City · South Carolina
Pickens, South Carolina
Pickens, city, in Pickens County, South Carolina. Pickens had 3,188 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 1.5% from the Bureau's April 2020 estimates base of 3,142; the 2020 Census counted 3,388 on the place as it was defined then and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 3,155 (±28). GEOID 4556140.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
3,188
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 3,388 · ACS 2020-2024: 3,155 ±28
Median household income
$55,000
±$18,294 (90% margin)
South Carolina: $69,324
Median home value
$204,100
±$23,166 (90% margin)
South Carolina: $259,000
Median gross rent
$828
±$117 (90% margin)
South Carolina: $1,180
Where is Pickens and what county is it in?
Pickens is a city in Pickens County, South Carolina. It covers 3.1 square miles of land, 1,107 residents per square mile in 2020.
Pickens is in the Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC metropolitan statistical area, which takes in 4 counties (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Pickens, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 3,188 people lived in Pickens on July 1, 2025, up 1.5% since 2020, slower than South Carolina (+8.8%). The Census Bureau's yearly estimates start from its own April 2020 base for Pickens, 3,142, which differs from the 2020 Census count of 3,388: the estimates follow the place as the estimates program defines it today (its present boundaries, and for a consolidated city-county the area the program assigns it), so the change since 2020 is measured from that base. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 3,155 (±28).
| Measure | Pickens | Pickens County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 3,155 ±28 | 134,629 | no clear change |
| Households | 1,328 ±179 | 52,414 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.25 ±0.29 | 2.41 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 1,489 ±204 | 58,677 | no clear change |
Pickens's population since 2000
From 3,012 in 2000 to 3,188 in 2025: up 5.8%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Pickens 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 Pickens?
The median resident of Pickens is 40.6 years old; 20.6% are under 18 and 17.8% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 71.7%, then non-Hispanic Black residents at 10.3%.
| Measure | Pickens | Pickens County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 40.6 ±10.2 | 36.2 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 20.6% ±7.1 pts | 18.6% | – |
| 65 years and over | 17.8% ±4.9 pts | 17.3% | – |
| Male | 40.5% ±5.1 pts | 49.9% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 6.7% ±4.8 pts | 5.4% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 71.7% ±9.6 pts | 82.7% | −14.1 pts |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 10.3% ±4.0 pts | 5.7% | no clear change |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 1.3% ±1.9 pts | 1.6% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.6% ±0.7 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.4 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 9.4% ±6.3 pts | 4.0% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.4 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 1.0% ±0.8 pts | 3.5% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 4.5% ±4.1 pts | 5.6% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 3.8% ±2.4 pts | 5.9% | – |
| With a disability | 23.8% ±6.4 pts | 15.4% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 11.3% ±5.6 pts | 8.6% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 86.3% ±5.0 pts | 87.8% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 19.8% ±6.5 pts | 28.5% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 8.7% ±4.0 pts | 12.5% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 84.7% ±7.2 pts | 82.9% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 0.5% ±0.6 pts | 4.7% | – |
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 Pickens earn?
Half of Pickens's 1,328 households earn less than $55,000 a year (±$18,294), against $61,064 in Pickens County and $69,324 in South Carolina. In 2015-2019 it was $48,124 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 16.7% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Pickens | Pickens County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $55,000 ±$18,294 | $61,064 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $65,565 ±$9,506 | $86,979 | – |
| Per capita income | $28,466 ±$4,822 | $34,724 | +$6,374 |
| People below the poverty line | 16.7% ±6.4 pts | 17.2% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 7.8% ±9.3 pts | 15.7% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 23.5% ±8.2 pts | 8.3% | – |
| Households with a computer | 92.4% ±7.1 pts | 93.6% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 92.2% ±4.5 pts | 87.3% | – |
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 Pickens?
Owners occupy 68.0% of Pickens's occupied homes and renters 32.0%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $204,100 by its owner (±$23,166). The median renter pays $828 a month including utilities, and 43.1% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Pickens | Pickens County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $204,100 ±$23,166 | $231,900 | +$57,894 |
| Median gross rent | $828 ±$117 | $972 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 43.1% ±19.4 pts | 49.3% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,187 ±$231 | $1,391 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 68.0% ±10.7 pts | 70.9% | +18.6 pts |
| Renter-occupied homes | 32.0% ±10.7 pts | 29.1% | – |
| Housing units | 1,489 ±204 | 58,677 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 2.1% ±3.0 pts | 1.4% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 10.9% ±10.3 pts | 7.0% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 72.1% ±8.4 pts | 63.1% | – |
| Mobile homes | 6.5% ±4.3 pts | 16.2% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 2.6% ±2.5 pts | 3.2% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 1.7% ±2.2 pts | 10.7% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 21.7% ±10.1 pts | 4.1% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 13.8% ±8.2 pts | 6.4% | – |
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 Pickens work and get to work?
79.2% of Pickens's workers drive alone. The average trip to work takes 29.7 minutes.
| Measure | Pickens | Pickens County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 57.1% ±6.9 pts | 57.1% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 1.3% ±1.6 pts | 3.6% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 79.2% ±10.1 pts | 78.6% | – |
| Carpooled | 17.6% ±9.8 pts | 7.8% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±3.2 pts | 0.6% | – |
| Walked | 0.5% ±0.8 pts | 1.9% | – |
| Worked from home | 1.9% ±2.2 pts | 10.1% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 29.7 min ±7.2 | 26.4 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 Pickens?
1 census tract lies mostly in Pickens, and 3 more reach into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 104.04Pickens County | 2,689 | $47,500 |
| Tract 105.02Pickens County | 3,568 | $56,711 |
| Tract 104.05Pickens County | 3,391 | $69,600 |
| Tract 104.03Pickens County | 2,569 | $85,099 |
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 Pickens) · Census block assignment files
How does Pickens compare with other places in South Carolina?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Pickens is the 6,144th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 87th-most populous of 271 in South Carolina.
Pickens ranks 126th of 248 places in South Carolina with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 87th | 271 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 94th | 149 |
| Residents per square mile | 109th | 261 |
| Median household income | 126th | 248 |
| Per capita income | 141st | 259 |
| Median home value | 118th | 248 |
| Median gross rent | 174th | 235 |
| Poverty rate | 132nd | 214 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 135th | 226 |
| Median age | 103rd | 261 |
| Owner-occupied share | 123rd | 258 |
| Travel time to work | 45th | 261 |
Pickens's figures with every place in South Carolina (CSV)
Every place in South Carolina, sortable · Compare Pickens 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 Pickens?
19 of the 57 figures for Pickens 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 Pickens 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 Pickens.