Saluda County, South Carolina | |
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 Seal | |
 Location within the U.S. state ofSouth Carolina | |
| Coordinates:34°01′N81°44′W / 34.01°N 81.73°W /34.01; -81.73 | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  South Carolina |
| Founded | 1895 |
| Named after | Saluda River |
| Seat | Saluda |
| Largest community | Saluda |
| Area | |
• Total | 461.64 sq mi (1,195.6 km2) |
| • Land | 452.72 sq mi (1,172.5 km2) |
| • Water | 8.92 sq mi (23.1 km2) 1.93% |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 18,862 |
• Estimate (2024) | 19,452 |
| • Density | 41.664/sq mi (16.086/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) |
| Congressional district | 3rd |
| Website | saludacounty |
Saluda County is acounty in theU.S. state ofSouth Carolina. As of the2020 census, its population was 18,862.[1] Itscounty seat isSaluda.[2] The county was formed from northern and eastern portions ofEdgefield County.[3] Saluda County is part of theColumbia metropolitan statistical area.
The county was founded in 1895 with portions of Edgefield County, and was named after the nearbySaluda River. The largest community and county seat is Saluda.
According to theU.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 461.64 square miles (1,195.6 km2), of which 8.92 square miles (23.1 km2) (1.93%) are covered by water.[4] Saluda County is largely in the Saluda River basin with a small portion of western Saluda in theSavannah River basin.
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1900 | 18,966 | — | |
| 1910 | 20,943 | 10.4% | |
| 1920 | 22,088 | 5.5% | |
| 1930 | 18,148 | −17.8% | |
| 1940 | 17,192 | −5.3% | |
| 1950 | 15,924 | −7.4% | |
| 1960 | 14,554 | −8.6% | |
| 1970 | 14,528 | −0.2% | |
| 1980 | 16,150 | 11.2% | |
| 1990 | 16,357 | 1.3% | |
| 2000 | 19,181 | 17.3% | |
| 2010 | 19,875 | 3.6% | |
| 2020 | 18,862 | −5.1% | |
| 2024 (est.) | 19,452 | [6] | 3.1% |
| U.S. Decennial Census[7] 1790–1960[8] 1900–1990[9] 1990–2000[10] 2010[11] 2020[1] | |||
| Race | Num. | Perc. |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 11,264 | 59.72% |
| Black or African American (non-Hispanic) | 4,028 | 21.36% |
| Native American | 44 | 0.23% |
| Asian | 35 | 0.19% |
| Other/mixed | 479 | 2.54% |
| Hispanic orLatino | 3,012 | 15.97% |
As of the2020 census, the county had a population of 18,862, and the median age was 44.6 years. 21.9% of residents were under the age of 18 and 22.3% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 98.4 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 96.6 males age 18 and over.[13] The census also counted 5,132 families in the county.[1]
The racial makeup of the county was 61.9% White, 21.6%Black or African American, 0.9%American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%Asian, 0.0%Native Hawaiian andPacific Islander, 8.0% from some other race, and 7.4% fromtwo or more races.Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 16.0% of the population.[14]
1.4% of residents lived in urban areas, while 98.6% lived in rural areas.[15]
There were 7,549 households in the county, of which 28.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them and 27.1% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. About 27.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. There were 9,267 housing units, of which 18.5% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 75.2% were owner-occupied and 24.8% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.1% and the rental vacancy rate was 5.7%.[13]
At the2010 census, 19,875 people, 7,527 households, and 5,393 families were living in the county.[16][11] The population density was 43.9 inhabitants per square mile (16.9/km2). The 9,289 housing units had an average density of 20.5 per square mile (7.9/km2).[17] The racial makeup of the county was 61.1% White, 26.3% Black or African American, 0.4% American Indian, 0.3% Pacific Islander, 0.2% Asian, 10.3% from other races, and 1.4% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 14.4% of the population.[16] In terms of ancestry, 17.8% wereAmerican, 14.7% wereGerman, 8.6% wereEnglish, and 8.2% wereIrish.[18]
Of the 7,527 households, 32.5% had children under 18 living with them, 50.6% were married couples living together, 15.0% had a female householder with no husband present, 28.4% were not families, and 24.2% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.61 and the average family size was 3.05. The median age was 39.6 years.[16]
The median income for a household in the county was $40,508 and for a family was $45,173. Males had a median income of $31,264 versus $28,344 for females. The per capita income for the county was $18,717. About 11.7% of families and 15.1% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 19.4% of those under 18 and 15.0% of those 65 or over.[19]
At the2000 census,[20] 19,181 people, 7,127 households, and 5,295 families lived in the county. Thepopulation density was 42 people per square mile (16 people/km2). The 8,543 housing units had an average density of 19 per square mile (7.3/km2). Theracial makeup of the county was 65.80% White, 29.99% Black or African American, 0.23%Native American, 0.04% Asian, 3.30% from other races, and 0.64% from two or more races. About 7.30% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
Of the 7,127 households, 31.8% had children under 18 living with them, 54.2% were married couples living together, 14.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.7% were not families. About 22.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.4% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.65 and the average family size was 3.07.
