Oconee County, South Carolina Demographics 2026

Name: Oconee County, South Carolina Demographics
Creator: U.S. Census Bureau
License: https://www.census.gov/data/developers/about/terms-of-service.html

Oconee County, South Carolina has a population of 80,469, the 18th most populous county in South Carolina. The median household income is $62,388 and the median home value is $237,100. The poverty rate is 17.6%.

Data vintage: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates · refreshed July 2026 · Methodology & source notes

Oconee County Quick Facts

Population 80,469

Median Household Income $62,388

Median Home Value $237,100

Poverty Rate 17.6%

Unemployment Rate 5.9%

Median Age 47.3 years

Homeownership Rate 76.2%

Affordability Ratio 3.8x

Bachelor's Degree+ 28.6%

High School Graduation 87.3%

Cities/Places 11

Population 80,469 18th of 46

Median Income $62,388 10% lower than state

Poverty Rate 17.6%

Unemployment 5.9%

How Oconee County Changed

Change from the 2019–2023 ACS period to 2020–2024. These are rolling five-year estimates, not year-over-year measurements.

Metric	2019–2023	2020–2024	Change
Population	79,566	80,469	+1.1%
Median household income	$60,193	$62,388	+3.6%
Median home value	$217,200	$237,100	+9.2%

Median Household Income

Oconee

$62,388

$69,324

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Oconee

$237,100

$259,000

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 19.6%

$25K-$50K 21.5%

$50K-$100K 28.3%

$100K+ 30.6%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

5.5%

$10K-$15K

5.6%

$15K-$20K

4.3%

$20K-$25K

4.3%

$25K-$30K

4.4%

$30K-$35K

5.0%

$35K-$40K

3.2%

$40K-$45K

4.8%

$45K-$50K

4.1%

$50K-$60K

6.8%

$60K-$75K

9.4%

$75K-$100K

12.1%

$100K-$125K

9.4%

$125K-$150K

6.9%

$150K-$200K

6.5%

$200K+

7.8%

Employment

5.9% Unemployment Rate State: 4.9%|National: 5.2%

52.9% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 76.2%

Renter 23.8%

Affordability Index Affordable

3.8x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $881/mo 16.9% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

19.1%

18-34

18.4%

35-54

22.3%

55-74

30.5%

75+

9.8%

Race & Ethnicity

Diversity Index

Low Diversity

A less diverse community where one racial or ethnic group represents a large majority.

State average: 55 | National average: 61

Education

Educational Attainment (Adults 25+)

Cities & Places in Oconee County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Seneca	8,993	$52,022	22.1%	$240,000
Walhalla	4,157	$36,327	45.9%	$171,900
Keowee Key	3,351	$124,788	2.1%	$556,000
Westminster	2,521	$40,946	21.3%	$178,100
Utica	1,339	$55,179	26.8%	$145,400
Chickasaw Point	620	$84,875	8.7%	$350,700
South Union	447	N/A	10.7%	N/A
Newry	412	$45,407	26.0%	$303,400
West Union	370	$48,393	6.2%	$147,700
Salem	177	$62,143	11.5%	$167,500
Tamassee	35	N/A	N/A	N/A

Explore South Carolina Rankings

Cities by Population All cities ranked by size Richest Cities Ranked by median income Most Educated By bachelor's degree rate Most Affordable By housing affordability

Population Overview

Oconee County is located in South Carolina with a total population of 80,469. It is the 18th most populous county out of 46 in South Carolina. The county encompasses 11 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Oconee County is 47.3 years. This is 18% higher than the state median of 40.2 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Oconee County is $62,388. This is 10% lower than the state median of $69,324. It is also 23% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 17.6%. This is 25% higher than the state poverty rate of 14.1%. The unemployment rate is 5.9%. This is 20% higher than the state rate of 4.9%. The median home value is $237,100. Housing costs are 8% lower than the state median of $259,000. The home-value-to-income ratio is 3.8x. 76.2% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 6% higher than the state average of 71.9%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Oconee County is White (non-Hispanic), making up 83.1% of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 6.2%. The Black or African American population (5.2%) is well below the state average of 24.6%. The Asian population (0.7%) is well below the state average of 1.8%.

Education

28.6% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 11% lower than the state rate of 32.1%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 87.3%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Oconee County come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates, with comparisons drawn against South Carolina and national averages from the same dataset. See our methodology page for how each metric is defined, or data.census.gov for official tables with margins of error.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the population of Oconee County, South Carolina?

Oconee County has a population of 80,469, making it the 18th most populous county in South Carolina.

What is the median income in Oconee County?

The median household income in Oconee County is $62,388 with a poverty rate of 17.6%.

How many cities are in Oconee County, South Carolina?

Oconee County contains 11 Census-designated places.