Jobs, pay and daily life in Gaffney, from official statistics with source and year on every table.
Click any dot to open that city: jobs, pay, rent, commute, county economy and climate. Dot size follows population; colours follow the state flag.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 07/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Gaffney is a city in South Carolina with 12,596 residents. The median household earns $41,089 a year and the median rent is $887 a month, which is 25.9% of the median household income. The nearest metropolitan area with BLS wage data is Spartanburg, SC (165,150 jobs), about 17 miles away; this place is probably not part of it, so its pay tables are a reference only.
How Gaffney compares. Among the 80 largest places in South Carolina, Gaffney is #51 by population, #76 for household income (#1 = highest), #72 for remote work (#1 = most), #11 for rent (#1 = cheapest). Its county, Cherokee County, is #37 of 46 counties for average pay ($48,261).
Gaffney has 12,596 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 0.2% of the population of South Carolina. It covers 9 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 1,389 people per square mile. The median age is 31.9, 21% younger than the state median (31.9 against 40.2).
The median gross rent is $887 a month (rent plus utilities), 25% below the state median ($887 against $1,180). Over a year that is 25.9% of the median household income. US housing guidance treats housing as affordable when it takes 30% of income or less, so the typical household is under that line. The median home value is $137,700, which is 3.4 times the median household income ($41,089); a ratio under 4 usually means ownership is within reach for many households. 50.5% of households own their home, 30% below the state average (50.5% against 71.9%). A low ownership share points to a rental-heavy market with more apartments and shorter stays.
The nearest metropolitan area with wage data is Spartanburg, SC, metropolitan area has 165,150 jobs in the BLS wage survey, and the median pay across all occupations is $47,650 a year, 7% below the national median ($47,650 against $50,980). The biggest occupation groups are production (26,910 jobs, median $51,800); transportation and material moving (19,200 jobs, median $39,210); office and administrative support (16,890 jobs, median $44,960). The area is most specialised in production (3.0 times) and transportation and material moving (1.3 times), where the share of workers is well above the national share. The best-paying groups with at least 5,000 jobs are management ($111,870) and healthcare practitioners and technical ($80,540). In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Cherokee County was 5.7%. 53.4% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Cherokee County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 79.4% drive alone, 0.2% use public transit, 3.3% walk, 4.9% work from home. 9.2% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 38% below the state average (9.2% against 14.7%).
23.1% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 28% below the state share (23.1% against 32.1%). 6.4% of residents were born outside the United States, 11% above the state share (6.4% against 5.8%). The poverty rate is 29.1%, 107% above the state rate (29.1% against 14.1%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 80°F (26.7°C), and the coolest is Jan at 39°F (4.0°C). About 1,231 mm (48 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; Dec is the wettest month (119 mm) and Oct the driest (88 mm). These values come from NASA satellite-based climatology on a grid of about 50 km, so they describe the wider area, not a weather station in the city.
Closest cities in this guide: Shelby (16 miles, rent 7% higher); Spartanburg (17 miles, rent 24% higher); Valley Falls (18 miles, rent 15% higher); Boiling Springs (18 miles, rent 43% higher). Rent differences are against Gaffney; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in South Carolina (373) →State guide: South CarolinaCountry guideCherokee CountySouth Carolina rankings
These links go to official sources and open in a new window. The first one is the government's or company's own site as listed in Wikidata (property "official website"); check it before relying on it.
There are 373 federal postings open in South Carolina (USAJOBS, state level; we do not have a city filter for them). Private-sector jobs are not in this feed.
Open federal jobs in South Carolina →
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators | 11,790 | 7.90 | $59,300 | $37,860 | $74,280 | +33% |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 6,080 | 1.94 | $37,540 | $30,720 | $48,220 | -7% |
| Cashiers | 5,420 | 1.65 | $29,960 | $22,630 | $38,600 | -9% |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 4,870 | 1.19 | $27,390 | $21,960 | $34,150 | -12% |
| Registered Nurses | 4,440 | 1.24 | $82,360 | $70,180 | $101,420 | -16% |
| Retail Salespersons | 3,790 | 0.91 | $30,540 | $22,620 | $44,910 | -14% |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 3,630 | 1.66 | $50,700 | $41,030 | $79,260 | -14% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 3,380 | 1.12 | $36,560 | $30,210 | $46,470 | -2% |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 3,160 | 0.69 | $30,190 | $28,240 | $35,450 | -16% |
| Customer Service Representatives | 2,740 | 0.99 | $42,220 | $30,170 | $62,450 | -6% |
| Office Clerks, General | 2,400 | 0.92 | $37,300 | $18,340 | $58,280 | -17% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers | 2,380 | 3.33 | $92,070 | $53,340 | $97,670 | +24% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 2,140 | 0.89 | $18,370 | $15,750 | $42,760 | -48% |
| General and Operations Managers | 2,010 | 0.54 | $108,100 | $59,100 | $226,270 | +2% |
| Maintenance and Repair Workers, General | 2,010 | 1.24 | $53,110 | $35,240 | $77,990 | +7% |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 1,910 | 0.81 | $31,620 | $24,220 | $38,460 | -14% |
| Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | 1,700 | 0.94 | $43,750 | $31,130 | $60,760 | -8% |
| Nursing Assistants | 1,630 | 1.06 | $40,050 | $34,060 | $45,960 | -5% |
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | 1,530 | 1.04 | $60,990 | $49,280 | $77,210 | -5% |
| Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers | 1,530 | 2.40 | $49,160 | $35,040 | $69,280 | +1% |
These figures are for the nearest metropolitan area with wage data, Spartanburg, SC, about 17 miles away. They show what the regional labour market pays; they are not a measure of this city.
