HomeSouth CarolinaPickens County
Pickens County, South Carolina: commercial real estate data.
Pickens County, South Carolina had an estimated 138,207 residents on July 1, 2024, up 5.2 percent since the 2020 census base of 131,417, across 496 square miles. County output reached $6.02 bn in 2024, 2,254 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 112 7(a) approvals worth $61.5 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Pickens County
How many people live in Pickens County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-2024134,629
- Households52,414
- Average household size2.57
- Median household income$61,064
- Median age36.2
- Median gross rent$972 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$231,900
- Home value to household income3.8 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income19.1 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher28.5 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree12.5 percent
- Adults 25 and over85,533
- Population under 1825,021
- Share under 1818.6 percent
- Population 65 and over23,326
- Share 65 and over17.3 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6486,282
- Civilian labor force64,155
- Unemployment rate3.6 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over58.5 percent
- Rank by population among South Carolina counties14th of 46
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included490th of 3,222
Pickens County is the 14th largest of 46 South Carolina counties by population. A median home costs 3.8 times median household income, which is moderately unaffordable by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 18.6 percent against 17.3 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Pickens County
Is Pickens County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 2024138,207
- Census 2020 base population131,417
- Population change since the 2020 census base5.17 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 20241,503
- Births, 20241,234
- Deaths, 20241,359
- Natural change, 2024-125
- Net domestic migration, 20241,200
- Net international migration, 2024422
- Total net migration, 20241,622
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 20246,473
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents507th of 3,144
The county has grown 5.17 percent since the 2020 census base. Deaths exceeded births in 2024 and the population still grew, so all of the growth came from people moving in. A market held up by migration is more sensitive to a change in relative cost than one growing from household formation.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Pickens County
Where are people moving to Pickens County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving4,108
- People arriving, from those returns7,466
- Tax returns filed by households leaving3,531
- Net household movement577
- Adjusted gross income arriving$352.0 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$149.7 m
- Average income of an arriving household$85,682
- Average income of a leaving household$57,292
- Largest single originGreenville County (1,012 households)
- Largest single destinationGreenville County (839 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Greenville County | 1,012 | 1,860 | $81.6 m |
| Anderson County | 671 | 1,234 | $38.8 m |
| Oconee County | 312 | 548 | $19.6 m |
| Spartanburg County | 116 | 222 | $5.9 m |
| Charleston County | 58 | 98 | $6.1 m |
| Lexington County | 49 | 78 | $2.2 m |
| Richland County | 38 | 47 | $1.5 m |
| Buncombe County | 31 | 45 | $1.1 m |
Households arriving report $28,390 more average income than households leaving, so the migration is raising local spending power rather than just moving it around. The largest single source of arrivals is Greenville County, which is the catchment a retail or multifamily study should look at first.
US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Pickens County
What is the Pickens County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$6.02 bn
- County GDP, 2023$5.68 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20246.0 percent
- GDP change over five years43.5 percent
- Rank by GDP among the South Carolina areas BEA publishes15th of 46
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes649th of 3,127
- GDP per resident$44,709
Output grew 6.0 percent in the latest year and 43.5 percent over five, which is the trend line a lender will read behind any single year figure.
US Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional, table CAGDP2, CAGDP2, through 2024.
Pickens County
Employment by industry in Pickens County
- Covered employment, annual average39,859
- Establishments reporting2,956
- Average annual pay$53,824
- Average weekly wage$1,035
- Accommodation and food services, employment6,016
- Accommodation and food services, average annual pay$19,966
- Retail trade, employment5,819
- Retail trade, average annual pay$32,697
- Manufacturing, employment5,395
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$69,581
- Health care and social assistance, employment3,279
- Health care and social assistance, average annual pay$56,943
- Construction, employment1,456
- Arts, entertainment and recreation, employment1,218
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accommodation and food services | 6,016 | 314 | $19,966 |
| Retail trade | 5,819 | 408 | $32,697 |
| Manufacturing | 5,395 | 156 | $69,581 |
| Health care and social assistance | 3,279 | 322 | $56,943 |
| Construction | 1,456 | 334 | $56,347 |
| Arts, entertainment and recreation | 1,218 | 52 | $23,073 |
| Professional, scientific and technical services | 1,116 | 360 | $81,821 |
| Other services, except public administration | 975 | 211 | $39,366 |
Accommodation and food services is the largest private sector at 6,016 jobs, 15.1 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Pickens County
How many businesses are in Pickens County?
