Anderson County is located in the U.S. state of South Carolina. As of the 2020 census, its population was 203,718. Its county seat is Anderson. Named for Revolutionary War leader Robert Anderson, the county is located in northwestern South Carolina, along the state line of Georgia. The county is included in the Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC metropolitan statistical area. Anderson County contains Lake Hartwell, a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers lake with nearly of shoreline for residential and recreational use. The area is a growing industrial, commercial, and tourist center. It is the home of Anderson University, a private, selective comprehensive university with about 4,000 undergraduate and graduate students.

History

Anderson County was founded in 1826 after the dissolution of the Pendleton District and was named after Robert Anderson, an American Revolutionary War general. During the Civil War, the county became a center of ammunitions production for the Confederate States Army. The county seat and largest city is Anderson; both the county and city are also located in the Greenville-Anderson-Greer metropolitan statistical area. Agriculturally, the county is ranked first in the southeast, second in the south, and 23rd in the United States according to the United States Department of Commerce. Cotton, corn, and various fruits and vegetables are grown along with a large poultry industry located the county.

Geography According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which (5.55%) are covered by water. Anderson County is in the Savannah River basin and the Saluda River basin.

State and local protected areas Broyles Recreation Area Fant's Grove Wildlife Management Area Sadlers Creek State Park

Major water bodies Chattooga River Lake Hartwell Saluda River Savannah River Lake Secession

Adjacent counties Pickens County – north Greenville County – northeast Laurens County – east Abbeville County – south Elbert County, Georgia – southwest Hart County, Georgia – west Oconee County – northwest

Major highways

Major infrastructure Anderson Regional Airport

Demographics

2020 census As of the 2020 census, 203,718 people lived in the county across 80,372 households; 52,038 of those households were families.

The median age was 41.1 years. 22.5% of residents were under the age of 18 and 18.9% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 93.0 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 89.9 males.

As of the 2020 census, the racial makeup of the county was 75.8% White, 14.9% Black or African American, 0.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2% Asian, 0.0% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 2.3% from some other race, and 5.4% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 4.7% of the population.

58.3% of residents lived in urban areas, while 41.7% lived in rural areas.

Of the 80,372 households, 30.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them and 27.9% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. About 26.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

There were 89,123 housing units, of which 9.8% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 73.2% were owner-occupied and 26.8% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.6% and the rental vacancy rate was 9.2%.

Racial and ethnic composition +Anderson County, South Carolina – Racial and ethnic compositionRace / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic)Pop 1980 Pop 1990Pop 2000Pop 2010 Pop 2020% 1980% 1990% 2000% 2010% 2020White alone (NH)109,320120,013134,151147,362152,39682.05%82.66%80.94%78.75%74.81%Black or African American alone (NH)22,62524,09727,39929,81030,21416.98%16.60%16.53%15.93%14.83%Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)1131633364204250.08%0.11%0.20%0.22%0.21%Asian alone (NH)2503346981,3842,4040.19%0.23%0.42%0.74%1.18%Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH)x included in the Asian category in the 1980 Censusx included in the Asian category in the 1990 Census202946xx0.01%0.02%0.02%Other race alone (NH)102301121836980.08%0.02%0.07%0.10%0.34%Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)x not an option in the 1980 Censusx not an option in the 1990 Census1,1922,4917,961xx0.72%1.33%3.91%Hispanic or Latino (any race)8255591,8325,4479,5740.62%0.38%1.11%2.91%4.70%Total133,235145,196165,740187,126203,718 100.00%100.00%100.00%100.00%100.00%

2010 census At the 2010 census, there were 187,126 people, 73,829 households, and 51,922 families residing in the county. The population density was . There were 84,774 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 80.1% White, 16.0% Black or African American, 0.8% Asian, 0.3% American Indian, 1.3% from other races, and 1.5% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 2.9% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 15.9% were American, 13.6% were Irish, 10.8% were English, and 10.2% were German.

Of the 73,829 households, 33.3% had children under 18 living with them, 51.1% were married couples living together, 14.5% had a female householder with no husband present, 29.7% were not families, and 25.4% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.50 and the average family size was 2.98. The median age was 39.7 years.

