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COUNTY

Saluda County

South Carolina · 19,680 residents (2025 est.) · 453 sq mi
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The short version

Saluda County is a county of 19,131 people in South Carolina. Four-year degrees are less common here than nationally, at 20% of adults. Owners hold 79% of the housing stock. The typical home is worth $146,500, having more than doubled since 2000. The median age is 42.6, about 4 years above the US median. That trails the South Carolina median by roughly 26%.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 42.6
US median: 38.9
Less educated
20% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
19,131
Unchangedsince 2000
from 19,181 in 2000
19,680 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1990 – 2025
Population density
42 / sq mi
+1%since 2009
from 42 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
Median age
42.6
+15%since 2000
from 37.0 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Land area
453 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
16K17K18K20K21K19902000201020202024Saluda County
202419K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 55.8%(1,113)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 96.1%(1,161)
US avg: 6%
10 to 146.1%(1,173)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 196.7%(1,277)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 245.1%(978)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 3410.5%(2,006)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 4412.2%(2,327)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 5412%(2,295)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 6415%(2,861)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 7411.6%(2,228)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 846.1%(1,161)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over2.9%(551)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$51,009
−22%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $35,774 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$30,409
+86%since 2000
from $16,328 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
36.5%
+16.2 ptssince 2009
from 20.3% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
18.7%
+3.1 ptssince 2000
from 15.6% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.453
+9%since 2010
from 0.417 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Retail trade15.4%
US avg: 9.9%
Information10.3%
US avg: 10.8%
Wholesale trade8.8%
US avg: 6.9%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing6.4%
US avg: 1.6%
Construction6.2%
US avg: 1.2%
Transportation & warehousing3.8%
US avg: 2.2%
Finance & insurance3.3%
US avg: 5.9%
Other services3.1%
US avg: 6.7%
Public administration2.6%
US avg: 4.8%
Professional, scientific, technical2%
US avg: 5.1%
Education & health services1.3%
US avg: 0.9%
Arts, entertainment, food0.6%
US avg: 1.9%
Manufacturing0.3%
US avg: 0.4%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$146,500
+17%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $68,600 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$851
+19%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $394 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
78.7%
−1.9 ptssince 2000
from 80.6% in 2000
21.3% rent
Vacancy rate
19.6%
−7.4 ptssince 2009
from 27.0% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Persons per household
2.45 people
−15%since 2009
from 2.89 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
Owner cost-burdened
17.1%
−2.4 ptssince 2009
from 19.6% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
38.6%
+14.6 ptssince 2009
from 24.0% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
2.9
+33%since 2009
from 2.2 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Gentrification Score
35
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic62.2%(11,936)
Black29.8%(5,707)
Hispanic / Latino7.3%(1,401)
Asian0%(7)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic57.1%(10,931)
Black21.2%(4,063)
Hispanic / Latino17.1%(3,275)
Asian0.4%(71)
Other4.1%(791)
Diversity Score
75
+4%since 2009
from 71 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Segregation Score
33
Unchangedsince 2020
from 33 in 2020
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means White and non-White residents are more separated across neighborhoods.
Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Mexican8.9%(1,705)
Central American6.2%(1,191)
Guatemalan6.1%(1,168)
Puerto Rican1.3%(255)
Peruvian0.3%(53)
Salvadoran0.1%(23)
Asian origin
Filipino0.2%(41)
Chinese0.2%(30)
Pacific Islander origin
Ancestry
American11%(2,110)
English10.3%(1,974)
German6.8%(1,293)
Irish6.1%(1,174)
Italian1.9%(368)
Scottish1.5%(286)
Scotch-Irish0.8%(159)
Swedish0.6%(109)
Dutch0.5%(95)
French0.4%(78)
+ 18 more ancestry groups with data
Polish0.3%(53)
Swiss0.2%(44)
Greek0.2%(41)
Israeli0.2%(31)
Nigerian0.2%(31)
Norwegian0.1%(23)
Portuguese0.1%(22)
West Indian0.1%(20)
Hungarian0.1%(18)
Canadian0.1%(17)
Jamaican0.1%(16)
Arab0.1%(14)
Brazilian0.1%(14)
Finnish0.1%(11)
British0%(9)
Welsh0%(7)
Russian0%(6)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
20.4%
+8.5 ptssince 2000
from 11.9% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
