens House, and Whitehall mansion are also listed. The Aiken Winter Colony Historic District I, II, and III are on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places and The Aiken Winter Colored Cemetery is on the U.S Register of Historical Plants. The Whitehall Mansion is on the National Register of Historic Plant and is listed as a National Reservation place on the National  Register of Designations and the National Reconstructive Park Site is listed as the Aiken Winter Colony Historic District I, II, and III are listed as National Register Plans on the N Reserve of Designation and are listed as National Designation Platinum Plaza and National Significant Plaque Plaques.

Education

Aiken has a public library, a branch of the ABBE Regional Library System. Aiken Technical College at Aiken is a state technical college. The town has a high school, a junior high, and a middle school. A high school has a freshman and sophomore dorm. A junior high has a senior high. A middle school has two freshman and two sophomore dorms. A senior high has two freshmen and two sophomores. A college has two junior high and two junior highs. A community college has three junior highs and two senior high schools. A public high has one senior high and one junior high. The city has one junior college. A state high and junior high have two junior colleges. A private college has one freshman and senior high school. An elementary school has three freshman and freshman dorms, and one sophomore high. It has a junior college with three junior high schools and one freshman college. It also has a community college with four junior colleges and two freshman colleges. The state has one high school with three senior highs, and three junior colleges with four freshman and sophomoric junior highs, as well as two junior and senior highs. It is the state's oldest community college, with a freshman high and sophomore high, with an enrollment of 1,500 students. It was founded in 1872. It's the oldest state college in the U.S. and has been in operation since 1875. A local high school was established in 1876. It opened in Aiken in 1881.

Steeplechase racing

The Aiken Steeplechase Association, founded in 1930, hosts the Imperial Cup each March and the Holiday Cup in October. This event draws more than 30,000 spectators. The Aiken Thoroughbred Racing Hall of Fame and Museum was established in 1977 as a tribute to the famous flat racing and steeplech Chase thoroughbred horses trained at the Aiken Training Track. The Imperial Cup is sanctioned by the National Steeping Association. The Holiday Cup is sanctioned by the American Steep Lease Association. It is sanctioned to take place in October and is sanctioned for a maximum of two years. It has been sanctioned for the past two years by the Australian Steepling Association and the Australian Racing Association. This year's Imperial Cup was the first to be sanctioned by both associations. It took place in March, drawing more than 20,000 people. The holiday Cup was held in October this year, and drew more than 25,000 fans. It was sanctioned for two years, and was sanctioned byboth the Australian and Australian Steeping Associations. The National Steeplacing Association sanctioned the holiday Cup for the first time in October 2013. This was the second year in a row that it had been sanctioned by all three national associations. The race was sanctioned as part of the NSA's Autumn Cup series, which takes place from October to November. This is the first year in which the holiday cup has been held in the autumn. The annual Imperial Cup has been run in the month of October.

Other events

Aiken hosts many polo matches at its numerous polo fields. Other local events include: the Lobster Races and the Whiskey Road Race. Aiken City Limits (ACL) is the largest city in Aiken County, North Carolina. The city is home to the Bluegrass Festival and the Western Carolina State Fair. The town also hosts the Aiken Triple Crown and Aiken's Makin' events. The Aiken River is the town's largest waterway, running through the center of the city. It is also the site of the annual Aiken Tri-Crown, which is the state's most prestigious polo event. The river is also home to a number of other sports events, such as the Fall Steeplechase and the Kentucky Horse Trials. In addition to polo, Aiken also hosts many other local events, including the Battle of Aiken Reenactment and the Blue Grass Festival. It also has a large number of golf courses, including Aiken Golf Course and the Golf Course at Aiken, which was built in the 1930s. It has a population of about 2,000 people, with the majority of its residents living in and around the town of Aikensville. The community is known for its bluegrass festival, which began in the 1950s, and for its state fair events, which started in the 1960s. The City Limits are the largest town in the state, with more than 1,000 residents.

