| County: | Saluda County |
| State: | South Carolina |
| Ex Image: | Saluda Theatre (cropped).jpg |
| Seal: | Saluda County Seal.png |
| Founded: | 1895 |
| Seat Wl: | Saluda |
| Largest City Wl: | Saluda |
| City Type: | community |
| Area Total Sq Mi: | 461.64 |
| Area Land Sq Mi: | 452.72 |
| Area Water Sq Mi: | 8.92 |
| Area Percentage: | 1.93 |
| Population As Of: | 2020 |
| Population Total: | 18862 |
| Pop Est As Of: | 2023 |
| Population Est: | 19123 |
| Population Density Sq Mi: | 41.66 |
| Coordinates: | 34.01°N -81.73°W |
| Web: | saludacounty.sc.gov |
| Time Zone: | Eastern |
| District: | 3rd |
Saluda County is a county in the U.S. state of South Carolina. As of the 2020 census, its population was 18,862. Its county seat is Saluda.[1] The county was formed from northern and eastern portions of Edgefield County.[2]
Saluda County is part of the Columbia metropolitan statistical area.
The county was founded in 1895 with portions of Edgefield County, and was named after the nearby Saluda River. The largest community and county seat is Saluda.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of, of which (1.93%) are covered by water.[3] Saluda County is largely in the Saluda River basin with a small portion of western Saluda in the Savannah River basin.
| 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 or Latino | 3,012 | 15.97% |
As of the 2020 census, 18,862 people, 7,094 households, and 5,132 families resided in the county.
At the 2010 census, 19,875 people, 7,527 households, and 5,393 families were living in the county.[6] [7] The population density was . The 9,289 housing units had an average density of .[8] 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.[6] In terms of ancestry, 17.8% were American, 14.7% were German, 8.6% were English, and 8.2% were Irish.[9]
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.[6]
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 the poverty line, including 19.4% of those under 18 and 15.0% of those 65 or over.[10]
At the 2000 census,[11] 19,181 people, 7,127 households, and 5,295 families lived in the county. The population density was 42/mi2. The 8,543 housing units had an average density of 19/mi2. The racial 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. The per capita income for the county was $16,328. About 12.00% of families and 15.60% of the population were below the poverty 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.[12]
In 2022, the gross domestic product (GDP) was $572.2 million (about $29,921 per capita),[13] and the real GDP was $495.6 million (about $25,918 per capita) in chained 2017 dollars.[14]
As of April 2024, some of the top employers of the county include Food Lion.[15]
| Employment counts | Percentage (%) | Average annual wage ($) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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:[18]