Oconee County, SC

County

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2024 Population

80,469

US Senator

Lindsey Graham

Republican Party

US Senator

Tim Scott

Republican Party

2024 Median Age

47.3

1.28% 1-year increase

2024 Poverty Rate

17.6%

7.25% 1-year increase

2024 Median Household Income

$62,388

3.65% 1-year growth

2024 Median Property Value

$237,100

9.16% 1-year growth

2024 Employed Population

33,551

3.08% 1-year growth

About

None of the households in Oconee County, 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.

97.5% of the residents in Oconee County, SC are U.S. citizens.

In 2024, the median property value in Oconee County, SC was $237,100, and the homeownership rate was 76.2%.

Most people in Oconee County, SC drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 23.9 minutes. The average car ownership in Oconee County, SC was 2 cars per household.

Oconee County, SC borders Franklin County, GA, Habersham County, GA, Hart County, GA, Rabun County, GA, Stephens County, GA, Jackson County, NC, Macon County, NC, Transylvania County, NC, Anderson County, SC, and Pickens County, SC.

United States South Carolina Seneca, SC

Population & Diversity

Oconee County, SC is home to a population of 80.5k people, from which 97.5% are citizens. As of 2024, 4.12% of Oconee County, SC residents were born outside of the country (3.32k people).

In 2024, there were 16.1 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (66.9k people) in Oconee County, SC than any other race or ethnicity. There were 4.16k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 2.92k Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

97.5%

2024 Citizenship

97.5%

2023 Citizenship

As of 2024, 97.5% of Oconee County, SC residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.2%. In 2023, the percentage of US citizens in Oconee County, SC was 97.5%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been increasing.

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

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Oconee County, SC

White (Non-Hispanic)
66.9k ± 192
Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
4.16k ± 416
Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic)
2.92k ± 457

6.24%

Hispanic Population

5.02k people

6.24% of the people in Oconee County, SC are hispanic (5.02k people).

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

Global Diversity

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

Most Common Origin

Mexico
63,986 ± 6,172 people
India
20,779 ± 3,532 people
Honduras
17,281 ± 3,222 people

In 2023, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of South Carolina was Mexico, the natal country of 63,986 South Carolina residents, followed by India with 20,779 and Honduras with 17,281.

Foreign-Born Population

4.12%

2024 Foreign-Born Population

3.32k people

3.94%

2023 Foreign-Born Population

3.14k people

As of 2024, 4.12% of Oconee County, SC residents (3.32k 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 Oconee County, SC was 3.94%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

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

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
1,873 ± 324
Gulf War (2001-)
1,094 ± 263
Gulf War (1990s)
628 ± 201

Oconee County, SC has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.71 times greater than any other conflict.

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

Economy

The economy of Oconee County, SC employs 33.6k people. In 2024, the largest industries in Oconee County, SC were Manufacturing (5,657 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (4,249 people), and Retail Trade (3,294 people), and the highest paying industries were Utilities ($104,554), Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services ($80,455), and Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($70,245).

Employment

Occupations

33.6k

2024 Value

± 1,558

3.08%

1 Year growth

± 6.58%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Oconee County, SC grew at a rate of 3.08%, from 32.5k employees to 33.6k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Oconee County, SC, are Production Occupations (3,706 people), Management Occupations (3,658 people), and Sales & Related Occupations (2,827 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Oconee County, 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

33.6k

2024 Value

± 1,558

3.08%

1 Year growth

± 6.58%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Oconee County, SC grew at a rate of 3.08%, from 32.5k employees to 33.6k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Oconee County, SC, are Manufacturing (5,657 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (4,249 people), and Retail Trade (3,294 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Oconee County, SC, though some of these residents may live in Oconee County, SC and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$50,905

Median earning men ± $2,554

$34,382

Median earning women ± $1,918

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2024 are Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($105,000), Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($83,571), and Wholesale Trade ($71,438).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2024 are Public Administration ($51,129), Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($50,708), and Information ($49,375).

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.

Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments

174
Construction
140
Other Services (except Public Administration)
139
Retail Trade

The visualization shows the distribution of establishments by industry and by size according to the number of employees.

The visualization shows the number of establishments and its share across establishment sizes.

Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll

$351k
Manufacturing
$134k
Utilities
$115k
Retail Trade

The chart shows the total annual payroll and the average annual payroll by industry.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Oconee County, SC was $237,100 in 2024, which is 0.713 times smaller than the national average of $332,700. Between 2023 and 2024 the median property value increased from $217,200 to $237,100, a 9.16% increase. The homeownership rate in Oconee County, SC is 76.2%, which is higher than the national average of 65.2%.

People in Oconee County, SC have an average commute time of 23.9 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Oconee County, SC is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

In 2025, 11.9% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Oconee County, SC. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator grew 0.539%.

Housing

Property

$237,100

Median Property Value 2024

±$9,039

$26,303

Median Property Taxes

±$1,216

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 Oconee County, SC the largest share of households pay taxes in the < $800 range.

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

Rent vs Own

76.2%

Homeownership

2024

67.2%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2024

In 2024, 76.2% of the housing units in Oconee County, SC were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 75.4%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Oconee County, 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.

$62,388

Median Household Income

± $4,319

34.5k

Number of Households

± 1,565

In 2024, the median household income of the 34.5k households in Oconee County, SC grew to $62,388 from the previous year's value of $60,193.

The following chart displays the households in Oconee County, 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 $75k - $100k range.

Wage Distribution

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

0.464

2023 Wage GINI in South Carolina

0.464

2022 Wage GINI in South Carolina

In 2023, the income inequality in South Carolina was 0.464 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.102% decline from 2022 to 2023, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for South Carolina was lower than than the national average of 0.476. 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 (75.6%)
Carpooled (11.5%)
Worked At Home (9.93%)

In 2024, 75.6% of workers in Oconee County, SC drove alone to work, followed by those who carpooled to work (11.5%) and those who worked at home (9.93%).

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

23.9 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Oconee County, SC have a shorter commute time (23.9 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.4 minutes). Additionally, 3.36% of the workforce in Oconee County, SC have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

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

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Oconee County, SC distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Oconee County, SC have 2 cars.

Poverty

Severe Housing Problems

In 2025, 11.9% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Oconee County, SC. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator grew 0.539%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the population living with severe housing problems.

Poverty & Diversity

17.6% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Oconee County, SC (14k out of 79.7k 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 Females 18 - 24, followed by Males 45 - 54 and then Females 35 - 44.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Oconee County, SC is White, followed by Hispanic and Two Or More.

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.

Children in Poverty

In 2025, 20.1% of the children was living in poverty in Oconee County, SC. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator declined 5.2%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the children living in poverty.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals
Florida
4,915 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798. New York has the second highest (5,087), followed by Florida (4,915).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

Security

Crimes & Accidents

Indicator

In 2022, the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population was 370 in Oconee County, SC. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator declined 177 per 100,000 population.

The graph shows the trend in the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population.

Health

89.1% of the population of Oconee County, SC has health coverage, with 34.8% on employee plans, 17.3% on Medicaid, 20% on Medicare, 15.7% on non-group plans, and 1.34% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Oconee County, SC see 1,932 patients per year on average, which represents a 0% change from the previous year (1,932 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1782 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 829 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 49.4% were men and 50.6% were women.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

1,932 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Oconee County, SC

Primary care physicians in Oconee County, SC see an average of 1,932 patients per year. This represents a 0% change from the previous year (1,932 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Oconee County, SC in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

Health Care Diversity

In 2024, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 20.2% under 18 years, 17.4% between 18 and 34 years, 37.8% between 35 and 64 years, and 24.7% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 49.4% were men and 50.6% were women.

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

Uninsured People

10.9%

Uninsured

34.8%

Employer Coverage

17.3%

Medicaid

20%

Medicare

15.7%

Non-Group

1.34%

Military or VA

Between 2023 and 2024, the percent of uninsured citizens in Oconee County, SC grew by 5.2% from 10.4% to 10.9%.

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

Health Indicators

Health Outcomes

Indicator

In 2025, the number of deaths among residents under age 18 per 100,000 population was 67.8 in Oconee County, SC.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Oconee County, SC.

Health Behaviors

Indicator

In 2025, the percentage of the adult population (age 18 and older) that reports a body mass index (BMI) greater than or equal to 30 kg/m2 (age-adjusted) was 31.6% in Oconee County, SC.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Oconee County, SC.