Saluda, SC

Town in Saluda County, SC, US

By Neilsberg Research

Last updated May 1, 2026

Key Indicators

A quick look at key numbers

Population

3,055

Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS) 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates

Median Age

30.9

years ∙ half population younger than 30.9, half older

Diversity Index

60.6%

chance two random people differ in race and ethnicity

Nativity

18.2%

foreign-born population

81.8%Native

18.2% Foreign-born

Geographic Context

Location, size, and surroundings

About

Saluda is a town within Saluda County, South Carolina, United States.

Location

Town in Saluda County, SC, US

Co-ordinates

DEC34.001172° N, 81.771638° W

DMS34° 00′ 04.22″ N, 81° 46′ 17.90″ W

Population Density & area

940/sq mi (363.3/km²)

Total Area

3.29 sq mi (8.52 km²)

Land Area

3.25 sq mi (8.41 km²) · 98.7%

Water Area

0.04 sq mi (0.11 km²) · 1.3%

Demographics & Living

Who lives here, how households are formed, and community composition

Population Composition

Key characteristics of the population

Sex Distribution

59.1% male

Male 59.1%

Female 40.9%

males per 100 females

Saluda 144.2

Saluda County 98.8

South Carolina 94.8

Nativity

18.2%

foreign-born population

81.8%Native

18.2% Foreign-born

% Foreign-born

Saluda 18.2%

Saluda County 7.3%

South Carolina 5.8%

Age Distribution

How the population is spread across age groups

Median Age

30.9

years ∙ half population younger than 30.9, half older

Saluda

30.9

Saluda County

42.6

South Carolina

40.2

Dependency ratio

76.8

dependents per 100 working-age adults

Saluda 76.8

Saluda County 74

South Carolina 67.5

AGE DISTRIBUTION

Distribution of age group

Median age

	Saluda	Saluda County	South Carolina
Age Group
Children (Under 18)	33.4%	21.9%	21.4%
Working age (18-64)	56.5%	57.5%	59.7%
Senior (65+)	10.1%	20.6%	18.9%
Dependency ratio
Total dependency ratio	76.8	74	67.5
Child dependency ratio	59	38.2	35.9
Old-age dependency ratio	17.8	35.8	31.6

Racial & Ethnic Composition

Racial and ethnic makeup and how it compares

Race & Ethnicity

White

13.9%

Black

26.2%

Asian

Hispanic

55.2%

Other

4.7%

Note: White, Black, and Asian refer to individuals belonging to a single race and not of Hispanic origin. Hispanics may be of any race.

Diversity Index

60.6%

chance two random people differ in race and ethnicity

Saluda 60.6%

Saluda County 59.9%

South Carolina 54.9%

Note: The Diversity Index (DI), based on the Blau Index, measures the probability that two randomly selected individuals differ in race and ethnicity. Values range from 0 (no diversity) to 1 (high diversity) and are shown as percentages.

RACIAL & ETHNIC COMPOSITION

Race & Ethnicity

Percentage of Saluda population

Racial and ethnic composition — Saluda vs Saluda County vs South Carolina. Source: ACS 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates.
	Saluda	Saluda County	South Carolina
Hispanic or Latino	55.2%	17.1%	7.4%
Mexican	15.4%	8.9%	3.4%
Puerto Rican	4.1%	1.3%	1%
Cuban	0%	0%	0.3%
Other Hispanic / Latino	35.7%	6.9%	2.7%
Not Hispanic or Latino	44.8%	82.9%	92.6%
One race	43.6%	79.9%	88.9%
White	13.9%	57.1%	61.9%
Black or African American	26.2%	21.2%	24.6%
American Indian and Alaska Native	0%	0%	0.2%
Asian	0%	0.4%	1.7%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander	0%	0%	0%
Some Other Race	3.4%	1.1%	0.5%
Two or more races (Multiracial)	1.2%	3%	3.7%

Household & Families Composition

Household size, type, and family structure

Household structure

72.5% family

Family 72.5%

Non family 27.5%

% family households

Saluda 72.5%

Saluda County 72.5%

South Carolina 65%

Average household size

2.55

persons per household

Saluda

2.55

Saluda County

2.45

South Carolina

2.44

Household & Family COMPOSITION

Households

Percentage of Saluda population

	Saluda	Saluda County	South Carolina
Total households	1,197	7,670	2,117,989
Average houshold size	2.55	2.45	2.44
Family households	868	5,563	1,377,369
Average family size	3.03	2.92	3.01
Married couple family	467	4,073	998,170
Other families	401	1,490	379,199
Male householder	174	476	95,077
Female householder	227	1,014	284,122
Non-family households	329	2,107	740,620
One-person households	312	1,965	618,603
Male householder	121	835	273,409
Senior (65+) living alone	15	386	86,486
Female householder	191	1,130	345,194
Senior (65+) living alone	113	710	172,484
Other living arrangements	17	142	122,017

Housing Profile

Housing stock, ownership, rentals, and cost burdens

Total housing units

1,303

housing units

Saluda 1,303

Saluda County 9,543

South Carolina 2,443,039

Occupancy status

91.9% occupied

Occupied 91.9%

Vacant 8.1%

vacancy rate

Saluda 8.1%

Saluda County 19.6%

South Carolina 13.3%

Housing Characteristics

How the housing supply is structured and used

Types of Housing unit

51.6%

Single family houses

51.6%

Apartments in multi-unit structures

16.2%

Mobile homes

32.2%

Boat, RV, van, etc

Median Year Built

1988

Half of houses were built before 1988, and half after.

