Population 80,469 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Oconee County
Household size in Oconee County
| Period | Oconee County | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.43 | 2.54 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.45 | 2.59 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.41 | 2.57 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.34 | 2.50 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.09 | −0.04 | −0.03 |
Oconee County is a place of small households, averaging 2.34 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. Since 2006–10, household size has dropped from 2.43, mirroring the country. Few South Carolina counties have smaller households: only four of 46.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Oconee County
| Period | Oconee County | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 43.5 | 38.3 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 43.7 | 39.3 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 45.0 | 40.6 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 45.9 | 41.2 | 40.1 |
| Change | +2.4 | +2.9 | +2.3 |
With a median age of 45.9, Oconee County is noticeably older than the country as a whole (40.1), an age mix that tilts toward empty nesters and retirees. The median age has climbed from 43.5 in 2006–10, in line with the national trend. The youngest areas are in the southeast, the oldest in the northeast.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Oconee County
| Period | Oconee County | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.4% | 13.0% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 11.1% | 13.0% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 11.1% | 11.8% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 9.7% | 11.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | −0.8 pts | −1.3 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head about one in ten households in Oconee County (9.7%), a little below the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share has edged down 0.8 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Oconee County has a lower share of single-parent households than the great majority of South Carolina counties.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Oconee County
Renters in Oconee County
| Period | Oconee County | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 23.1% | 30.1% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 25.2% | 31.4% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 27.3% | 30.6% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 23.8% | 28.1% | 34.8% |
| Change | +0.7 pts | −2.0 pts | +1.5 pts |
Only 23.8% of households in Oconee County rent their homes, far below the national share of 34.8%, so most residents are owners who tend to stay put. Among homeowners, 53.0% have no mortgage at all, well above the national share of 39.8%. Rentals cluster in the southeast; owners are most common in the northeast. The renter share is up 0.7 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Oconee County
| Period | Oconee County | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 20.2% | 14.2% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 20.8% | 14.2% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 19.6% | 13.3% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 18.0% | 11.8% | 9.6% |
| Change | −2.2 pts | −2.5 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacant homes make up 18.0% of the housing in Oconee County, far above the national rate of 9.6%. In resort and lake areas that usually means seasonal and vacation homes; elsewhere it can point to weak demand. Vacancy has fallen 2.2 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Oconee County
| Period | Oconee County | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1982 | 1984 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1985 | 1985 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1987 | 1987 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1988 | 1991 | 1980 |
| Change | +6 | +7 | +6 |
Oconee County has newer housing than the country as a whole: the median home was built in 1988, versus 1980 nationally. The median year built has moved up from 1982 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the northeast, the oldest in the northwest.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Oconee County
| Period | Oconee County | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $592 | $780 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $719 | $859 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $798 | $984 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $913 | $1,294 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$321 | +$514 | +$606 |
Rent in Oconee County runs $913 a month at the median, utilities included, well below the U.S. median of $1,571. Rents are up $321 a month from 2006–10, a 54% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 33.2% of household income on rent, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Oconee County
Bachelor's degrees in Oconee County
| Period | Oconee County | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 22.3% | 25.2% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 22.3% | 26.5% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 25.9% | 28.9% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 28.4% | 32.6% | 35.6% |
| Change | +6.1 pts | +7.4 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are less common in Oconee County than nationally: 28.4% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 6.1 points, in line with the national trend. College graduates are most concentrated in the northeast and least in the west.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Oconee County
| Period | Oconee County | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 81.6% | 84.0% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 83.2% | 85.7% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 85.0% | 87.8% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 87.2% | 90.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +5.6 pts | +6.2 pts | +4.3 pts |
About one in eight adults in Oconee County never finished high school, a bit more than nationally: 87.2% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% across the U.S. The share with a diploma has risen 5.6 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Oconee County
| Period | Oconee County | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.1% | 9.1% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 11.8% | 10.6% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.2% | 5.8% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.5% | 4.9% | 5.4% |
| Change | −4.7 pts | −4.2 pts | −2.7 pts |
At 5.5%, unemployment in Oconee County is close to the national rate of 5.4%. Unemployment has fallen 4.7 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Oconee County compared with nearby counties
| County | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oconee County | 2.34 | 45.9 | 9.7% | 23.8% | 18.0% | 1988 | $913 | 28.4% | 87.2% | 5.5% |
| Pickens County | 2.48 | 38.8 | 8.8% | 29.1% | 12.1% | 1986 | $1,017 | 33.9% | 89.0% | 4.0% |
| Rabun County | 2.24 | 48.6 | 8.5% | 22.9% | 33.4% | 1988 | $1,039 | 30.6% | 89.7% | 1.9% |
| Greenville County | 2.50 | 39.2 | 10.5% | 31.1% | 8.3% | 1991 | $1,363 | 41.3% | 90.9% | 4.5% |
| Union County | 2.27 | 54.9 | 5.4% | 15.6% | 21.8% | 1995 | $945 | 26.6% | 87.8% | 2.4% |
| Union County | 2.34 | 44.5 | 17.0% | 28.7% | 15.0% | 1971 | $821 | 14.7% | 82.0% | 7.2% |
| Gilmer County | 2.51 | 49.2 | 7.9% | 19.3% | 26.9% | 1998 | $1,184 | 24.7% | 86.7% | 2.7% |
| Murray County | 2.73 | 39.2 | 15.0% | 26.2% | 7.5% | 1993 | $892 | 15.8% | 78.6% | 4.3% |
| Chester County | 2.48 | 42.6 | 14.7% | 21.6% | 11.2% | 1979 | $962 | 14.0% | 85.1% | 5.8% |
| Whitfield County | 2.88 | 36.9 | 14.4% | 33.0% | 8.4% | 1985 | $1,025 | 20.5% | 74.5% | 4.7% |
| Lancaster County | 2.62 | 43.6 | 9.5% | 16.7% | 8.8% | 1996 | $1,153 | 34.9% | 90.4% | 4.3% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Van Buren County, MI · Christian County, KY · Columbia County, FL · Hancock County, OH · Harrison County, TX · Iberia Parish, LA · Kosciusko County, IN · Toa Baja Municipio, PR · Tooele County, UT · Troup County, GA
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Oconee County. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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