- Establishments, all industries2,254
- Employment at those establishments28,852
- Annual payroll$1.18 bn
- Establishments per 1,000 residents16.7
These are counts of establishments physically operating in the county, not listings, so they are the supply side a feasibility study measures demand against. County Business Patterns counts private establishments with paid employees in March 2023, while the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages above counts every unemployment-insured employer, public ones included, as a 2024 annual average, so the two establishment and employment counts differ.
US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Pickens County
Building permits in Pickens County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 20241,424
- Declared construction value permitted$487.9 m
- Single family units authorized1,125
- Multifamily units authorized299
- Multifamily share of units21.0 percent
- Average declared value per unit$342,627
- Units authorized per 1,000 households27.2
Single-family homes are 79.0 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is predominantly single-family.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Pickens County
SBA loans in Pickens County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded112
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$61.5 m
- Average 7(a) approval$548,837
- Median 7(a) approval$200,000
- 10th percentile approval$23,100
- 90th percentile approval$1,685,050
- Largest single approval$5,000,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)1,154
- Jobs per approval10.3
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active38
- Distinct industries receiving approvals72
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer14.3 percent
- Loans on real estate terms16
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter83
- Franchise loans16
- Franchise share of approvals14.3 percent
- Leading industry by approval countFull-Service Restaurants (6)
- Most active lenderTD Bank, National Association (33)
- 504 approvals recorded10
- 504 gross approval dollars$10.5 m
- Average 504 approval$1,050,000
- Median 504 approval$512,500
- Distinct CDCs active3
- 504 jobs per approval14.8
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved14.1
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$72.0 m
The average approval of $548,837 sits well above the median of $200,000, pulled up by a few larger deals, so the median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here gets. Only 14.3 percent of approvals run on real estate terms, so SBA credit here is mostly working capital and equipment rather than property acquisition.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30. US Small Business Administration, 504 FOIA release, FY2010 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Pickens County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Pickens County
Do SBA loans in Pickens County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded21
- Paid in full20
- Charged off1
- Status: Paid in full20
- Status: Exempt from disclosure68
- Status: Cancelled15
- Status: Charged off1
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed8
Only 21 loans have reached a final outcome, fewer than the 30 a charge-off rate needs, so no rate is published.
Compare against the national and state SBA charge-off rates, computed the same way over resolved loans only.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Pickens County
SBA lending by place in Pickens County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending9
- Easley, approvals59
- Pickens, approvals22
- Clemson, approvals15
- Liberty, approvals7
- Six Mile, approvals4
- Sunset, approvals2
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Easley | 59 | $39,946,800 |
| Pickens | 22 | $2,530,700 |
| Clemson | 15 | $6,809,700 |
| Liberty | 7 | $1,297,500 |
| Six Mile | 4 | $10,030,000 |
| Sunset | 2 | $225,000 |
| Central | 1 | $480,000 |
| Cowpens | 1 | $125,000 |
| 1 other borrower city | 1 | $25,000 |
Easley accounts for 59 approvals against 22 in Pickens. County level figures average over that gap, which is why a site decision is made at the submarket rather than the county.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Pickens County
How large is Pickens County?
