Hopkins

With the Congaree National Park occupying the southern half of the community, Gadsden offers an outdoorsy lifestyle, just 20 miles from downtown Columbia. Due to its rural nature, hunting is a popular pastime here and locals enjoy access to hiking trails and kayaking on the Congaree River. Lower home prices compared to Columbia are an additional draw to the area. "Gadsden is where you can see the stars in the sky at night and enjoy living on huge tracts of land," says Elaine Gillespie, a Realtor at Coldwell Banker and a nearby resident of Gadsden. Ranch-style homes, often situated on multi-acre lots, are common in Gadsden. Tall oak trees line this community’s dirt roads and narrow paved streets, creating a remote feel to the area. “The size of the parcels of land appeals to people,” says Janet Ray, a Realtor with Midlands Realty, who’s been selling homes in the area for 36 years. “Privacy comes with acreage.” While most homes here sell for around $100,000, price points can vary depending on the age, size, and condition of the property. Prospective buyers should expect to pay somewhere in the low $100,000s for smaller mobile homes and ranch styles with little land. A three-bedroom ranch home sitting on almost 26 acres of land can go for under $300,000 and larger homes with six bedrooms can cost upwards of $440,000. However, with just over 550 homes in the area, properties in Gadsden are rarely available. Gadsden also offers buyers many plots of land to choose from, ranging in acreage and price from $30,000 to $180,000, which are perfect for those looking to create custom builds. According to the CAP Index Crime Score, Gadsden's overall crime score is 2 out of 10, significantly lower than the national average of 4. The 26,000-acre Congaree National Park has 10 hiking trails to explore. Those who walk the Firefly Trail in late spring will be greeted by the synchronized twinkling of fireflies, while other trails weave between mature oaks and alongside small creeks. Park visitors who kayak or canoe on Cedar Creek and the Congaree River are sure to spot wildlife like otters and turtles during their journey. The Congaree River Blue Trail is a 50-mile trek from downtown Columbia to the park. Just 5 miles away from the national park sits the Gadsden Park Community Center, which is another great option for outdoor activities. The center on Goodwin Circle features walking trails, tennis courts and a playground. Locals can head to Dollar General on Bluff Road to pick up the basics and there’s a Food Lion about 11 miles northwest in the community of Hopkins. For dining out, J D’s Place on Bluff Road serves Southern favorites like sweet tea and fried chicken. Big T Bar-B-Q, just north on Congaree Road, is a go-to spot for plates of pulled pork over rice and traditional sides like collard greens and mac and cheese. For a much wider selection of restaurants, residents frequently head towards Columbia. Gadsden is served by Richland School District No. 1, which boasts a student-teacher ratio of 12-to-1. Students may attend Gadsden Elementary, Southeast Middle and Lower Richland High. The schools score C-plus, C, and C-minus Niche grades, respectively. Lower Richland High offers a Career and Technical Education program that preps students for careers ranging from business finance to public safety. Gadsden is a car-dependent area. Locals can take Route 48 West for 20 miles to get to downtown Columbia for work or a wider selection of shopping and dining. Prisma Health Richland Hospital is 23 miles away along the same stretch of road. Sumter can be reached with a 30-mile drive east on U.S. 378. “Gadsden is between Columbia and Sumter. There’s a big military base in Sumter. It’s a very convenient location for military families to get back and forth,” Ray says. “They are redoing all the highways around there so there are nice smooth roads to drive on to get to Sumter.”