Pickens County, South Carolina
Located in South Carolina, Pickens County has a population of 134,629 residents and a median age of 36.2 years, making it the #490 most populous county out of 3,222 nationwide. In terms of economic indicators, the county has a poverty rate of 17.2%. The median home value is $231,900, and the median household income is $61,064, which is 19% below the national median.
Demographics
Pickens County has a population of 134,629, making it the #490 most populous county in the US. The median age is 36.2 years, which is 6.9% below the national median.
Population Trend
Rankings →Year-over-Year Population Growth
Age & Sex Distribution
Race & Ethnicity
Nativity
Geographic Mobility (Past Year)
Economy
The median household income in Pickens County is $61,064, ranking #1,985 out of 3,222 counties — 18.7% below the national median. The poverty rate is 17.2% and unemployment stands at 3.6%.
Median Household Income Trend
Rankings →Income Distribution
Industry of Employment
Occupation
Housing
The median home value in Pickens County is $231,900 (-17.7% vs national). Renters pay a median of $972/mo and the homeownership rate is 70.9%.
Median Home Value Trend
Rankings →Household Type
Education
In Pickens County, 28.5% of adults age 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher, which is 15.3% below the national average, ranking #877 out of 3,222 counties.
Bachelor's Degree or Higher Trend
Rankings →Health & Wellbeing
Life expectancy in Pickens County is 74.6 years. 18.4% of adults report poor or fair health and 11.6% lack health insurance. Data from County Health Rankings (2025).
Life Expectancy Trend
Substance Use
18.7% of adults in Pickens County smoke , 36.8% are obese , and 19.9% report excessive drinking. The drug overdose death rate is 45.7 per 100,000.
Adult Smoking Trend
Safety
The homicide rate in Pickens County is 4.6 per 100,000 and the suicide rate is 18.0 per 100,000. Motor vehicle deaths occur at a rate of 17.5 per 100,000.
Homicide Rate Trend
Families & Children
17.6% of children in Pickens County live in poverty and the infant mortality rate is 6.0 per 1,000 live births. The teen birth rate is 12.9 per 1,000 females age 15–19.
Infant Mortality Trend
Civic & Transportation
Voter turnout in Pickens County is 58.0%. The mean commute time is 28.5 min, which is 3.1% above the national average.
Voter Turnout Trend
Mean Commute Time Trend
Rankings →Elections
In the 2024 presidential election, Pickens County voted Republican with a margin of 52.6%. The vote was 23% Dem / 75.6% Rep. Compared to 2020, the margin shifted 1.7 toward Republicans .
Vote Share Over Time
About Pickens County, South Carolina
Pickens County, South Carolina has a total population of 134,629, making it the 490th most populous county in the United States. The median age in Pickens County is 36.2 years, which is 6.9% below the national median of 38.9 years.
The median household income in Pickens County is $61,064, which ranks #1,985 of 3,222 counties nationwide. This is 18.7% below the national median of $75,149. The poverty rate is 17.2%, higher than the national rate of 12.6%. The unemployment rate stands at 3.6%.
The median home value in Pickens County is $231,900, 17.7% below the national median. Renters in Pickens County pay a median gross rent of $972 per month. The homeownership rate is 70.9%, compared to the national rate of 64.4%.
In Pickens County, 28.5% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 15.3% below the national average of 33.7%. Health insurance coverage stands at 91.4% of the population. The average commute time for workers is 28.5 min.
Pickens County is a diverse community. The largest racial or ethnic group is White (non-Hispanic) at 82.7% of the population, followed by Black (non-Hispanic) (5.7%) and Hispanic or Latino (5.4%).
All data for Pickens County, South Carolina comes from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates. These figures are estimates based on survey sampling and are subject to margin of error. For the most detailed and up-to-date data, visit the Census Bureau's official data portal.