Pickens County, South Carolina Income Statistics
Pickens County Wealth Score
The wealth index reflects the overall economic prosperity and financial well-being of a county's residents based on income levels, employment rates, and income inequality metrics.
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D
Pickens County Well below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Pickens County | South Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $61,495 | $69,383 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $50,961 | $52,934 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 4.4% | 5.0% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 7.7% | 10.5% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 6.7% | 8.9% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Pickens County is about 11% lower than in South Carolina. Income has been growing slower in Pickens County (4.4%/yr) than in South Carolina (5.0%/yr).
About 8% of adults in Pickens County earn six figures ($100,000 or more) a year, lower than the South Carolina average of 11%.
Median Household Income 2009–2024 Trend
Median Household Income Over Time
Median household income in Pickens County, South Carolina grew by 47.1% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $61,495 in 2024. That's an average of about 4.4% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Pickens County
| Metric | Pickens County | South Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.573 | 0.547 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $58,911 | $62,655 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $46,304 | $49,387 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 21.4% | 21.2% | 18.4% |
The Gini coefficient measures how evenly income is shared between richer and poorer households, from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns nearly everything). The lower the number, the more equally income is distributed. In Pickens County, it is 0.573, higher than South Carolina's 0.547, so income is less evenly distributed here than there, and higher than the US's 0.552, so income is less evenly distributed here than there.
Men's income is about 27% more than women's income in Pickens County, South Carolina. Over a 35-year career, a 27% wage gap accumulates to roughly $441,245 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Pickens County, South Carolina has narrowed from about 25% to 21% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 26% in 2016, and was narrowest at 20% in 2018. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $2,231 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Pickens County | South Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 3.6% | 4.8% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 10.1% | 11.5% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 23 | 22 | 22 |
Approximately 2,333 people are unemployed in Pickens County, South Carolina.
The average commute time in Pickens County is 23 minutes, longer than the 22 minutes in South Carolina.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Pickens County, South Carolina has fallen from 10.2% to 3.6% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 11.8% in 2013 and fell as low as 3.5% in 2023.
Pickens County, SC Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Pickens County, SC is typical in size for this group, 134,527 residents against a local median of 118,522, so the measures below are close to a like for like comparison. Where Pickens County, SC breaks from the counties next to it is unemployment, sitting 17% below the local median of 4.4% at 3.6%. That is the better end of the local range on this measure.
The counties themselves spread 3.1% on unemployment, so Pickens County, SC sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Pickens County, SC has the 3rd lowest unemployment of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Income growthAverage yearly change in median household income since 2016. Each year is measured in its own dollars, so this is growth before inflation. | Unemployment | Income inequalityGini coefficient: 0 would mean every household earns the same, 1 that a single household earns everything. The lower the number, the more equally income is shared here. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pickens County, SC | 134,527 | $61,495 #6/6 | 4.4%/yr #6/6 | 3.6% #3/6 | 0.573 #6/6 |
| Transylvania County, NC | 33,685 | $65,479 | 5.1%/yr | 2.8% | 0.523 |
| Greenville County, SC | 547,972 | $77,038 | 5.0%/yr | 4.4% | 0.543 |
| Oconee County, SC | 80,589 | $63,288 | 5.3%/yr | 5.9% | 0.558 |
| Anderson County, SC | 210,447 | $66,720 | 5.4%/yr | 5.2% | 0.553 |
| Henderson County, NC | 118,522 | $69,064 | 4.7%/yr | 3.5% | 0.517 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Pickens County, South Carolina has an overall wealth index grade of D, making it about on par with South Carolina, and somewhat worse than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Pickens County, South Carolina.
How Rich Is Pickens County, South Carolina?
Pickens County has a wealth index grade of D. The wealth index grades areas from A+ (best) to F- by combining income levels, employment rates, and income inequality; a D grade means residents are somewhat worse off than the U.S. average. The median household income is $61,495, about 11% lower than the South Carolina average of $69,383.
How has median household income changed in Pickens County, South Carolina?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Pickens County, South Carolina rose 47%, from $41,816 to $61,495. Over the same years, income here lagged behind South Carolina as a whole: +47% against +59%.
What was the median household income in Pickens County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Pickens County, South Carolina was $59,439, up 4% from $56,972 in 2022. The South Carolina median that year was $66,973.
What was the median household income in Pickens County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Pickens County, South Carolina was $51,538. By 2024 it had risen 19% to $61,495.
Is it hard to find a job in Pickens County, South Carolina?
Unemployment in Pickens County, South Carolina is only 3.6%, well below the South Carolina rate of 4.8%, a sign of a tight labor market where employers compete for workers.
What is the Gini coefficient in Pickens County, South Carolina?
The Gini coefficient in Pickens County is 0.573. It measures income inequality on a scale from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns everything). That is higher than the US average of 0.552, so income is distributed less equally than in the country overall.
How has the income gap between men and women changed in Pickens County, South Carolina?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Pickens County, South Carolina has narrowed from about 25% to 21% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 26% in 2016, and was narrowest at 20% in 2018. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $2,231 since 2009.
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