HomeSouth CarolinaSaluda County
Saluda County, South Carolina: commercial real estate data.
Saluda County, South Carolina had an estimated 19,452 residents on July 1, 2024, up 2.7 percent since the 2020 census base of 18,934, across 453 square miles. County output reached $643.2 m in 2024, 257 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 10 7(a) approvals worth $5.0 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Saluda County
How many people live in Saluda County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202419,131
- Households7,670
- Average household size2.49
- Median household income$51,009
- Median age42.6
- Median gross rent$851 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$146,500
- Home value to household income2.9 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income20.0 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher20.4 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree8.8 percent
- Adults 25 and over13,429
- Population under 184,196
- Share under 1821.9 percent
- Population 65 and over3,940
- Share 65 and over20.6 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6410,995
- Civilian labor force8,755
- Unemployment rate3.2 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over58.6 percent
- Rank by population among South Carolina counties40th of 46
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included1932nd of 3,222
Saluda County is the 40th largest of 46 South Carolina counties by population. A median home costs 2.9 times median household income, which is affordable by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 21.9 percent against 20.6 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Saluda County
Is Saluda County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 202419,452
- Census 2020 base population18,934
- Population change since the 2020 census base2.74 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 2024152
- Births, 2024263
- Deaths, 2024284
- Natural change, 2024-21
- Net domestic migration, 202440
- Net international migration, 2024132
- Total net migration, 2024172
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024334
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents943rd of 3,144
The county has grown 2.74 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.
Saluda County
Where are people moving to Saluda County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving454
- People arriving, from those returns923
- Tax returns filed by households leaving428
- Net household movement26
- Adjusted gross income arriving$30.0 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$7.6 m
- Average income of an arriving household$66,150
- Average income of a leaving household$52,500
- Largest single originLexington County (146 households)
- Largest single destinationLexington County (120 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lexington County | 146 | 307 | $9.4 m |
| Aiken County | 48 | 100 | $3.4 m |
| Greenwood County | 26 | 52 | $954,000 |
| Edgefield County | 25 | 48 | $865,000 |
| Newberry County | 24 | 60 | $1.7 m |
| Richland County | 22 | 48 | $1.9 m |
Households arriving report $13,650 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 Lexington 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.
Saluda County
What is the Saluda County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$643.2 m
- County GDP, 2023$581.0 m
- GDP change, 2023 to 202410.7 percent
- GDP change over five years31.2 percent
- Rank by GDP among the South Carolina areas BEA publishes42nd of 46
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes2221st of 3,127
- GDP per resident$33,619
Output grew 10.7 percent in the latest year and 31.2 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.
Saluda County
Employment by industry in Saluda County
- Covered employment, annual average4,733
- Establishments reporting300
- Average annual pay$46,825
- Average weekly wage$900
- Manufacturing, employment1,843
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$52,199
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting, employment408
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting, average annual pay$55,396
- Retail trade, employment300
- Retail trade, average annual pay$30,711
- Accommodation and food services, employment193
- Accommodation and food services, average annual pay$16,897
- Construction, employment128
- Wholesale trade, employment94
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 1,843 | 13 | $52,199 |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting | 408 | 30 | $55,396 |
| Retail trade | 300 | 38 | $30,711 |
| Accommodation and food services | 193 | 18 | $16,897 |
| Construction | 128 | 27 | $49,751 |
| Wholesale trade | 94 | 10 | $57,768 |
| Arts, entertainment and recreation | 60 | 5 | $27,983 |
| Professional, scientific and technical services | 47 | 15 | $53,052 |
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 1,843 jobs, 38.9 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Saluda County
How many businesses are in Saluda County?
- Establishments, all industries257
- Employment at those establishments4,210
- Annual payroll$188.1 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents13.4
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.