84.1%
+14.8 ptssince 2000
from 69.3% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
8.8%
+5.6 ptssince 2000
from 3.1% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
28.5 min
+13%since 2000
from 25.1 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
78.5%
+2.5 ptssince 2009
from 76.0% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
7.3%
−11.2 ptssince 2009
from 18.4% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
0.2%
−0.1 ptssince 2009
from 0.3% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
6.2%
+3.4 ptssince 2009
from 2.8% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
2.5%
+1.3 ptssince 2009
from 1.2% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
Biked to work
0.0%
−0.1 ptssince 2009
from 0.1% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
No vehicle available
4.4%
−5.0 ptssince 2009
from 9.3% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
3.2%
−6.9 ptssince 2011
from 10.1% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
56.6%
−2.5 ptssince 2011
from 59.1% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
67.4%
+0.3 ptssince 2020
from 67.1% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
Self-employed
14.1%
+1.2 ptssince 2009
from 12.9% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
28.2%
+6.3 ptssince 2009
from 21.9% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
49.7%
−1.6 ptssince 2009
from 51.3% in 2009
Female
50.3%
+1.6 ptssince 2009
from 48.7% in 2009
Foreign born
7.3%
−2.3 ptssince 2009
from 9.6% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
6.9%
−3.1 ptssince 2009
from 10.0% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
16.8%
+1.3 ptssince 2012
from 15.5% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
17.9%
−3.4 ptssince 2013
from 21.3% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
77.5%
+22.4 ptssince 2017
from 55.1% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
89.3%
+5.5 ptssince 2020
from 83.8% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
Same house as last year
88.4%
−1.7 ptssince 2020
from 90.1% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
English only at home
82.9%
−3.3 ptssince 2016
from 86.1% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
15.2%
+1.6 ptssince 2016
from 13.7% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married30.8%(2,416)
Married58.3%(4,574)
Widowed3.2%(249)
Divorced7.7%(605)
Women 15+
Never married24.1%(1,892)
Married54.4%(4,263)
Widowed13.3%(1,045)
Divorced8.2%(640)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Uninsured
17.9%
−3.4 ptssince 2013
from 21.3% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Employer-based
42.1%
−1.2 ptssince 2020
from 43.3% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
17.3%
+4.6 ptssince 2020
from 12.7% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
Medicare
22.7%
−0.3 ptssince 2020
from 23.0% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
20.5%
−3.2 ptssince 2020
from 23.7% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
3.0%
−0.5 ptssince 2020
from 3.5% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
56.2%
+1.3 ptssince 2020
from 54.9% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
40.6%
−3.0 ptssince 2020
from 43.6% 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)20.4%(211)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)16.4%(169)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era32.3%(334)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War7%(72)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0.3%(3)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 1,033 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.

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Drill deeper

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Head to head

Compare Saluda County to nearby counties

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SALUDA COUNTY VS
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SALUDA COUNTY VS
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SALUDA COUNTY VS
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Population317,588+1514%
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Frequently asked

How many people live in Saluda County, South Carolina?

Saluda County, South Carolina has about 19,131 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Saluda County, South Carolina?

The typical household in Saluda County, South Carolina earns about $51,009 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Saluda County, South Carolina expensive?

In Saluda County, South Carolina, the median home is worth about $146,500, and the typical rent is about $851 a month.

How educated are people in Saluda County, South Carolina?

About 20.4% of adults age 25 and over in Saluda County, South Carolina hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Saluda County, South Carolina?

About 18.7% of people in Saluda County, South Carolina live below the federal poverty line.

Has Saluda County, South Carolina grown since 1990?

Yes, Saluda County, South Carolina has grown since 1990. The population has added about 2,774 residents, a change of about 17 percent over that period.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →