Central, SC

Census Place

Add Comparison

2024 Population

5,320

US Senator

Lindsey Graham

Republican Party

US Senator

Tim Scott

Republican Party

2024 Median Age

5.73% 1-year increase

2024 Poverty Rate

30.3%

3.42% 1-year decrease

2024 Median Household Income

$60,258

3.43% 1-year growth

2024 Median Property Value

$256,600

12.3% 1-year growth

2024 Employed Population

2,385

2.4% 1-year growth

About

None of the households in Central, SC reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

91.8% of the residents in Central, SC are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Central, SC are Southern Wesleyan University (270 degrees awarded in 2024).

In 2024, the median property value in Central, SC was $256,600, and the homeownership rate was 26.4%.

Most people in Central, SC drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 23.1 minutes. The average car ownership in Central, SC was 3 cars per household.

United States South Carolina Pickens County, SC Greenville-Anderson-Mauldin, SC Pickens (East, Central, North) & Oconee (Northeast) Counties--Easley PUMA, SC

Population & Diversity

Central, SC is home to a population of 5.32k people, from which 91.8% are citizens. As of 2024, 9.1% of Central, SC residents were born outside of the country (484 people).

In 2024, there were 4.77 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (3.26k people) in Central, SC than any other race or ethnicity. There were 683 Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic) and 570 Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

91.8%

2024 Citizenship

90.9%

2023 Citizenship

As of 2024, 91.8% of Central, SC residents were US citizens, which is lower than the national average of 93.2%. In 2023, the percentage of US citizens in Central, SC was 90.9%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been increasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Central, SC compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Central, SC

White (Non-Hispanic)
3.26k ± 436
Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic)
683 ± 317
Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
570 ± 282

6.17%

Hispanic Population

328 people

6.17% of the people in Central, SC are hispanic (328 people).

The following chart shows the 8 races represented in Central, SC as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the Place level, so we are showing data for South Carolina.

Most Common Origin

Mexico
65,146 ± 6,228 people
India
21,511 ± 3,594 people
Colombia
15,785 ± 3,080 people

In 2024, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of South Carolina was Mexico, the natal country of 65,146 South Carolina residents, followed by India with 21,511 and Colombia with 15,785.

Foreign-Born Population

9.1%

2024 Foreign-Born Population

484 people

10.6%

2023 Foreign-Born Population

561 people

As of 2024, 9.1% of Central, SC residents (484 people) were born outside of the United States, which is approximately the same as the national average of 14%. In 2023, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Central, SC was 10.6%, meaning that the rate has been decreasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Central, SC compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Gulf War (1990s)
38 ± 41
Gulf War (2001-)
18 ± 36
Vietnam
12 ± 32

Central, SC has a large population of military personnel who served in Gulf War (1990s), 2.11 times greater than any other conflict.

The chart shows the distribution of veterans by conflict in Central, SC.

Health

91.3% of the population of Central, SC has health coverage, with 53.5% on employee plans, 16.7% on Medicaid, 3.47% on Medicare, 17.3% on non-group plans, and 0.282% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in South Carolina see 1,485 patients per year on average, which represents a 0% change from the previous year (1,485 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1682 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 437 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 49.3% were men and 50.7% were women.

Coverage

Health Care Diversity

In 2024, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 25% under 18 years, 46.6% between 18 and 34 years, 21.1% between 35 and 64 years, and 7.27% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 49.3% were men and 50.7% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

Uninsured People

8.66%

Uninsured

53.5%

Employer Coverage

16.7%

Medicaid

3.47%

Medicare

17.3%

Non-Group

0.282%

Military or VA

Between 2023 and 2024, the percent of uninsured citizens in Central, SC declined by 17.7% from 10.5% to 8.66%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Central, SC changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.

Economy

The economy of Central, SC employs 2.39k people. In 2024, the largest industries in Central, SC were Educational Services (424 people), Accommodation & Food Services (299 people), and Manufacturing (230 people), and the highest paying industries were Finance & Insurance ($58,203), Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($57,852), and Public Administration ($52,852).

Employment

Occupations

2.39k

2024 Value

± 367

2.4%

1 Year growth

± 22.1%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Central, SC grew at a rate of 2.4%, from 2.33k employees to 2.39k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Central, SC, are Management Occupations (305 people), Education Instruction, & Library Occupations (269 people), and Food Preparation & Serving Related Occupations (230 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Central, SC.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for South Carolina.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in South Carolina (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

Industries

Employment by Industries

2.39k

2024 Value

± 367

2.4%

1 Year growth

± 22.1%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Central, SC grew at a rate of 2.4%, from 2.33k employees to 2.39k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Central, SC, are Educational Services (424 people), Accommodation & Food Services (299 people), and Manufacturing (230 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Central, SC, though some of these residents may live in Central, SC and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$40,060

Median earning men ± $17,072

$30,362

Median earning women ± $5,781

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2024 are Public Administration ($75,417), Construction ($62,532), and Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($49,259).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2024 are Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($58,125), Manufacturing ($53,628), and Public Administration ($50,625).

Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for South Carolina.

Y-Axis

2.54%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 2.26M people employed in South Carolina. This represents a 2.54% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

Right after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, during April 2020, a general dip can be seen across industry sectors, resulting in an overall decline in employment by 13.4%.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in South Carolina.

Civics

In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in South Carolina went to Donald J. Trump with 58.2% of the vote. The runner-up was Kamala Harris (40.4%), followed by Other (0.595%).

Lindsey Graham and Tim Scott are the senators currently representing the state of South Carolina. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

South Carolina is currently represented by 7 members in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

Presidential Elections

Presidential Popular Vote Over Time

Voting results are not available for Central, SC. Showing the available data for South Carolina.

2024 Election Results

Donald J. Trump (58.2%)
Republican Party
Kamala Harris (40.4%)
Democratic Party
Other (0.595%)
Other Party

In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in South Carolina went to Donald J. Trump with 58.2% of the vote. The runner-up was Kamala Harris (40.4%), followed by Other (0.595%).

The following chart shows the popular vote results in South Carolina for each registered party from 1976 to 2024.

Senator Elections

US Senators from South Carolina

Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for South Carolina.

Lindsey Graham

Senator from South Carolina

Assumed office on January 3, 2003

Tim Scott

Senator from South Carolina

Assumed office on January 2, 2013
Appointed to the seat following the resignation of Jim DeMint.

Lindsey Graham and Tim Scott are the senators currently representing South Carolina.

In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

The following chart shows elected senators in South Carolina over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

Education

In 2024, universities in Central, SC awarded 270 degrees. The student population of Central, SC in 2024 is skewed towards women, with 351 male students and 629 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Central, SC are White (195 and 72.2%), Black or African American (51 and 18.9%), Hispanic or Latino (14 and 5.19%), and Two or More Races (8 and 2.96%).

The largest universities in Central, SC by number of degrees awarded are Southern Wesleyan University (270 and 100%).

The most popular majors in Central, SC are General Business Administration & Management (57 and 21.1%), Mental Health Counseling (24 and 8.89%), and Operations Management & Supervision (16 and 5.93%).

The median tuition cost for private four year colleges is $27,800.

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

University

Measure

In 2024 in Central, SC, the percentage of applicants admitted was 99.5%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 33.4%. The number of students enrolled in 2024 was 980 (35.8% men and 64.2% women).

The line chart shows the evolution of the percentage of applicants admitted, admitted who enrolled or the number of students enrolled according to the option selected in the upper button.

Enrollments by Gender and Races

Universities

In 2024 there were 980 students enrolled in Central, SC, 35.8% men and 64.2% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 668 records, of which 65.7% were women and 34.3% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

General Business Administration & Management
57 degrees awarded
General Human Development & Family Studies
15 degrees awarded
General Human Services
15 degrees awarded

In 2024, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Central, SC was General Business Administration & Management with 57 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Bachelors Degree from schools in Central, SC according to their major.

Universities

Gender

Race

Southern Wesleyan University

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

270 degrees awarded

In 2024, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Southern Wesleyan University with 270 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

University

In 2024, 84 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Central, SC, which is 0.452 times less than the 186 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2024, the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 195 degrees mean that there were 3.82 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Black or African American, with 51 degrees awarded.

Awarded Degrees over Time

The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

Tuition

Average Net Price by Sector

Universities

Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($27,800) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2024.

Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($2,000) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2024.

Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($1,060) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

The graph shows the average net price by sector and year.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Central, SC was $256,600 in 2024, which is 0.771 times smaller than the national average of $332,700. Between 2023 and 2024 the median property value increased from $228,500 to $256,600, a 12.3% increase. The homeownership rate in Central, SC is 26.4%, which is lower than the national average of 65.2%.

People in Central, SC have an average commute time of 23.1 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Central, SC is higher than the national average, with an average of 3 cars per household.

Housing

Property

$256,600

Median Property Value 2024

±$19,135

$513

Median Property Taxes

±$151

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Central, SC the largest share of households pay taxes in the < $800 range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Central, SC compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

Rent vs Own

26.4%

Homeownership

2024

62.5%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2024

In 2024, 26.4% of the housing units in Central, SC were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 23%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Central, SC compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Equity

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$60,258

Median Household Income

± $3,174

1.94k

Number of Households

± 340

In 2024, the median household income of the 1.94k households in Central, SC grew to $60,258 from the previous year's value of $58,262.

The following chart displays the households in Central, SC distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $60k - $75k range.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Central, SC is from South Carolina.

0.462

2024 Wage GINI in South Carolina

0.464

2023 Wage GINI in South Carolina

In 2024, the income inequality in South Carolina was 0.462 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.296% decline from 2023 to 2024, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for South Carolina was lower than than the national average of 0.474. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in South Carolina in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in South Carolina across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2024

Drove Alone (82%)
Worked At Home (6.93%)
Carpooled (5.3%)

In 2024, 82% of workers in Central, SC drove alone to work, followed by those who worked at home (6.93%) and those who carpooled to work (5.3%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

Commute Time

23.1 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Central, SC have a shorter commute time (23.1 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.4 minutes). Additionally, 0.142% of the workforce in Central, SC have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Central, SC compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Car Ownership

3 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Central, SC distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Central, SC have 3 cars.

Poverty

Poverty & Diversity

30.3% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Central, SC (1.48k out of 4.88k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.5%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Males 18 - 24, followed by Females 18 - 24 and then Females 35 - 44.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Central, SC is White, followed by Asian and Black.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.