SALUDA COUNTY
Date Formed:  1895
Land Area (square miles): 452
County Seat: Saluda
Other Cities and Towns:
Batesburg-Leesville, Monetta, Ridge Spring, Ward
Form of Government: Council
Council Members: 5
Method of Election Single Member/ Chair at Large
Term Length 4 years
Council of Government:  Upper Savannah
County History According to the South Carolina State Library Reference Room
Saluda County was named for the Saluda River, which forms one of its borders. The county was established in 1895 from part of Edgefield County. The Cherokee Indians lived in this area for many years. In 1755 they signed a treaty with the British at their settlement, known as Saluda Old Town. Scotch-Irish and English settlers subsequently began moving into the area, while the Cherokees moved farther to the north. Two famous heroes of the Alamo, William Barrett Travis (1809-1836) and James Butler Bonham (1807-1836) were natives of what is now Saluda County.
Population Trends Value Rank Value Rank
Population 1980: 16,150 42 Numeric Change 1980-2000: 3,031 35
Population 1990: 16,357 42 Avg. Ann. Growth Rate 1980-2000: 0.93% 23
Population 2000:  19,181 42 Percent Change 2005-2006: 0.5% 28
Population Estimate 2005: 18,968 42 Persons Per Square Mile 2006: 42.2 37
Population Estimate 2006: 19,059 42
Link to SC Office of Research and Statistics - Community Profile Demographic Data
Link to SC Office of Research and Statistics - Kids Count
Economic Data Value Rank Value Rank
Jobs 1980: 3,954 43 Personal Income 2005: $486,860 39
Jobs 1990: 4,416 42 Per Capita Pers. Income (PCPI) 2005: $20,485 41
Jobs 2000: 5,232 42 % of U.S. PCPI 2005: 74% 19
Avg. Annual Growth Rate 1980-2000:  1.62% 21 Average Wage Per Job 2005:  $24,578 44
Jobs 2004: 4,966 42 % of U.S. Avg. Wage Per Job 2005:  61% 44
Jobs 2005: 4,994 42 Avg. Unemployment 1996-2006:  5.5% 32
Numeric Change 2004-2005: 28 27 Unemployment Rate 2006 Ann. Avg: 6.2% 36
Tax Data Value Rank Value Rank
Assessed Property 2004: $42,495,490 41 Per Capita Assessed Property 2004: $2,215 35
County Base Millage Rate* 2006: 0.1533 4 Additional Sales Tax (if applicable)
Value of One Mil 2006: $42,291 42 Local Option Sales Tax: 1%
Net Taxable Sales FY 2005: $53,241,501 42 Capital Projects Sales Tax:  
Admissions Taxes Collected FY 2005: ***  * School District Sales Tax:  
Accomodations Taxes Collected FY 2005: $5,192 44 Transportation Sales Tax:  
* County Base Millage Rate reflects county mils only and does not include millages charged by other taxing entities (cities, schools, etc.)
Link to SC Employment Security Commission - Top Employers by County
Link to SC Office of Research and Statistics - Community Profile Demographic Data
Financial and Employment Data Value Rank Value Rank
Total Revenues FY 2004: $8,714,986 43 Per Capital Revenues: $454 31
Total Expenditures FY 2004: $7,720,831 43 Per Capita Expenditures: $403 29
General Fund Budget FY 2007: $8,458,485 40 Per Capita General Fund Budget: $441 16
Total Debt Outstanding FY 2006: $1,373,974 42 Per Capita Debt Outstanding: $73 41
Credit Ratings(s) FY 2006: Payroll FY 2007: $3,567,074 42
 Moodys:   Full-Time Employees FY 2007:  113 42
Standard & Poor:   Part-Time Employees FY 2007: 18 36
Fitch:   Full Time Emp/1,000 Cnty Residents:   5.89 21
Link to SC Office of Research and Statistics - Local Government Finance Report (Full document in Excel)
Sources:  County histories obtained from the South Carolina State Library Reference Room at http://www.state.sc.us/scsl/cnties.html. All other sources are listed in the appendix tables.
Updated 9/19/2007 15:37
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