SALUDA COUNTY 2/2/2010
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
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 Numeric Change 2000-2008: -556 36
Population 2000:  19,181 42 Avg. Ann. Growth Rate 1980-2000:  0.93% 23
Population Estimate 2007:  18,692 42 Avg. Ann. Growth Rate 2000-2008:  -0.36% 38
Population Estimate 2008: 18,625 42 Percent Change 2006-2008: -0.36% 38
Persons Per Square Mile 2008:  41.2 37
Economic Data Value Rank Value Rank
Jobs 1980:  3,954 43 Personal Income (PI) 2007: $537,923 39
Jobs 1990:  4,416 42 Avg. Ann. Growth Rate (PI) 1969-2007: 7.4% 23
Jobs 2000:  5,232 42 Per Capita Personal Income  2007: $28,778 17
Jobs 2006: 5,137 42 % of U.S. PCPI 2007: 75% 13
Jobs 2007: 4,868 43 Average Wage Per Job 2007: $25,562 46
Numeric Change Jobs 2006-2007: -269 38 % of U.S. Avg. Wage Per Job 2007:  58% 46
Avg Ann Growth Rate Jobs 1980-2000:  1.62% 21 Unemployment Rate 2007: 5.9% 40
Avg Ann Growth Rate Jobs 2000-2007: -0.99% 29 Avg. Unemployment 1998-2007:  5.2% 35
Tax Data Value Rank Value Rank
Assessed Property 2007: $49,505,790 41 Per Capita Assessed Property 2007: $2,581 32
County Base Millage Rate 2009: 0.1461 9 Additional Sales Tax (if applicable) 
Value of One Mil 2009: $41,265 42 Local Option Sales Tax: 1.0%
Millage Cap FY10: 3.8% 34 Capital Projects Sales Tax:  
Net Taxable Sales FY07: $45,325,973 44 School District Sales Tax:  
Admissions Tax Collected FY07: $19,478 31 Transportation Sales Tax:  
Accommodations Tax Collected FY07:  *** #####
Financial & Employment Data Value Rank Value Rank
Total Revenues FY08: $10,731,459 43 Per Capita Revenues FY08: $559 34
Total Expenditures FY08: $8,695,893 43 Per Capita Expenditures FY08: $453 40
General Fund Budget FY10:  $9,413,735 39 Per Capita General Fund Budget FY10: $491 19
Total Debt Outstanding FY08: $1,554,180 43 Per Capita Debt Outstanding FY08: $81 29
Payroll FY 2008: $3,908,674 42 Credit Rating(s) FY08
Full-Time Employees FY10:  121 41 Moody's:  
Part-Time Employees FY10: 21 39 Standard & Poor:  
Full Time Emp/1,000 Cnty Residents:   6.31 20 Fitch:  
updated  2/2/2010