Census-designated place · South Carolina
Valley Falls, South Carolina
Valley Falls, census-designated place, in Spartanburg County, South Carolina. Valley Falls had 8,239 people in the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (±1,259). GEOID 4573465.
Residents, 2020-2024
8,239
±1,259 (90% margin)
2020 Census count: 8,012
Median household income
$55,661
±$10,819 (90% margin)
South Carolina: $69,324
Median home value
$256,600
±$30,687 (90% margin)
South Carolina: $259,000
Median gross rent
$1,021
±$102 (90% margin)
South Carolina: $1,180
Where is Valley Falls and what county is it in?
Valley Falls is a census-designated place: an unincorporated community the Census Bureau draws for counting, with no city government of its own, in Spartanburg County, South Carolina. It covers 5.2 square miles of land, 1,545 residents per square mile in 2020.
Valley Falls is in the Spartanburg, SC metropolitan statistical area, which takes in 2 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 Valley Falls, and is it growing?
The 2020-2024 American Community Survey puts Valley Falls's population at 8,239 (±1,259). The 2020 Census counted 8,012 residents.
The Census Bureau publishes yearly population estimates for incorporated places only; Valley Falls is a census-designated place, so its figures come from the ACS and the 2020 Census.
| Measure | Valley Falls | Spartanburg County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 8,239 ±1,259 | 347,852 | +1,583 |
| Households | 3,006 ±455 | 131,672 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.48 ±0.24 | 2.58 | +0.32 |
| Housing units | 3,429 ±422 | 144,170 | no clear change |
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 Valley Falls?
The median resident of Valley Falls is 27.0 years old; 15.3% are under 18 and 8.9% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 59.3%, then non-Hispanic Black residents at 28.4%. 16.7% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Valley Falls | Spartanburg County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 27.0 ±2.3 | 37.8 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 15.3% ±3.9 pts | 23.4% | – |
| 65 years and over | 8.9% ±2.5 pts | 16.3% | – |
| Male | 44.0% ±5.0 pts | 48.8% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 8.8% ±5.5 pts | 9.3% | no clear change |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 59.3% ±7.2 pts | 65.3% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 28.4% ±7.6 pts | 19.3% | no clear change |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 2.5% ±2.2 pts | 2.3% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.2% ±0.2 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.5 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 0.8% ±0.5 pts | 3.3% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.1% ±0.1 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 16.7% ±6.8 pts | 8.7% | +11.6 pts |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 21.7% ±7.9 pts | 13.3% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 6.9% ±3.0 pts | 6.6% | – |
| With a disability | 14.8% ±4.8 pts | 15.1% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 16.7% ±4.7 pts | 10.7% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 90.0% ±5.4 pts | 88.4% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 20.5% ±6.5 pts | 25.1% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 5.7% ±2.6 pts | 9.6% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 80.8% ±4.7 pts | 86.9% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 5.3% ±2.8 pts | 2.9% | – |
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 Valley Falls earn?
Half of Valley Falls's 3,006 households earn less than $55,661 a year (±$10,819), against $66,234 in Spartanburg County and $69,324 in South Carolina. In 2015-2019 it was $43,989 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 22.2% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Valley Falls | Spartanburg County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $55,661 ±$10,819 | $66,234 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $64,088 ±$8,012 | $87,462 | – |
| Per capita income | $25,327 ±$3,350 | $34,071 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 22.2% ±5.9 pts | 14.5% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 11.4% ±10.9 pts | 19.1% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 11.4% ±5.2 pts | 10.9% | – |
| Households with a computer | 98.7% ±1.3 pts | 94.3% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 87.9% ±4.9 pts | 88.7% | – |
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 Valley Falls?
Owners occupy 50.5% of Valley Falls's occupied homes and renters 49.5%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $256,600 by its owner (±$30,687). The median renter pays $1,021 a month including utilities, and 42.7% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Valley Falls | Spartanburg County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $256,600 ±$30,687 | $233,300 | +$68,058 |
| Median gross rent | $1,021 ±$102 | $1,084 | +$161 |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 42.7% ±11.9 pts | 40.0% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,377 ±$102 | $1,401 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 50.5% ±8.0 pts | 73.0% | +10.2 pts |
| Renter-occupied homes | 49.5% ±8.0 pts | 27.0% | – |
| Housing units | 3,429 ±422 | 144,170 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0% ±2.9 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 14.3% ±8.1 pts | 7.1% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 47.4% ±6.8 pts | 71.9% | – |
| Mobile homes | 8.6% ±3.9 pts | 12.2% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 5.2% ±4.6 pts | 5.4% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 24.6% ±6.2 pts | 14.8% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 2.0% ±1.6 pts | 5.5% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 3.0% ±2.6 pts | 4.5% | – |
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 Valley Falls work and get to work?
79.0% of Valley Falls's workers drive alone and 4.6% work from home. The average trip to work takes 22.3 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 5.5%.
| Measure | Valley Falls | Spartanburg County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 65.8% ±5.2 pts | 62.1% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 5.5% ±2.8 pts | 4.3% | no clear change |
| Drove alone to work | 79.0% ±6.2 pts | 79.1% | – |
| Carpooled | 11.0% ±5.2 pts | 10.0% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±1.1 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Walked | 2.0% ±1.5 pts | 0.7% | – |
| Worked from home | 4.6% ±2.7 pts | 8.9% | no clear change |
| Mean travel time to work | 22.3 min ±2.8 | 25.2 min | +5.2 min |
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 Valley Falls?
1 census tract lies mostly in Valley Falls, and 3 more reach into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 224.06Spartanburg County | 11,775 | $71,328 |
| Tract 218.03Spartanburg County | 8,254 | $67,230 |
| Tract 218.06Spartanburg County | 3,226 | $49,019 |
| Tract 214.02Spartanburg County | 3,452 | $82,713 |
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 Valley Falls) · Census block assignment files
How does Valley Falls compare with other places in South Carolina?
Valley Falls ranks 119th of 248 places in South Carolina with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population (ACS 2020-2024) | 76th | 261 |
| Residents per square mile | 54th | 261 |
| Median household income | 119th | 248 |
| Per capita income | 176th | 259 |
| Median home value | 71st | 248 |
| Median gross rent | 116th | 235 |
| Poverty rate | 92nd | 214 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 128th | 226 |
| Median age | 248th | 261 |
| Owner-occupied share | 209th | 258 |
| Work from home | 114th | 119 |
| Travel time to work | 180th | 261 |
Valley Falls's figures with every place in South Carolina (CSV)
Every place in South Carolina, sortable · Compare Valley Falls 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 Valley Falls?
11 of the 57 figures for Valley Falls 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 Valley Falls 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' school search.