| County: | Anderson County |
| State: | South Carolina |
| Seal: | Anderson County Seal.jpg |
| Seat Wl: | Anderson |
| Largest City Wl: | Anderson |
| City Type: | community |
| Founded: | 1826 |
| Area Total Sq Mi: | 755.76 |
| Area Land Sq Mi: | 713.85 |
| Area Water Sq Mi: | 41.91 |
| Area Percentage: | 5.55 |
| Population As Of: | 2020 |
| Population Total: | 203718 |
| Pop Est As Of: | 2023 |
| Population Est: | 213076 |
| Population Density Sq Mi: | 285.38 |
| Coordinates: | 34.52°N -82.64°W |
| Time Zone: | Eastern |
| Web: | www.andersoncountysc.org |
| Ex Image: | Andersoncourthouse2017.jpg |
| District: | 3rd |
| Motto: | "Experience, Excel, Enjoy In Anderson County, SC" |
| Flag: | Anderson County Flag.png |
Anderson County is a county located in the U.S. state of South Carolina. As of the 2020 census, its population was 203,718. Its county seat is Anderson.[1] Named for Revolutionary War leader Robert Anderson,[2] the county is located in northwestern South Carolina, along the state line of Georgia. Anderson County is included in the Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC Metropolitan Statistical Area.[3] Anderson County contains 55950acres Lake Hartwell, a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers lake with nearly of shoreline for residential and recreational use. The area is a growing industrial, commercial and tourist center. It is the home of Anderson University, a private, selective comprehensive university of approximately 4,000 undergraduate and graduate students.[4]
See also: Blaine, South Carolina. Anderson County was founded in 1826 after the dissolution of the Pendleton District and was named after Robert Anderson, an American Revolutionary War general. During the Civil War, the county became a center of ammunitions production for the Confederate States Army.[5] The county seat and largest city is Anderson; both the county and city are also located in the Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC Metropolitan Statistical Area.[3] Agriculturally, the county is ranked high in production. Its ranked first in the southeast, second in the south, and twenty-third in the United States according to the United States Department of Commerce. Cotton, corn, and various fruits and vegetables are grown along with a large poultry industry located the county.[6]
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of, of which is land and (5.55%) is water.[7] Anderson County is in the Savannah River basin and the Saluda River basin.
| White alone (NH) | 147,362 | 152,396 | 78.75% | 74.81% | |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 29,810 | 30,214 | 15.93% | 14.83% | |
| Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) | 420 | 425 | 0.22% | 0.21% | |
| Asian alone (NH) | 1,384 | 2,404 | 0.74% | 1.18% | |
| Pacific Islander alone (NH) | 29 | 46 | 0.02% | 0.02% | |
| Some Other Race alone (NH) | 183 | 698 | 0.10% | 0.34% | |
| Mixed/Multi-Racial (NH) | 2,491 | 7,961 | 1.33% | 3.91% | |
| Hispanic or Latino | 5,447 | 9,574 | 2.91% | 4.70% | |
| Total | 187,126 | 203,718 | 100.00% | 100.00% |
As of the 2020 census, there were 203,718 people, 75,825 households, and 52,038 families residing in the county.
At the 2010 census, there were 187,126 people, 73,829 households, and 51,922 families residing in the county.[11] [12] The population density was . There were 84,774 housing units at an average density of .[13] The racial makeup of the county was 80.1% white, 16.0% black or African American, 0.8% Asian, 0.3% American Indian, 1.3% from other races, and 1.5% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 2.9% of the population.[11] In terms of ancestry, 15.9% were American, 13.6% were Irish, 10.8% were English, and 10.2% were German.[14]
Of the 73,829 households, 33.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.1% were married couples living together, 14.5% had a female householder with no husband present, 29.7% were non-families, and 25.4% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.50 and the average family size was 2.98. The median age was 39.7 years.[11]
The median income for a household in the county was $42,871 and the median income for a family was $53,229. Males had a median income of $41,885 versus $30,920 for females. The per capita income for the county was $22,117. About 12.4% of families and 15.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 23.0% of those under age 18 and 10.2% of those age 65 or over.[15]
Anderson County has a Council-Administrator form of government under South Carolina law. County Council members are elected from seven single-member districts for two-year terms. All seven council seats are open for election every two years.[16]
Anderson County Councilmen are:
The Anderson County Administrator is Rusty Burns.[17]
Anderson County has ten divisions:
Since the 1970s, Anderson County has been a rock-solid Republican bastion, with the party going on a streak of winning the county in each presidential election since 1984. The exceptions came in 1976 and 1980, when Southerner Jimmy Carter overwhelmingly captured the county in the former election and fairly solidly in the latter.
Early industry in the county was textile mills, processing southern cotton. In the 21st century, industry has diversified with more than 230 manufacturers, including 22 international companies. The top major industries in Anderson include manufacturers of automotive products, metal products, industrial machinery, plastics, publishing and textiles. There are more than 27 BMW suppliers in the upstate, which is recognized internationally as an automotive supplier hub. The plastic industry has a strong presence in the upstate, with 244 plastic companies located within the 10 counties of the northwest corner of SC. Anderson County has 11 automotive suppliers and is a major player in the plastic industry, with 27 plastic companies located within its borders.[18]
, some of the top employers in the county include AnMed Health Medical Center, Anderson University, Bosch, the City of Anderson, Glen Raven, Inc., Ingles, Michelin, Walmart, and Walgreens.[19] Between 2021 and 2024, the unemployment rate has fluctuated around 3%.[20] In 2022, its GDP was $9.1 billion (approx. $44,670 per capita).[21] In chained 2017 dollars, its real GDP was $7.6 billion (approx. $37,306 per capita).[22]
| Employment Counts | Employment Percentage (%) | Average Annual Wage ($) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accommodation and Food Services | 7,865 | 11.1 | 19,760 | |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 2,695 | 3.8 | 38,272 | |
| Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 167 | 0.2 | 49,712 | |
| Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | 864 | 1.2 | 16,016 | |
| Construction | 2,947 | 4.2 | 56,368 | |
| Educational Services | 5,822 | 8.2 | 50,440 | |
| Finance and Insurance | 1,043 | 1.5 | 60,476 | |
| Health Care and Social Assistance | 11,076 | 15.7 | 54,652 | |
| Information | 475 | 0.7 | 62,816 | |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | 212 | 0.3 | 121,992 | |
| Manufacturing | 16,042 | 22.7 | 61,048 | |
| Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction | 97 | 0.1 | 70,616 | |
| Other Services (except Public Administration) | 1,465 | 2.1 | 40,560 | |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 2,153 | 3.0 | 54,444 | |
| Public Administration | 2,634 | 3.7 | 45,708 | |
| Real Estate and Rental and Leasing | 532 | 0.8 | 44,824 | |
| Retail Trade | 9,313 | 13.2 | 32,344 | |
| Transportation and Warehousing | 2,185 | 3.1 | 56,264 | |
| Utilities | 350 | 0.5 | 83,304 | |
| Wholesale Trade | 2,783 | 3.9 | 61,048 | |
| Total | 70,720 | 100.0% | 48,004 |
School districts include:[23]