In the county, the age distribution was 24.9% under 18, 9.20% from 18 to 24, 27.60% from 25 to 44, 23.80% from 45 to 64, and 14.50% who were 65 or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.60 males. For every 100 females 18 and over, there were 95.30 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $35,774, and for a family was $41,603. Males had a median income of $29,221 versus $21,395 for females. Theper capita income for the county was $16,328. About 12.00% of families and 15.60% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 21.4% of those under 18 and 16.3% of those 65 or over.
In 2012, Saluda County Sheriff Jason Booth pled guilty to charges of misuse of office after using an inmate to make improvements at his home.[21]
Saluda County has been a Republican stronghold since 1984, increasingly so in recent elections. The 2024 election saw the strongest Republican support in the county sinceNixon's 1972 landslide.
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 1900 | 7 | 0.55% | 1,269 | 99.45% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1904 | 7 | 0.74% | 938 | 99.26% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1912 | 0 | 0.00% | 850 | 98.04% | 17 | 1.96% |
| 1916 | 1 | 0.08% | 1,227 | 99.51% | 5 | 0.41% |
| 1920 | 3 | 0.27% | 1,111 | 99.55% | 2 | 0.18% |
| 1924 | 3 | 0.27% | 1,094 | 99.55% | 2 | 0.18% |
| 1928 | 5 | 0.62% | 796 | 99.38% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1932 | 7 | 0.53% | 1,307 | 99.47% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1936 | 10 | 0.75% | 1,324 | 99.25% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1940 | 15 | 1.33% | 1,115 | 98.67% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1944 | 14 | 1.30% | 924 | 85.56% | 142 | 13.15% |
| 1948 | 15 | 0.78% | 187 | 9.77% | 1,712 | 89.45% |
| 1952 | 1,396 | 46.72% | 1,592 | 53.28% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1956 | 341 | 14.92% | 1,080 | 47.24% | 865 | 37.84% |
| 1960 | 1,268 | 48.38% | 1,353 | 51.62% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1964 | 2,524 | 64.17% | 1,409 | 35.83% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1968 | 1,466 | 30.53% | 1,200 | 24.99% | 2,136 | 44.48% |
| 1972 | 3,095 | 73.85% | 1,022 | 24.39% | 74 | 1.77% |
| 1976 | 2,085 | 43.09% | 2,715 | 56.11% | 39 | 0.81% |
| 1980 | 2,450 | 47.40% | 2,651 | 51.29% | 68 | 1.32% |
| 1984 | 3,515 | 63.90% | 1,962 | 35.67% | 24 | 0.44% |
| 1988 | 3,225 | 61.64% | 1,984 | 37.92% | 23 | 0.44% |
| 1992 | 2,968 | 47.80% | 2,393 | 38.54% | 848 | 13.66% |
| 1996 | 2,825 | 49.56% | 2,486 | 43.61% | 389 | 6.82% |
| 2000 | 4,098 | 59.47% | 2,682 | 38.92% | 111 | 1.61% |
| 2004 | 4,537 | 59.87% | 3,001 | 39.60% | 40 | 0.53% |
| 2008 | 5,191 | 60.34% | 3,323 | 38.63% | 89 | 1.03% |
| 2012 | 5,135 | 59.96% | 3,328 | 38.86% | 101 | 1.18% |
| 2016 | 5,526 | 64.53% | 2,813 | 32.85% | 225 | 2.63% |
| 2020 | 6,210 | 66.96% | 2,963 | 31.95% | 101 | 1.09% |
| 2024 | 6,452 | 71.58% | 2,454 | 27.22% | 108 | 1.20% |
In 2022, thegross domestic product (GDP) was $572.2 million (about $29,921 per capita),[23] and thereal GDP was $495.6 million (about $25,918 per capita) inchained 2017 dollars.[24]
As of April 2024, some of the top employers of the county includeFood Lion.[25]
| Industry | Employment counts | Percentage (%) | Average annual wage ($) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accommodation and Food Services | 208 | 4.6 | 14,872 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 42 | 0.9 | 37,076 |
| Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 443 | 9.9 | 53,040 |
| Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | 62 | 1.4 | 26,208 |
| Construction | 136 | 3.0 | 44,980 |
| Finance and Insurance | 48 | 1.1 | 58,448 |
| Health Care and Social Assistance | 591 | 13.2 | 39,780 |
| Manufacturing | 1,921 | 42.9 | 49,868 |
| Other Services (except Public Administration) | 68 | 1.5 | 47,060 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 107 | 2.4 | 47,892 |
| Public Administration | 336 | 7.5 | 44,044 |
| Real Estate and Rental and Leasing | 24 | 0.5 | 38,948 |
| Retail Trade | 295 | 6.6 | 28,652 |
| Transportation and Warehousing | 67 | 1.5 | 54,912 |
| Utilities | 33 | 0.7 | 69,680 |
| Wholesale Trade | 96 | 2.1 | 52,572 |
| Total | 4,477 | 100.0% | 45,016 |
School districts covering sections of the county include:[28]
Geographic data related toSaluda County, South Carolina atOpenStreetMapPlaces adjacent to Saluda County, South Carolina | ||||||||||||||||
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Municipalities and communities ofSaluda County, South Carolina,United States | ||
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| Towns |  | |
| Unincorporated communities | ||
| Ghost towns | ||
| Footnotes | ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties | |
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