Saluda County
Building permits in Saluda County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 202452
- Declared construction value permitted$11.9 m
- Single family units authorized52
- Multifamily units authorized0
- Multifamily share of units0.0 percent
- Average declared value per unit$229,349
- Units authorized per 1,000 households6.8
Single-family homes are 100.0 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is predominantly single-family.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Saluda County
SBA loans in Saluda County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded10
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$5.0 m
- Average 7(a) approval$495,620
- Median 7(a) approval$384,000
- Largest single approval$1,759,400
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)63
- Jobs per approval6.3
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active7
- Distinct industries receiving approvals7
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer10.0 percent
- Loans on real estate terms1
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter7
- Franchise loans0
- Franchise share of approvals0.0 percent
- Leading industry by approval countIndustrial Supplies Merchant Wholesalers (3)
- Most active lenderBank of America, National Association (3)
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Saluda County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Saluda County
Do SBA loans in Saluda County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded2
- Paid in full2
- Charged off0
- Status: Paid in full2
- Status: Cancelled5
- Status: Exempt from disclosure3
Only 2 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.
Saluda County
SBA lending by place in Saluda County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending3
- Saluda, approvals6
- Batesburg, approvals3
- Ridge Spring, approvals1
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Saluda | 6 | $2,578,500 |
| Batesburg | 3 | $618,300 |
| Ridge Spring | 1 | $1,759,400 |
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Saluda County
How large is Saluda County?
- Land area453 sq mi
- Rank by land area among South Carolina counties39th of 46
- Width, east to west30.8 mi
- Height, north to south25.8 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary5
- Residents per square mile of land42
- Establishments per square mile0.57
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.
Saluda County
Flood risk in Saluda County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Saluda County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 450230
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book3
- Of those, participating in the NFIP3
- NFIP participation rate100.0 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
- Radon levels in Saluda County, EPA zone predicted average indoor radon screening level less than 2 pCi/LZone 3
The county's own community in the status book, unincorporated Saluda County (community 450230), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places Saluda County in radon zone 3, a predicted average indoor radon screening level less than 2 pCi/L. The zone is a screening prediction for the county and does not substitute for a test at an address. 100.0 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 Saluda 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 Saluda County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202419,131
- Households7,670
- Average household size2.49
- Median household income$51,009
- Median age42.6
Common questions
Saluda County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Saluda County, South Carolina?
The Census Bureau estimates 19,452 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 19,131, in 7,670 households, ranking 40th of 46 South Carolina counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Saluda County's population growing?
The population has grown 2.74 percent since the 2020 census base of 18,934, to 19,452 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 263 births against 284 deaths, with net migration of 172. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Saluda County?
$51,009. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $146,500, which is 2.9 times income, and median gross rent is $851 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Saluda County?
257 establishments, employing 4,210 people with an annual payroll of $188.1 m. These are establishments physically operating in the county, not listings. Source: US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
What is employment by industry in Saluda County?
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 1,843 jobs, 38.9 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 4,733 jobs at an average annual pay of $46,825, or $900 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Saluda County?
10 7(a) approvals totaling $5.0 m since FY2020, across 7 lenders, with a median approval of $384,000. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Saluda County?
52 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $11.9 m. Multifamily was 0.0 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Saluda County?
Zone 3, a predicted average indoor radon screening level less than 2 pCi/L. Source: US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Where do people moving to Saluda County come from?
The largest single origin is Lexington County, with 146 households. Arriving households report an average income of $66,150 against $52,500 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Saluda 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 Saluda 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.
Saluda County
Cities and places in Saluda.
5 Census places lie wholly or partly in Saluda County. All 5 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Batesburg-Leesville | town | 4,941 | None recorded | 12.8 percent here, 87.2 percent Lexington County |
| Saluda | town | 3,055 | 6 | Wholly in this county |
| Ridge Spring | town | 842 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Monetta | town | 282 | None recorded | 70.8 percent here, 29.2 percent Aiken County |
| Ward | town | 260 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
A further 3 of the county's 10 SBA 7(a) approvals are to borrowers in cities that match no Census place in Saluda County, the largest being Batesburg (3). 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.