Median pay across all occupations: $47,650 (US $50,980); unemployment 3.8% (2026M09).
| Industry (residents) ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Education and health care | 27.0% |
| Manufacturing | 19.1% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 11.2% |
| Retail trade | 8.4% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 8.1% |
| Construction | 6.2% |
| Other services | 5.5% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 4.8% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 4.3% |
| Wholesale trade | 2.5% |
| Public administration | 1.3% |
| Information | 0.9% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 0.6% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Gaffney lies and cover the whole county, not only the city.
| County ⇅ | Population ⇅ | GDP (2024) ⇅ | GDP per resident ⇅ | Jobs (QCEW 2024) ⇅ | Employer sites ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Job change vs 2023 ⇅ | Unemployment rate ⇅ | Labour force ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cherokee County | 56,647 | $2,342 million | $41,340 | 18,064 | 988 | $48,261 | -4.7% | 5.7% | 23,726 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 5,082 | 32.8% | $62,792 | 3.42 |
| Retail trade | 2,306 | 14.9% | $29,826 | 1.28 |
| Accommodation and food services | 1,751 | 11.3% | $21,125 | 1.07 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 1,212 | 7.8% | $50,964 | 1.58 |
| Health care and social assistance | 1,014 | 6.6% | $37,165 | 0.39 |
| Administrative and waste services | 939 | 6.1% | $41,111 | 0.88 |
| Construction | 808 | 5.2% | $72,963 | 0.85 |
| Wholesale trade | 678 | 4.4% | $52,021 | 0.95 |
| Educational services | 584 | 3.8% | $41,816 | 1.56 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 418 | 2.7% | $30,460 | 0.77 |
| Finance and insurance | 253 | 1.6% | $69,097 | 0.35 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 197 | 1.3% | $27,261 | 0.65 |
| Real estate and rental | 115 | 0.7% | $55,352 | 0.41 |
| Utilities | 84 | 0.5% | $103,160 | 1.22 |
| Information | 38 | 0.2% | $51,415 | 0.11 |
QCEW counts jobs covered by unemployment insurance; sectors with too few employers are withheld by BLS. Latest-month unemployment is preliminary.
| How residents get to work ⇅ | Share ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 79.4% |
| Public transit | 0.2% |
| Walk | 3.3% |
| Work from home | 4.9% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 9.2% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $41,089 |
| Income per person | $21,994 |
| Median gross rent per month | $887 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 25.9% |
| Median home value | $137,700 |
| Homeowners | 50.5% |
| Poverty rate | 29.1% |
| Price level of the nearest metro area (US = 100) | 91.1 |
| Nearest metro median pay, all occupations | $47,650 |
Estimate for a wage earner: 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction (IRS), Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500, Medicare 1.45% (+0.9% above $200,000 single / $250,000 married), and a state rate you set; graduated states show 0 until you enter your own estimate. It ignores credits, pre-tax deductions, local taxes and benefits. Sources: IRS: tax year 2026 inflation adjustments · SSA wage base per Federal Register notice 2025-19763.
State tax: Graduated, top rate 6.00%.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 31.9 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 84.5% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 23.1% |
| Born abroad | 6.4% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 53.4% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 4.0 | 39 | 91 |
| Feb | 6.0 | 43 | 89 |
| Mar | 10.2 | 50 | 104 |
| Apr | 15.4 | 60 | 98 |
| May | 20.3 | 69 | 107 |
| Jun | 24.8 | 77 | 110 |
| Jul | 26.7 | 80 | 116 |
| Aug | 26.1 | 79 | 112 |
| Sep | 22.6 | 73 | 103 |
| Oct | 16.3 | 61 | 88 |
| Nov | 10.0 | 50 | 94 |
| Dec | 6.0 | 43 | 119 |
Satellite-reanalysis climatology on a grid of roughly 50 km, so it smooths local effects (hills, coast, city heat). It is not a weather-station record.
| City ⇅ | State ⇅ | Distance (straight line) ⇅ | Population ⇅ | Median household income ⇅ | Median rent ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shelby | NC | 16 mi | 22,100 | $48,376 | $945 |
| Spartanburg | SC | 17 mi | 38,910 | $51,964 | $1,099 |
| Valley Falls | SC | 18 mi | 8,239 | $55,661 | $1,021 |
| Boiling Springs | SC | 18 mi | 12,936 | $72,068 | $1,266 |
| Kings Mountain | NC | 21 mi | 12,039 | $49,564 | $959 |
| Union | SC | 24 mi | 8,079 | $31,914 | $832 |
| York | SC | 25 mi | 8,969 | $56,176 | $896 |
| Gastonia | NC | 29 mi | 82,884 | $64,059 | $1,204 |
| Lake Wylie | SC | 33 mi | 16,006 | $112,097 | $1,710 |
| Greer | SC | 34 mi | 41,536 | $82,626 | $1,198 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
Pick two cities.
vs
12,596 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$887 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 25.9% of the median household income.
$41,089 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
5.7% (BLS county, Cherokee County (latest month 2026M09)).
South Carolina. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.