Historic ∙ 1939 or earlier

8.2%

Postwar & mid-century ∙ 1940 - 1969

20.5%

Late 20th century ∙ 1970 - 1999

57.5%

Modern ∙ 2000 or later

13.9%

Note: Median year built reflects occupied units only; distribution includes all units.

Housing Characteristics

Units, rooms & bedrooms

Physical characteristics of housing units

	Saluda	Saluda County	South Carolina
Rooms per unit
Median rooms	5.1	5.7	5.7
1–3 rooms	8.9%	5.3%	9.1%
4–6 rooms	76.3%	62.1%	55.3%
7+ rooms	14.7%	32.6%	35.5%
Bedrooms
No bedroom / studio	1.2%	1.5%	1.5%
1 bedroom	11.9%	3.7%	5.7%
2 bedrooms	15%	19.6%	22.5%
3 bedrooms	61.7%	60.6%	47.5%
4+ bedrooms	10.1%	14.5%	22.8%
At a glance
Median year built	1988	1988	1993
Total housing units	1,303	9,543	2,443,039

Occupancy Profile

Who is inside and how they use it

Homeownership

49% owners

Renter-occupied 51%

Owner-occupied 49%

homeownership rate

Saluda 49%

Saluda County 78.7%

South Carolina 71.9%

Average household size

2.61

Owner-occupied

2.48

Renter-occupied

owner-occupied average size

Saluda 2.61

Saluda County 2.42

South Carolina 2.49

Housing Characteristics

Occupied unit characteristics

Tenure, crowding, and utilities

	Saluda	Saluda County	South Carolina
Total occupied units	1,197	7,670	2,117,989
Year moved in
2020 or later	19.5%	17%	25.6%
2010 to 2019	60.4%	35%	39.4%
2000 to 2009	6.6%	14.8%	16%
1999 or earlier	13.5%	33.2%	19%
Occupants per room
1.00 or fewer	76.2%	94.5%	98%
1.01 to 1.50	22.1%	4.3%	1.4%
1.51 or more	1.7%	1.2%	0.6%
Vehicles availability
No vehicles	15.6%	4.4%	5.7%
1 vehicle	30.7%	23.4%	32.2%
2 vehicles	44.2%	39.2%	38.5%
3 or more vehicles	9.4%	33.1%	23.6%
House heating fuel used
Gas	21.4%	22.1%	27.1%
Electricity	76.1%	72.2%	70.8%
Solar	0%	0.1%	0.2%
Fuel oil, kerosene etc	1%	1.3%	0.5%
All other fuels	0%	2.9%	0.6%
No fuel used	1.6%	1.5%	0.7%
Selected characteristics
Lacking complete plumbing	0%	0.6%	0.3%
Lacking complete kitchen	0.4%	0.6%	0.6%
No telephone service available	0.7%	0.6%	0.8%

Housing Value

What owner-occupied units are worth

Median home value

$77,700

owner-occupied units

Median value(USD)

Saluda

$77,700

Saluda County

$146,500

South Carolina

$259,000

Housing Cost Burden

29.3%

of homeowners with a mortgage are cost-burdened

% Cost-Burdened Households

Owners with a mortgage

29.3%

Owners without a mortgage

6.2%

Renters

60%

Note: Households spending 30% or more of their income on housing costs are considered cost-burdened.

Financial characteristics

Property value and housing costs

Tenure, crowding, and utilities

	Saluda	Saluda County	South Carolina
Property value
Median Value	$77,700	$146,500	$259,000
Under $100,000	57.5%	38.1%	16.8%
$100,000 - $200,000	16.4%	21.6%	19.5%
$200,000 - $300,000	16%	14.8%	21.8%
$300,000 - $500,000	7.8%	15.8%	25.5%
$500,000 - $1,000,000	1.5%	7.1%	12.7%
$1,000,000 and more	0.7%	2.5%	3.7%
Owner-occupied households
With a mortgage	25.6%	38.1%	57.1%
Without a mortgage	74.4%	61.9%	42.9%
Median monthly owner costs
With a mortgage	$1,357	$1,362	$1,529
Without a mortgage	$462	$407	$448
Gross rent
Median rent	$816	$851	$1,180

