Saluda County, South Carolina facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Saluda County
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Saluda Theatre
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Location within the U.S. state of South Carolina
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 South Carolina's location within the U.S. |
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| Country |  United States |
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| State |  South Carolina |
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| Founded | 1895 | |
| Named for | 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)
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| • Total | 18,862 | |
| • Estimate
(2023)
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19,123 | |
| • Density | 41.66/sq mi (16.09/km2) | |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern) | |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) | |
| Congressional district | 3rd | |
Saluda County is a county in the U.S. state of South Carolina. As of the 2020 census, the population was 18,862. Its county seat is Saluda. The county was formed from northern and eastern portions of Edgefield County.
Saluda County is part of the Columbia, SC Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Contents
History
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.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 461.64 square miles (1,195.6 km2), of which 452.72 square miles (1,172.5 km2) is land and 8.92 square miles (23.1 km2) (1.93%) is water. Saluda County is largely in the Saluda River basin with a small portion of western Saluda in the Savannah River basin.
National protected area
- Sumter National Forest (part)
Major water bodies
- Halfway Swamp Creek
- Lake Murray
- Saluda River
Adjacent Counties
- Newberry County – north
- Lexington County – east
- Aiken County – south
- Edgefield County – southwest
- Greenwood County – northwest
- McCormick County – west
Major highways
US 1
US 178
US 178 Conn.
US 378
SC 23
SC 39
SC 121
SC 193
SC 194
SC 391
SC 395
SC 702
Major infrastructure
- Saluda County Airport
Demographics
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 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% | |
| 2023 (est.) | 19,123 | −3.8% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 1790–1960 1900–1990 1990–2000 2010 2020 |
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2020 census
| 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 or Latino | 3,012 | 15.97% |
As of the 2020 census, there were 18,862 people, 7,094 households, and 5,132 families residing in the county.
2010 census
At the 2010 census, there were 19,875 people, 7,527 households, and 5,393 families living in the county. The population density was 43.9 inhabitants per square mile (16.9/km2). There were 9,289 housing units at an average density of 20.5 per square mile (7.9/km2). 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. In terms of ancestry, 17.8% were American, 14.7% were German, 8.6% were English, and 8.2% were Irish.
Of the 7,527 households, 32.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.6% were married couples living together, 15.0% had a female householder with no husband present, 28.4% were non-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.
The median income for a household in the county was $40,508 and the median income 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 age 18 and 15.0% of those age 65 or over.
Economy
In 2022, the GDP was $572.2 million (about $29,921 per capita), and the real GDP was $495.6 million (about $25,918 per capita) in chained 2017 dollars.
As of April 2024, some of the top employers of the county include Food Lion.
| Industry | Employment Counts | Employment Percentage (%) | Average Annual Wage ($) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
Communities
Towns
- Batesburg-Leesville (mostly in Lexington County)
- Monetta (mostly in Aiken County)
- Ridge Spring
- Saluda (county seat and largest community)
- Ward
Unincorporated communities
- Mount Willing
Notable person
- William B. Travis, Texas lieutenant colonel leading defense in the Battle of the Alamo
See also
In Spanish: Condado de Saluda para niños
