Anderson County, S.C. (May 29, 2025) — We have some fresh population estimates from the Census Bureau to share with you!
Anderson County’s estimated population as of July 1, 2024, was 217,183. That means we have about 13,000 more residents than we did in 2020, representing a 6.4% population growth rate during that time. Annual growth rates have ranged between 1.4% and 1.9% since 2020.
So—what does 13,000 new residents mean? Sometimes, it helps to put things in perspective. Looking at things in terms of municipal populations, 13,000 people is the rough equivalent of:
- 0.4 Andersons
- 3 Beltons
- 4 Pendletons
- 12 Ivas
We are the ninth most populous county in the state, ceding eighth place to Berkeley County some years back. Berkeley County’s population grew by 14.2% from 2020 to 2024, second only to Horry County (16.9%). Horry has added almost 60,000 residents since 2020. Spartanburg grew by 12.1% (39,800 added), and Greenville by 8.2% (43,500 added). It appears Greenville County’s population will hit 600,000 around 2027. Fourteen South Carolina counties, including Sumter and Orangeburg, have lost population since 2020.
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With all this population growth, we must be issuing a record number of residential building permits, right?
Actually, no. The number of private housing structures authorized by building permits for Anderson County in 2024 was 1,255—the lowest total since 2019. The record high was observed in 2005 when the county issued 1,931 permits for private housing structures.
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Anderson County recently reached a significant milestone regarding its workforce. For the first time ever, total employment in our county has exceeded 100,000 persons. And it has done so for three consecutive months.
- February: 100,267
- March: 100.530
- April: 100,533