Education Profile

How educated is the community and how education pays off

Adults with a college degree

14.1%

of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher

Saluda 14.1%

Saluda County 20.4%

South Carolina 32.1%

Adults without a high school diploma

25.5%

of adults (25+) without a high school diploma

Saluda 25.5%

Saluda County 15.9%

South Carolina 9.9%

School Enrollment

Who is enrolled in school and at what level

School enrollment

716

population (age 3+) enrolled in school

Nursery / Preschool

1.7%

K–12

90.4%

College / Undergraduate

7.4%

Graduate / Professional

0.6%

College-going rate (18-24 yr olds)

10.5%

of 18-24-year-olds in college or graduate school

Saluda

10.5%

Saluda County

17.7%

South Carolina

37.5%

Enrollment & school type

Enrollment levels, college-going rate, and public vs private school split

Population 3+ currently enrolled in a school

	Saluda	Saluda County	South Carolina
Total enrolled (age 3+)	716	4,094	1,202,992
Nursery / preschool	1.7%	6%	5.2%
K–12	90.4%	79.2%	69.7%
Kindergarten	11%	4.1%	5.5%
Elementary: Grades 1–4	28.5%	23.1%	20.6%
Elementary: Grades 5–8	23.2%	21.1%	21.4%
High School: Grades 9–12	27.7%	30.9%	22.2%
College or graduate school	8%	14.8%	25.1%
College, undergraduate	7.4%	10.3%	20%
Graduate, professional school	0.6%	4.5%	5%
College-going rate · 18-24 yr olds	10.5%	17.7%	37.5%
School type
Public school	97.3%	84%	82.7%
Private school	2.7%	16%	17.3%

Education Attainment by Level & Gender

What is the highest level of education completed among adults

Education attainment

1,713

population 25 years and over

Total adults (25+)

Less than 9th grade

16.8%

9th-12th, no diploma

8.7%

HS graduate

23.1%

Some college no degree

17.1%

Associates degree

20.2%

Bachelors degree

10.3%

Graduate or professional degree

3.8%

Attainment by gender

Male vs Female

Adults (25+) · Share within each education level

% male · % female

Less than 9th grade

64.9% · 35.1%

9th-12th, no diploma

40.9% · 59.1%

HS graduate

53.4% · 46.6%

Some college no degree

42.7% · 57.3%

Associates degree

74.9% · 25.1%

Bachelors degree

54.8% · 45.2%

Graduate or professional degree

24.6% · 75.4%

Educational Attainment Overview

Distribution and key education attainment rates for adults (25+)

Highest credential completed · adults 25+

	Saluda	Saluda County	South Carolina
Population (25+)	1,713	13,429	3,677,078
Less than 9th grade	16.8%	6.8%	3.1%
9th–12th, no diploma	8.7%	9.1%	6.8%
High school diploma or GED	23.1%	36.6%	28.2%
Some college, no degree	17.1%	16.6%	19.8%
Associate's degree	20.2%	10.5%	10%
Bachelor's degree or higher	14.1%	20.4%	32.1%
Bachelor's degree	10.3%	11.6%	19.8%
Graduate or professional	3.8%	8.8%	12.3%
High School or higher	74.5%	84.1%	90.1%

Earnings by education level

percentage as applicable

Median Earnings

$18,003

Median earnings for adults 25+, by level

Less than HS graduate

$—

HS graduate

$31,500

Some college or associates

$7,237

Bachelors degree

$—

Graduate or professional degree

$67,708

Poverty Rate

19.8%

for ages 25+, with bachelors degree or higher

Less than HS graduate

69.8%

HS graduate

15.2%

Some college or associates

55.9%

Bachelors degree or higher

19.8%

Outcomes by Education Level

Earnings and poverty rates across education levels (25+)

Adults 25+

	Saluda	Saluda County	South Carolina
Median earnings
Population 25+, with earnings	$18,003	$44,614	$47,658
Less than high school graduate	$—	$24,379	$30,223
High school graduate (includes equivalency)	$31,500	$39,286	$37,196
Some college or associate's degree	$7,237	$43,479	$44,160
Bachelor's degree	$—	$50,996	$61,860
Graduate or professional degree	$67,708	$67,089	$73,671
Poverty rates
Less than high school graduate	69.8%	31.4%	28.4%
High school graduate (includes equivalency)	15.2%	17.6%	15.6%
Some college or associate's degree	55.9%	15.9%	10.2%
Bachelor's degree or higher	19.8%	4.1%	4.7%

Insights for Saluda, by topic

Income By year By race By age By gender

Population By year By race By age By gender

About Neilsberg Research

Neilsberg Research team are data scientists with expertise in processing, analysis and visualization of big data helping small businesses make right decisions.

Cite this page

Citation style

Url to be used as reference

This article is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be legal or tax advice. We recommend that you consult with a qualified professional such as a lawyer or accountant before making a decision. Many of the products and services featured here are from our affiliate partners. We may receive commissions on purchases made from our chosen links. Read advertiser disclosure.