Anderson County, South Carolina Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Anderson County
U.S. county
Anderson County Courthouse
Location within the U.S. state of South Carolina
South Carolina's location within the U.S.
Country	United States
State	South Carolina
Founded	December 20, 1826
Named for	Robert Anderson
Seat	Anderson
Largest city	Anderson
Area
• Total	757 sq mi (1,960 km²)
• Land	715 sq mi (1,850 km²)
• Water	42 sq mi (110 km²) 5.5%
Population (2010)
• Total	187,216
• Estimate (2020)	204,824
• Density	247.31/sq mi (95.49/km²)
Time zone	UTC−5 (Eastern)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district	3rd

Anderson County is a county located in the U.S. state of South Carolina. As of the 2010 census, its population was 187,126. Its county seat is Anderson. Named for Revolutionary War leader Robert Anderson, the county is located in northwestern South Carolina, along the state line of Georgia. Anderson County is included in the Greenville-Anderson-Mauldin, SC Metropolitan Statistical Area. Anderson County contains 55,950-acre (226 km²) Lake Hartwell, a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers lake with nearly 1,000 miles (2,000 km) 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 3,000 undergraduate and graduate students.

Geography
- Adjacent counties
- Major highways
Demographics
- 2020 census
- 2010 census
Communities
Economy
See also

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 757 square miles (1,960 km²), of which 715 square miles (1,850 km²) is land and 42 square miles (110 km²) (5.5%) is water. Anderson County is in the Savannah River basin and the Saluda River basin.

Adjacent counties

Pickens County – north
Greenville County – northeast
Laurens County – east
Abbeville County – south
Elbert County, Georgia – southwest
Hart County, Georgia – west
Oconee County – northwest

Major highways

I-85
US 29
US 76
US 178

Demographics

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1830	17,169	—
1840	18,493	7.7%
1850	21,475	16.1%
1860	22,873	6.5%
1870	24,049	5.1%
1880	33,612	39.8%
1890	43,696	30.0%
1900	55,728	27.5%
1910	69,568	24.8%
1920	76,349	9.7%
1930	80,949	6.0%
1940	88,712	9.6%
1950	90,664	2.2%
1960	98,478	8.6%
1970	105,474	7.1%
1980	133,235	26.3%
1990	145,196	9.0%
2000	165,740	14.1%
2010	187,126	12.9%
2020 (est.)	204,824	9.5%
U.S. Decennial Census 1790–1960 1900–1990 1990–2000 2010–2019

2020 census

**Anderson County demographics**
(Hispanics excluded from racial categories)
(*NH = Non-Hispanic*)
Race / Ethnicity!Pop 2010	Pop 2020	% 2010	% 2020
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%

* Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos can be of any race.

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 203,718 people, 75,825 households, and 52,038 families residing in the county.

2010 census

As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 187,126 people, 73,829 households, and 51,922 families residing in the county. The population density was 261.6 inhabitants per square mile (101.0/km²). There were 84,774 housing units at an average density of 118.5 per square mile (45.8/km²). 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. In terms of ancestry, 15.9% were American, 13.6% were Irish, 10.8% were English, and 10.2% were German.

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.

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.

Communities

Cities

Towns

Census-designated places

Unincorporated communities

Aaron
La France
Sandy Springs
Townville (partly in Oconee County)
Craytonville

Economy

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. Two industries that many times interconnect are the plastic and automotive sectors. 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.

Anderson County, South Carolina facts for kids

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