City · North Carolina
Saluda, North Carolina
Saluda, city, mostly in Polk County (98.3% of its 2020 residents), with a part in Henderson County, North Carolina. Saluda had 671 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 6.7% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 631 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 683 (±125). GEOID 3758920.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
671
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 631 · ACS 2020-2024: 683 ±125
Median household income
$52,137
±$6,920 (90% margin)
North Carolina: $72,388
Median home value
$372,400
±$47,802 (90% margin)
North Carolina: $288,900
Median gross rent
$1,263
±$238 (90% margin)
North Carolina: $1,228
Where is Saluda and what county is it in?
Saluda is a city mostly in Polk County (98.3% of its 2020 residents), with a part in Henderson County, North Carolina. It covers 1.6 square miles of land, 405 residents per square mile in 2020.
| County | 2020 residents | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Polk County | 620 | 98.3% |
| Henderson County | 11 | 1.7% |
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Saluda, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 671 people lived in Saluda on July 1, 2025, up 6.7% since 2020, slower than North Carolina (+7.2%). The 2020 Census counted 631 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 683 (±125).
| Measure | Saluda | Polk County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 683 ±125 | 19,891 | no clear change |
| Households | 301 ±65 | 8,976 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 1.99 ±0.25 | 2.18 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 539 ±114 | 11,042 | no clear change |
Saluda's population since 2000
From 575 in 2000 to 671 in 2025: up 16.7%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Saluda as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Saluda?
The median resident of Saluda is 65.4 years old; 13.3% are under 18 and 51.7% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 88.7%, then non-Hispanic residents of two or more races at 8.2%.
| Measure | Saluda | Polk County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 65.4 ±5.0 | 54.9 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 13.3% ±4.6 pts | 15.3% | – |
| 65 years and over | 51.7% ±8.5 pts | 32.6% | – |
| Male | 46.6% ±5.1 pts | 47.9% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 1.5% ±1.8 pts | 5.6% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 88.7% ±5.8 pts | 86.6% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±6.0 pts | 4.4% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 1.2% ±1.8 pts | 0.8% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.4% ±0.6 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±6.0 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 8.2% ±6.1 pts | 2.1% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±6.0 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 2.6% ±2.1 pts | 4.5% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 1.6% ±1.9 pts | 5.5% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 11.5% ±6.2 pts | 8.6% | – |
| With a disability | 20.3% ±8.0 pts | 17.1% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 6.8% ±4.7 pts | 9.9% | – |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 93.1% ±5.5 pts | 93.4% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 53.9% ±6.5 pts | 36.2% | +16.0 pts |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 21.9% ±6.2 pts | 13.8% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 88.5% ±6.9 pts | 88.6% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 6.5% ±4.9 pts | 7.0% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Saluda earn?
Half of Saluda's 301 households earn less than $52,137 a year (±$6,920), against $67,758 in Polk County and $72,388 in North Carolina. In 2015-2019 it was $59,535 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart.
| Measure | Saluda | Polk County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $52,137 ±$6,920 | $67,758 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $76,072 ±$11,958 | $96,279 | – |
| Per capita income | $36,130 ±$6,685 | $43,211 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 13.2% ±11.1 pts | 14.0% | – |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 38.5% ±34.3 pts | 19.9% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 7.0% ±5.1 pts | 9.7% | – |
| Households with a computer | 92.7% ±5.9 pts | 94.3% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 92.0% ±6.1 pts | 84.8% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Saluda?
Owners occupy 83.7% of Saluda's occupied homes and renters 16.3%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $372,400 by its owner (±$47,802). The median renter pays $1,263 a month including utilities, and 63.3% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Saluda | Polk County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $372,400 ±$47,802 | $315,000 | +$53,035 |
| Median gross rent | $1,263 ±$238 | $1,178 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 63.3% ±28.7 pts | 42.7% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,658 ±$182 | $1,415 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 83.7% ±7.9 pts | 76.9% | +16.2 pts |
| Renter-occupied homes | 16.3% ±7.9 pts | 23.1% | – |
| Housing units | 539 ±114 | 11,042 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 7.4% ±6.2 pts | 1.8% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 50.5% ±43.2 pts | 5.5% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 90.9% ±4.8 pts | 79.3% | – |
| Mobile homes | 6.5% ±4.2 pts | 10.6% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.4% ±0.7 pts | 2.1% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 2.6% ±2.6 pts | 5.9% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 39.3% ±10.8 pts | 10.5% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 4.0% ±4.8 pts | 4.0% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How do people in Saluda work and get to work?
59.3% of Saluda's workers drive alone. The average trip to work takes 28.5 minutes.
| Measure | Saluda | Polk County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 43.4% ±9.4 pts | 53.8% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 11.1% ±8.2 pts | 5.1% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 59.3% ±19.5 pts | 70.4% | – |
| Carpooled | 19.0% ±13.3 pts | 11.6% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±17.4 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Walked | 6.8% ±5.7 pts | 1.8% | – |
| Worked from home | 13.1% ±10.3 pts | 15.8% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 28.5 min ±6.4 | 28.4 min | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Saluda?
1 census tract lies mostly in Saluda, and 2 more reach into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 9203.03Polk County | 2,202 | $66,719 |
| Tract 9320Henderson County | 4,848 | $89,048 |
| Tract 9202.01Polk County | 2,849 | $89,316 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Saluda) · Census block assignment files
How does Saluda compare with other places in North Carolina?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Saluda is the 12,013th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 385th-most populous of 549 in North Carolina.
Saluda is not ranked by income or the other survey measures: those rankings include places of 1,000 or more residents (2020 Census) with a reliable estimate.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 385th | 549 |
Saluda's figures with every place in North Carolina (CSV)
Every place in North Carolina, sortable · Compare Saluda with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Saluda?
24 of the 57 figures for Saluda on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Saluda are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' public schools in Saluda.