Saluda County, South Carolina
Located in South Carolina, Saluda County has a population of 19,131 residents and a median age of 42.6 years, making it the #1,932 most populous county out of 3,222 nationwide. In terms of economic indicators, the county has a poverty rate of 18.7%. The median home value is $146,500, and the median household income is $51,009, which is 32% below the national median.
Demographics
Saluda County has a population of 19,131, making it the #1,932 most populous county in the US. The median age is 42.6 years, which is 9.5% above 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 Saluda County is $51,009, ranking #2,716 out of 3,222 counties — 32.1% below the national median. The poverty rate is 18.7% and unemployment stands at 3.2%.
Median Household Income Trend
Rankings →Income Distribution
Industry of Employment
Occupation
Housing
The median home value in Saluda County is $146,500 (-48.0% vs national). Renters pay a median of $851/mo and the homeownership rate is 78.7%.
Median Home Value Trend
Rankings →Household Type
Education
In Saluda County, 20.4% of adults age 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher, which is 39.4% below the national average, ranking #1,930 out of 3,222 counties.
Bachelor's Degree or Higher Trend
Rankings →Health & Wellbeing
Life expectancy in Saluda County is 73.9 years. 19.9% of adults report poor or fair health and 14.1% lack health insurance. Data from County Health Rankings (2025).
Life Expectancy Trend
Substance Use
17.9% of adults in Saluda County smoke , 38.9% are obese , and 18.2% report excessive drinking. The drug overdose death rate is 18.9 per 100,000.
Adult Smoking Trend
Safety
The homicide rate in Saluda County is 7.2 per 100,000 and the suicide rate is 10.8 per 100,000. Motor vehicle deaths occur at a rate of 24.3 per 100,000.
Suicide Rate Trend
Families & Children
24.4% of children in Saluda County live in poverty . The teen birth rate is 33.1 per 1,000 females age 15–19.
Teen Birth Rate Trend
Civic & Transportation
Voter turnout in Saluda County is 62.8%. The mean commute time is 31.4 min, which is 13.6% above the national average.
Voter Turnout Trend
Mean Commute Time Trend
Rankings →Elections
In the 2024 presidential election, Saluda County voted Republican with a margin of 44.4%. The vote was 27.2% Dem / 71.6% Rep. Compared to 2020, the margin shifted 9.3 toward Republicans .
Vote Share Over Time
About Saluda County, South Carolina
Saluda County, South Carolina has a total population of 19,131, making it the 1,932nd most populous county in the United States. The median age in Saluda County is 42.6 years, which is 9.5% above the national median of 38.9 years.
The median household income in Saluda County is $51,009, which ranks #2,716 of 3,222 counties nationwide. This is 32.1% below the national median of $75,149. The poverty rate is 18.7%, higher than the national rate of 12.6%. The unemployment rate stands at 3.2%.
The median home value in Saluda County is $146,500, 48.0% below the national median. Renters in Saluda County pay a median gross rent of $851 per month. The homeownership rate is 78.7%, compared to the national rate of 64.4%.
In Saluda County, 20.4% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 39.4% below the national average of 33.7%. Health insurance coverage stands at 82.1% of the population. The average commute time for workers is 31.4 min.
Saluda County is a diverse community. The largest racial or ethnic group is White (non-Hispanic) at 57.1% of the population, followed by Black (non-Hispanic) (21.2%) and Hispanic or Latino (17.1%).
All data for Saluda 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.