The median income for a household in the county was $42,871 and for a family was $53,229. Males had a median income of $41,885 versus $30,920 for females. The per capita income for the county was $22,117. About 12.4% of families and 15.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 23.0% of those under 18 and 10.2% of those 65 or over.

Law and government Anderson County has a council-administrator form of government under South Carolina law. County council members are elected from seven single-member districts for two-year terms. All seven council seats are open for election every two years.

Anderson County councilmen are: District 1: John B. Wright Jr. (North Anderson) District 2: Glenn A. Davis (South and East Anderson) District 3: S. Ray Graham (Belton/Starr/Iva area) District 4: Brett Sanders (Pendleton area) District 5: Tommy Dunn (West Anderson) District 6: Jimmy Davis (Powdersville area) District 7: M. Cindy Wilson (Williamston/Honea Path area)

The Anderson county administrator is Rusty Burns.

Operations Anderson County has 10 divisions: Administration Parks, Recreation, and Tourism Central Services Economic Development Emergency Services EMS and Special Operations Environmental Services Finance Planning Transportation

Politics

Since the 1980s, Anderson County has consistently voted Republican in presidential elections, with the party winning the county in every election since 1984.

Economy Early industry in the county was textile mills, processing southern cotton. In the 21st century, industry has diversified with more than 230 manufacturers, including 22 international companies. The top major industries in Anderson include manufacturers of automotive products, metal products, industrial machinery, plastics, publishing, and textiles. More than 27 BMW suppliers are in the upstate, which is recognized internationally as an automotive supplier hub. The plastic industry has a strong presence in the upstate, with 244 plastic companies located within the 10 counties of the northwest corner of the state. Anderson County has 11 automotive suppliers and is a major player in the plastic industry, with 27 plastic companies located within its borders.

, some of the top employers in the county include AnMed Health Medical Center, Anderson University, Bosch, the City of Anderson, Glen Raven, Inc., Ingles, Michelin, Walmart, and Walgreens. Between 2021 and 2024, the unemployment rate has fluctuated around 3%. In 2022, its GDP was $9.1 billion (approx. $44,670 per capita). In chained 2017 dollars, its real GDP was $7.6 billion (approx. $37,306 per capita).

+ Employment and Wage Statistics by Industry in Anderson County, South Carolina Industry Employment Counts Employment Percentage (%) Average Annual Wage ($) Accommodation and Food Services 7,865 11.1 19,760 Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services 2,695 3.8 38,272 Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting 167 0.2 49,712 Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation 864 1.2 16,016 Construction 2,947 4.2 56,368 Educational Services 5,822 8.2 50,440 Finance and Insurance 1,043 1.5 60,476 Health Care and Social Assistance 11,076 15.7 54,652 Information 475 0.7 62,816 Management of Companies and Enterprises 212 0.3 121,992 Manufacturing 16,042 22.7 61,048 Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction 97 0.1 70,616 Other Services (except Public Administration) 1,465 2.1 40,560 Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services 2,153 3.0 54,444 Public Administration 2,634 3.7 45,708 Real Estate and Rental and Leasing 532 0.8 44,824 Retail Trade 9,313 13.2 32,344 Transportation and Warehousing 2,185 3.1 56,264 Utilities 350 0.5 83,304 Wholesale Trade 2,783 3.9 61,048 Total 70,720 100.0% 48,004

Communities Cities Anderson (county seat and largest community) Belton Clemson (mostly in Pickens County) Easley (mostly in Pickens County)

Towns Honea Path (partly in Abbeville County) Iva Pelzer Pendleton Starr West Pelzer Williamston

Census-designated places Centerville Fair Play (mostly in Oconee County) Homeland Park La France Northlake Piedmont (partly in Greenville County) Powdersville Sandy Springs

Unincorporated communities Cheddar Craytonville Piercetown Townville (partly in Oconee County)

Education There are five school districts in Anderson County. - Text list

Anderson School District 1 Anderson School District 2 Anderson School District 3 Anderson School District 4 Anderson School District 5

See also List of counties in South Carolina National Register of Historic Places listings in Anderson County, South Carolina

References

External links

Anderson County Library Anderson County history and images