Saluda County, South Carolina

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 sqmi, of which 8.92 sqmi (1.93%) are covered by 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

• 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

Major infrastructure

• Saluda County Airport

Demographics

|align-fn=center 1790–1960 1900–1990 1990–2000 2010 2020

2020 census

As of the 2020 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. The census also counted 5,132 families in the county.

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 and Pacific Islander, 8.0% from some other race, and 7.4% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 16.0% of the population.

1.4% of residents lived in urban areas, while 98.6% lived in rural areas.

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%.

2010 census

At the 2010 census, 19,875 people, 7,527 households, and 5,393 families were living in the county.{{cite web |access-date=March 11, 2016 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213010642/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/DPDP1/0500000US45081 |archive-date=February 13, 2020 |url-status=dead |access-date=March 11, 2016 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213193139/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/GCTPH1.CY07/0500000US45081 |archive-date=February 13, 2020 |url-status=dead |access-date=March 11, 2016 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213013625/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/10_5YR/DP02/0500000US45081 |archive-date=February 13, 2020 |url-status=dead

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.

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.{{cite web |access-date=March 11, 2016 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213022051/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/10_5YR/DP03/0500000US45081 |archive-date=February 13, 2020 |url-status=dead

2000 census

At the 2000 census, 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.

Law and government

Law enforcement

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.

Politics

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 since Nixon's 1972 landslide.

Economy

In 2022, the gross domestic product (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.

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

Education

School districts covering sections of the county include:

• Saluda County School District
• Aiken County School District
• Lexington School District 3

Notable person

• William B. Travis, Texas lieutenant colonel leading defense in the Battle of the Alamo

References

References

1. "Find a County". National Association of Counties.
2. (2009). "South Carolina: Individual County Chronologies". The Newberry Library.
3. (August 23, 2022). "2020 County Gazetteer Files – South Carolina". United States Census Bureau.
4. "Airport".
5. "County Population Totals and Components of Change: 2020-2024". United States Census Bureau.
6. "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau.
7. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library.
8. (March 27, 1995). "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau.
9. (April 2, 2001). "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000". United States Census Bureau.
10. "QuickFacts: Saluda County, South Carolina". United States Census Bureau.
11. "Explore Census Data".
12. (2021). "2020 Decennial Census Demographic Profile (DP1)".
13. (2021). "2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)".
14. (2023). "2020 Decennial Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics (DHC)".
15. "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau.
16. "U.S. Census website". [[United States Census Bureau]].
17. Jeffrey Collins. (August 5, 2012). "Ex-Saluda sheriff pleads guilty to misconduct".
18. Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections".
19. U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. (2001-01-01). "Gross Domestic Product: All Industries in Saluda County, SC".
20. U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. (2001-01-01). "Real Gross Domestic Product: All Industries in Saluda County, SC".
21. (April 19, 2024). "Saluda County". S.C. Department of Employment & Workforce - Business Intelligence Department.
22. "Saluda County Historical Society: Voices from Old Mount Willing".
23. "Mount Willing Populated Place Profile / Saluda County, South Carolina Data".
24. "2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Saluda County, SC". [[U.S. Census Bureau]].