United States › South Carolina › Clemson CITY
Clemson South Carolina · 18,941 residents (2025 est.) · 7.91 sq mi
Time machine
COMPARE TO 1990 Census 2000 Census 2009 ACS 2010 ACS 2011 ACS 2012 ACS 2013 ACS 2014 ACS 2015 ACS 2016 ACS 2017 ACS 2018 ACS 2019 ACS 2020 ACS 2021 ACS 2022 ACS 2023 ACS
The short version
With 18,072 people, Clemson is a city in South Carolina. This skews young, with a median age of 24.8. 34% of homes are owner-occupied. This is an unusually credentialed place: 59% of adults have a four-year degree. The poverty rate is 36.0%, above the 12.5% national rate. The population has risen by half since 2000, adding 6,133 people.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Younger
median age 24.8
US median: 38.9
More educated
59% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 68%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 11,939 in 2000
18,941 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
2,284 / sq mi
+43%since 2009
from 1,599 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 24.6 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
10K 12K 15K 17K 19K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Clemson Age distribution, 2024
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Section 02
Income & economy $49,520
+1%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $26,892 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $19,272 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 24.3% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 33.1% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.539 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Professional, scientific, technical 1.6%
Public administration 1.1%
Transportation & warehousing 1.1%
Arts, entertainment, food 0.5%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 0.5%
Education & health services 0%
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$398,400
+68%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $129,900 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$1,007
+3%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $535 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 45.9% in 2000
65.7% rent
from 15.4% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.14 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 14.7% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 59.9% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 5.5 in 2009
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 79.9%(9,540)
Hispanic / Latino 1.8%(217)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 76.9%(13,892)
from 37 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Hispanic origin
+ 1 more hispanic origin group with data Ancestry
+ 24 more ancestry groups with data from 58.2% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 91.4% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 32.1% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 11.9 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 81.3% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 5.7% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 4.9% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 3.2% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 3.8% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 1.0% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 4.4% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 9.1% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 57.6% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 69.4% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 22.2% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 58.6% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 10.3% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 7.5% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 7.6% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 5.7% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 87.1% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 96.4% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 67.2% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 90.6% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 1.6% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 68.7%(6,303)
Women 15+
Never married 54.2%(4,074)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 5.7% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 66.2% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 24.3% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 12.1% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 5.2% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 1.6% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 87.0% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 17.0% in 2020
US average: 36.7%
Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.
Section 09 · Service history
Veterans Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later) 31.6%(261)
Gulf War (1990s) 34.9%(288)
Share of the 826 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.
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Drill deeper
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Frequently asked
How many people live in Clemson, South Carolina? Clemson, South Carolina has about 18,072 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Clemson, South Carolina? The typical household in Clemson, South Carolina earns about $49,520 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Clemson, South Carolina expensive? In Clemson, South Carolina, the median home is worth about $398,400, and the typical rent is about $1,007 a month.
How educated are people in Clemson, South Carolina? About 59.4% of adults age 25 and over in Clemson, South Carolina hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Clemson, South Carolina? About 36.0% of people in Clemson, South Carolina live below the federal poverty line.
Has Clemson, South Carolina grown since 1990? Yes, Clemson, South Carolina has grown since 1990. The population has added about 6,966 residents, a change of about 63 percent over that period.
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