Population 8,484 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Saluda
Household size in Saluda
| Period | Saluda | Columbia area | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.80 | 2.51 | 2.54 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.80 | 2.55 | 2.59 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.98 | 2.55 | 2.57 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.59 | 2.46 | 2.50 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.20 | −0.05 | −0.04 | −0.03 |
At 2.59 people per household, Saluda sits close to the national average of 2.65. The typical household here is bigger than in the Columbia area as a whole, where it has 2.46 people. Since 2006–10, household size has dropped from 2.80, a much bigger shift than nationally.
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 Saluda
| Period | Saluda | Columbia area | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 39.1 | 37.1 | 38.3 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 38.2 | 37.8 | 39.3 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 39.6 | 38.6 | 40.6 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 39.7 | 39.4 | 41.2 | 40.1 |
| Change | +0.5 | +2.3 | +2.9 | +2.3 |
At 39.7, the median age in Saluda is close to the national median of 40.1, so its age mix looks much like the country's. The median age has crept up from 39.1 in 2006–10, a smaller shift than nationally.
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 Saluda
| Period | Saluda | Columbia area | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.2% | 13.2% | 13.0% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 14.4% | 13.4% | 13.0% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 13.5% | 12.9% | 11.8% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 19.4% | 12.9% | 11.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | +7.2 pts | −0.3 pts | −1.3 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head nearly one in five households in Saluda (19.4%), well above the national share of 11.6%. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has risen 7.2 points, even as the national share fell. Only 13 of the 172 South Carolina cities with 5,000+ people have a higher share of single-parent households.
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 Saluda
Renters in Saluda
| Period | Saluda | Columbia area | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 29.3% | 31.2% | 30.1% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 34.7% | 32.8% | 31.4% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 30.9% | 32.1% | 30.6% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 27.9% | 30.6% | 28.1% | 34.8% |
| Change | −1.4 pts | −0.6 pts | −2.0 pts | +1.5 pts |
More than a quarter of households in Saluda rent their homes (27.9%), below the national share of 34.8%; the rest own. Among homeowners, 61.5% have no mortgage at all, well above the national share of 39.8%. Rentals cluster in the south; owners are most common in the west. The renter share has edged down 1.4 points since 2006–10, even as the national share rose.
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 Saluda
| Period | Saluda | Columbia area | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 18.5% | 10.7% | 14.2% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 17.9% | 12.0% | 14.2% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 18.9% | 11.8% | 13.3% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 17.0% | 10.3% | 11.8% | 9.6% |
| Change | −1.5 pts | −0.4 pts | −2.5 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacant homes make up 17.0% of the housing in Saluda, 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. Since 2006–10, vacancy has fallen 1.5 points, 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 Saluda
| Period | Saluda | Columbia area | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1973 | 1984 | 1984 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1978 | 1985 | 1985 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1980 | 1986 | 1987 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1985 | 1990 | 1991 | 1980 |
| Change | +12 | +6 | +7 | +6 |
Homes in Saluda are a bit newer than the national norm: the median home was built in 1985, versus 1980 across the U.S. Locally, though, homes here are older than in the Columbia area overall, where the median home dates to 1990. The median year built has moved up from 1973 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building.
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 Saluda
| Period | Saluda | Columbia area | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $592 | $831 | $780 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $651 | $908 | $859 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $607 | $1,021 | $984 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $942 | $1,285 | $1,294 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$350 | +$453 | +$514 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Saluda costs $942 a month with utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $350 a month since 2006–10, up 59%, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 30.3% of household income on rent, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent.
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 Saluda
Bachelor's degrees in Saluda
| Period | Saluda | Columbia area | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.9% | 31.5% | 25.2% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 9.5% | 31.8% | 26.5% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 15.0% | 34.1% | 28.9% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 17.9% | 35.9% | 32.6% | 35.6% |
| Change | +7.0 pts | +4.4 pts | +7.4 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are relatively uncommon in Saluda: 17.9% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's or higher, well below the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree is up 7.0 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend. College graduates are most concentrated in the southwest and least in the north.
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 Saluda
| Period | Saluda | Columbia area | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 70.8% | 88.1% | 84.0% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 70.6% | 88.7% | 85.7% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 72.6% | 90.2% | 87.8% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 83.0% | 91.4% | 90.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +12.2 pts | +3.3 pts | +6.2 pts | +4.3 pts |
About one in six adults in Saluda never finished high school, well above the national share: only 83.0% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% nationally. The share with a diploma has risen 12.2 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Saluda has a lower share of high school graduates than at least four in five South Carolina cities.
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 Saluda
| Period | Saluda | Columbia area | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.9% | 7.6% | 9.1% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 10.4% | 9.7% | 10.6% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.6% | 6.0% | 5.8% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 2.6% | 5.4% | 4.9% | 5.4% |
| Change | −7.3 pts | −2.2 pts | −4.2 pts | −2.7 pts |
The job market in Saluda has been strong: just 2.6% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. Unemployment is down 7.3 points from 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).
Saluda compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saluda | 2.59 | 39.7 | 19.4% | 27.9% | 17.0% | 1985 | $942 | 17.9% | 83.0% | 2.6% |
| Limp | 2.99 | 37.3 | 30.5% | 29.4% | 45.6% | 1992 | $880 | 29.3% | 83.2% | 0.0% |
| Emory | 2.49 | 37.9 | 13.2% | 42.3% | 6.8% | 1988 | $858 | 19.3% | 76.6% | 1.2% |
| Mount Willing | 2.73 | 44.3 | 13.6% | 11.6% | 11.7% | 1980 | $908 | 18.5% | 86.7% | 0.8% |
| Owdoms | 2.14 | 53.9 | 9.5% | 10.4% | 6.8% | 1982 | $995 | 8.5% | 91.2% | 0.6% |
| Eulala | 2.20 | 51.4 | 11.6% | 10.7% | 10.6% | 1980 | $976 | 7.1% | 93.5% | 0.3% |
| Fruit Hill | 2.46 | 44.4 | 14.6% | 26.2% | 9.8% | 1986 | $754 | 21.2% | 79.5% | 1.9% |
| Meeting Street | 2.46 | 47.6 | 22.5% | 9.2% | 21.7% | 1982 | $1,006 | 28.2% | 84.1% | 0.7% |
| Chappells | 2.26 | 52.3 | 9.3% | 15.5% | 37.1% | 1985 | $780 | 18.5% | 95.9% | 8.2% |
| Stoney Hill | 2.09 | 51.9 | 9.1% | 20.6% | 19.5% | 1989 | $1,114 | 31.8% | 91.6% | 0.9% |
| Batesburg-Leesville | 2.52 | 41.8 | 17.2% | 28.5% | 16.3% | 1971 | $950 | 13.4% | 85.5% | 4.6% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Salida, CO · Kingston, RI · Kingston, WA · Seward, NE · Kittery, ME · Knox, IN · Scottsburg, IN · Shamokin, PA · Sharon Hill, PA · Shavertown, PA
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 Saluda. 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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