Attractions

Aiken County Farmers Market - The oldest food market in South Carolina. Aiken State Thoroughbred Racing Hall of Fame and Museum - Displays memorabilia, photography, and trophies. The Aiken County Planetarium and RPSEC Observatory - Provides live presentations of stars, constellations, and visible planets. The Rose Hill Estate - Historic housing for overnight stays, weddings, reunions, meetings, and dinner parties. It is one of the largest urban forests in the United States, at 2100 acres. It was built in the early 1800s. It has been the site of many historic events, including the Battle of the Bulge and the First World War battle of Lexington and Concord. It's also the home of the South Carolina Air Force Base, which was established in 1864. It also hosts a number of other historic sites, such as the First Baptist Church of Aiken, which dates back to the 17th century. The South Carolina National Guard is based in Aiken. It provides security for the state's airports, railroads, roads, bridges, and more. The state's Department of Health and Human Services is based at the Aiken Visitors Center, which is located in the heart of the city. It offers a variety of services to the public, including health and human services training, education, and social services. The county also has its own public library, which provides information about the history of the area. The town's parks, trails, and trails are also available for visitors to explore.

Air Quality, Water Quality, Superfund Sites & UV Index

The Air Quality index is in Aiken, Aiken County, South Carolina = 81.2. These Air Quality index is based on annual reports from the EPA. Higher values are better (100=best). The number of ozone alert days is used as an indicator of air quality, as are the amounts of seven pollutants including particulates, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, lead, and volatile organic chemicals. The Water Quality Index is 68. A measure of the quality of an area’s water supply as rated by the EPA. Higher values are better (100=best). The EPA has a complex method of measuring the watershed quality, using 15 indicators such as pollutants, turbidity, sediments, and toxic discharges. The Superfund Sites Index is 97. Higher is better (100=best). Based upon the number and impact of EPA Superfund pollution sites in the county, including spending on the cleanup efforts. The UV Index in Aiken = 4.7 and is a measure of an area's exposure to the sun's ultraviolet rays. This is most often a combination of sunny weather, altitude, and latitude. The UV Index has been defined by the WHO (www.who.int/news-room/questions-and-answers/item/radiation-the-ultraviolet-(uv)-index) and is uniform worldwide.

Employed

The most recent city population of 15,635 individuals with a median age of 42.3 age the population grows by 10.80% in Aiken, Aiken County, South Carolina population since 2000 and are distributed over a density of 1,492.94 residents per square mile of area (576.42/km²). There are average 2.28 people per household in the 11,756 households with an average household income of $52,298 a year. The unemployment rate in Alabama is 17.30% of the available work force and has dropped -3.88% over the most recent 12-month period and the projected change in job supply over the next decade based on migration patterns, economic growth, and other factors will increase by 14.94%. The number of physicians in Aiken per 100,000 population = 109.5.

Weather

The annual rainfall in Aiken = 49.2 inches and the annual snowfall = 0.8 inches. The annual number of days with measurable precipitation (over .01 inch) = 88. The average number of days per year that are predominantly sunny = 216. 92 degrees Fahrenheit is the average daily high temperature for the month of July and 34.4 degrees Fahrenheit is the average daily low temperature for the month of January. The Comfort Index (higher=better) is 29, where higher values mean a more pleasant climate. The Comfort Index measure recognizes that humidity by itself isn't the problem. (Have you noticed nobody ever complains about the weather being 'cold and humid?) It's in the summertime that we notice the humidity the most, when it's hot and muggy. Our Comfort Index uses a combination of afternoon summer temperature and humidity to closely predict the effect that the humidity will have on people.

Median Home Cost

The percentage of housing units in Aiken, Aiken County, South Carolina which are owned by the occupant = 60.99%. A housing unit is a house, apartment, mobile home, or room occupied as separate living quarters. The average age of homes = 26 years with median home cost = $91,870 and home appreciation of -3.09%. This is the value of the years most recent home sales data. Its important to note that this is not the average (or arithmetic mean). The median home price is the middle value when you arrange all the sales prices of homes from lowest to highest. This is a better indicator than the average, because the median is not changed as much by a few unusually high or low values. The property tax rate of $5.41 shown here is the rate per $1,000 of home value. If for simplification for example the tax rate is $14.00 and the home value is $250,000, the property tax would be $14.00 x ($250,000/1000), or $3500. This is the 'effective' tax rate.

Study

The local school district spends $4,478 per student. There are 11.3 students for each teacher in the school, 630 students for each Librarian and 470 students for each Counselor. 6.62% of the area’s population over the age of 25 with an Associate Degree or other 2-year college degree, 24.77% with a master’s degree, Ph.D. or other advanced college degree and 14.59% with high school diplomas or high school equivalency degrees (GEDs).