Pelion, South Carolina Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 985, Pelion's ACS estimates come from a small number of survey responses and carry wide margins of error. Individual percentages below — particularly rates that round to 0% or 100% — are approximations, not precise measurements. See data.census.gov for the published margins of error.

Population Overview

Pelion is a small community located in South Carolina, within Lexington County. The total population is 985. It ranks as the 269th most populous out of 474 Census-designated places in South Carolina.

Age Demographics

The median age in Pelion is 47.6 years. This is 18% higher than the state median of 40.2 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Pelion is $59,455. This is 14% lower than the state median of $69,324. It is also 26% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 12.9%. This is 8% lower than the state poverty rate of 14.1%. The unemployment rate is 1.7%. This is 65% lower than the state rate of 4.9%. The median home value is $156,700. Housing costs are 39% lower than the state median of $259,000. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.6x, Pelion is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 90.1% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 25% higher than the state average of 71.9%.

Race & Ethnicity

Pelion has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 85.8% of all residents. Black or African American residents account for 4.3%. The Black or African American population (4.3%) is well below the state average of 24.6%. The Hispanic or Latino population (0.6%) is well below the state average of 7.4%. The Asian population (0.4%) is well below the state average of 1.8%.

Education

27.6% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 14% 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 87.8%. Notably, 19.3% of adults hold a graduate or professional degree, indicating a highly educated workforce.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Pelion, South Carolina is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates. The ACS collects data from approximately 3.5 million households annually and pools five years of responses so that even small communities can be measured, though the margin of error widens as the population falls. Comparisons are made against South Carolina state averages and national averages calculated from the same dataset. Rankings reflect the city's position among all 474 Census-designated places in South Carolina. Read more about how these figures are produced on our methodology page, or visit data.census.gov for official data.