- Land area496 sq mi
- Rank by land area among South Carolina counties34th of 46
- Width, east to west24.3 mi
- Height, north to south31.9 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary4
- Residents per square mile of land271
- Establishments per square mile4.54
US Census Bureau county boundary geometry, TIGER, adjacency computed from shared boundary vertices, TIGER county boundaries. US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year. US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Pickens County
Flood risk in Pickens County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Pickens County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 450166
- Community Rating System class of the county's own communityClass 9
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book8
- Of those, participating in the NFIP7
- NFIP participation rate87.5 percent
- Best Community Rating System class in the county A lower CRS class is a larger flood insurance premium discount.Class 9
- Communities carrying a CRS class1
- Radon levels in Pickens County, EPA zone predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/LZone 2
The county's own community in the status book, unincorporated Pickens County (community 450166), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries Community Rating System class 9, a flood insurance premium discount for policies written there. The EPA places Pickens County in radon zone 2, a predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/L. The zone is a screening prediction for the county and does not substitute for a test at an address. The best Community Rating System class among the county's communities is 9, which carries a flood insurance premium discount for policies written in that community. 87.5 percent of the county's listed communities participate in the National Flood Insurance Program, per Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26.
Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26. US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Coverage
What this page does not hold.
Traffic counts, zoning and the flood zone at an address are not on this page; they resolve at the address in the platform. How this page was built →
Feasibility studies
When a Pickens County site needs a document a lender will accept.
The same data layer behind this page is the one the studies are written from. A study for a Pickens County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-2024134,629
- Households52,414
- Average household size2.57
- Median household income$61,064
- Median age36.2
Common questions
Pickens County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Pickens County, South Carolina?
The Census Bureau estimates 138,207 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 134,629, in 52,414 households, ranking 14th of 46 South Carolina counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Pickens County's population growing?
The population has grown 5.17 percent since the 2020 census base of 131,417, to 138,207 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 1,234 births against 1,359 deaths, with net migration of 1,622. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Pickens County?
$61,064. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $231,900, which is 3.8 times income, and median gross rent is $972 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Pickens County?
2,254 establishments, employing 28,852 people with an annual payroll of $1.18 bn. These are establishments physically operating in the county, not listings. Source: US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
What is employment by industry in Pickens County?
Accommodation and food services is the largest private sector at 6,016 jobs, 15.1 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 39,859 jobs at an average annual pay of $53,824, or $1,035 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Pickens County?
112 7(a) approvals totaling $61.5 m since FY2020, across 38 lenders, with a median approval of $200,000, plus 10 504 approvals worth $10.5 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Pickens County?
1,424 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $487.9 m. Multifamily was 21.0 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Pickens County?
Zone 2, a predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/L. Source: US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Where do people moving to Pickens County come from?
The largest single origin is Greenville County, with 1,012 households. Arriving households report an average income of $85,682 against $57,292 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Pickens County on this page?
No. Annual average daily traffic resolves in the platform rather than in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here. It is a gap we know about rather than a figure we estimated.
Is zoning published for Pickens County?
No. Nothing on this page presents parcel level zoning, and where a statutory framework applies it is marked as the statewide frame, to be confirmed locally.
Pickens County
Cities and places in Pickens.
11 Census places lie wholly or partly in Pickens County. All 11 carry enough published place level data for a page of their own and are linked.
| Place | Type | Population | SBA 7(a) approvals, projects in this county | Lies in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Easley | city | 24,841 | 59 | Wholly in this county |
| Clemson | city | 18,072 | 15 | 97.6 percent here, 2.4 percent Anderson County |
| Clemson University | CDP | 7,015 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Central | town | 5,320 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Liberty | city | 3,350 | 7 | Wholly in this county |
| Pickens | city | 3,155 | 22 | Wholly in this county |
| Arial | CDP | 1,919 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Six Mile | town | 931 | 4 | Wholly in this county |
| Cateechee | CDP | 850 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Norris | town | 784 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Dacusville | CDP | 198 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
A further 4 of the county's 112 SBA 7(a) approvals are to borrowers in cities that match no Census place in Pickens County, the largest being Sunset (2), Cowpens (1), Greenville (1). Those are postal cities, unincorporated areas and cities outside the county, so no place row claims them; they are counted in the county total above.