Anderson County is a

county A county is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposes Chambers Dictionary, L. Brookes (ed.), 2005, Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, Edinburgh in certain modern nations. The term is derived from the Old French ...

located in the

U.S. state In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its sove ...

South Carolina )''Animis opibusque parati'' ( for, , Latin, Prepared in mind and resources, links=no) , anthem = " Carolina";" South Carolina On My Mind" , Former = Province of South Carolina , seat = Columbia , LargestCity = Charleston , LargestMetro = ...

. As of the 2020 census, its population was 203,718. Its

county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or civil parish. The term is in use in Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, Taiwan, and the United States. The equivalent term shire town is used in the US ...

Anderson Anderson or Andersson may refer to: Companies * Anderson (Carriage), a company that manufactured automobiles from 1907 to 1910 * Anderson Electric, an early 20th-century electric car * Anderson Greenwood, an industrial manufacturer * Anderson ...

. Named for Revolutionary War leader Robert Anderson, the county is located in northwestern South Carolina, along the state line of Georgia. Anderson County is included in the Greenville-Anderson-Mauldin, SC Metropolitan Statistical Area. Anderson County contains

Lake Hartwell Lake Hartwell is a man-made reservoir bordering Georgia and South Carolina and encompassing parts of the Savannah, Tugaloo, and Seneca rivers. Lake Hartwell is one of the Southeastern United States' largest recreation lakes. The lake was created ...

, a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers lake with nearly of shoreline for residential and recreational use. The area is a growing industrial, commercial and tourist center. It is the home of Anderson University, a private, selective comprehensive university of approximately 3,000 undergraduate and graduate students

History

Anderson County was founded in 1826 after the dissolution of the Pendleton District and was named after Robert Anderson, an

American Revolutionary War The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was a major war of the American Revolution. Widely considered as the war that secured the independence of t ...

general. During the

Civil War A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government polici ...

, the county became a center of ammunitions production for the

Confederate States Army The Confederate States Army, also called the Confederate Army or the Southern Army, was the military land force of the Confederate States of America (commonly referred to as the Confederacy) during the American Civil War (1861–1865), fighting ...

. The county seat and largest city is

; both the county and city are also located in the Greenville-Anderson-Mauldin, SC Metropolitan Statistical Area. Agriculturally, the county is ranked high in production. Its ranked first in the southeast, second in the south, and twenty-third in the United States according to the

United States Department of Commerce The United States Department of Commerce is an executive department of the U.S. federal government concerned with creating the conditions for economic growth and opportunity. Among its tasks are gathering economic and demographic data for bus ...

. Cotton, corn, and various fruits and vegetables are grown along with a large poultry industry located the county.

Geography

According to the

U.S. Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...

, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (5.5%) is water. Anderson County is in the

Savannah River The Savannah River is a major river in the southeastern United States, forming most of the border between the states of South Carolina and Georgia. Two tributaries of the Savannah, the Tugaloo River and the Chattooga River, form the nor ...

basin and the Saluda River basin.

State and local protected areas

* Broyles Recreation Area *

Sadlers Creek State Park Sadlers Creek State Park is a state park located near the town of Anderson in Anderson County, South Carolina. The park is on a peninsula which extends into Lake Hartwell. Activities available at the park include picnicking, fishing, hiking, bo ...

Major water bodies

Chattooga River The Chattooga River (also spelled Chatooga, Chatuga, and Chautaga, variant name Guinekelokee River) is the main tributary of the Tugaloo River. Water course The headwaters of the Chattooga River are located southwest of Cashiers, North Carol ...

* Saluda River *

Lake Secession Lake Secession is a census-designated place (CDP) in Abbeville County, South Carolina, United States located near a lake by the same name. The population was 1,083 at the 2010 census. Geography Secession Lake is a reservoir on the Rocky River, a t ...

Adjacent counties

* Pickens County – north *

Greenville County Greenville County is located in the state of South Carolina, in the United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was 525,534, making it the most populous county in the state. Its county seat is Greenville. The county is also home to ...

– northeast * Laurens County – east *

Abbeville County Abbeville County is a county located in the U.S. state of South Carolina. As of the 2020 census, its population was 24,295. Its county seat is Abbeville. It is the first county (or county equivalent) in the United States alphabetically. Abbe ...

– south *

Elbert County, Georgia Elbert County is a county located in the northeastern part of the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 19,637. The county seat is Elberton. The county was established on December 10, 1790, and was named for Samuel ...

– southwest *

Hart County, Georgia Hart County is a county located in the northeastern part of the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 25,828. The county seat is Hartwell. Hart County was created December 7, 1853 and named for Nancy Hart. Of Georgi ...

– west * Oconee County – northwest

Major highways

Major infrastructure

Anderson Regional Airport Anderson Regional Airport is a public airport southwest of Anderson, in Anderson County, South Carolina, United States. It is one of the busiest airports in upstate South Carolina. It receives over 14,000 visitors each year and generates ov ...

Demographics

2020 census

''* Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos can be of any race.'' As of the

2020 United States census The United States census of 2020 was the twenty-fourth decennial United States census. Census Day, the reference day used for the census, was April 1, 2020. Other than a pilot study during the 2000 census, this was the first U.S. census to off ...

, there were 203,718 people, 75,825 households, and 52,038 families residing in the county.

2010 census

As of the

2010 United States Census The United States census of 2010 was the twenty-third United States national census. National Census Day, the reference day used for the census, was April 1, 2010. The census was taken via mail-in citizen self-reporting, with enumerators serving ...

, there were 187,126 people, 73,829 households, and 51,922 families residing in the county. The population density was . There were 84,774 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 80.1% white, 16.0% black or African American, 0.8% Asian, 0.3% American Indian, 1.3% from other races, and 1.5% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 2.9% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 15.9% were

American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, pe ...

, 13.6% were

Irish Irish may refer to: Common meanings * Someone or something of, from, or related to: ** Ireland, an island situated off the north-western coast of continental Europe ***Éire, Irish language name for the isle ** Northern Ireland, a constituent unit ...

, 10.8% were

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ...

, and 10.2% were

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) **Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ge ...

. Of the 73,829 households, 33.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.1% were married couples living together, 14.5% had a female householder with no husband present, 29.7% were non-families, and 25.4% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.50 and the average family size was 2.98. The median age was 39.7 years. The median income for a household in the county was $42,871 and the median income for a family was $53,229. Males had a median income of $41,885 versus $30,920 for females. The per capita income for the county was $22,117. About 12.4% of families and 15.8% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...

, including 23.0% of those under age 18 and 10.2% of those age 65 or over.

Law and government

Anderson County has a Council-Administrator form of government under South Carolina law. County Council members are elected from seven single-member districts for two-year terms. All seven council seats are open for election every two years. Anderson County Councilmen are: * District 1: John B. Wright Jr. (North Anderson) * District 2: Glenn A. Davis (South & East Anderson) * District 3: S. Ray Graham (Belton/Starr/Iva area) * District 4: Brett Sanders (Pendleton area) * District 5: Tommy Dunn (West Anderson) * District 6: Jimmy Davis (Powdersville area) * District 7: M. Cindy Wilson (Williamston/Honea Path area) The Anderson County Administrator is Rusty Burns.

Operations

Anderson County has ten divisions: * Administration * Parks, Recreation & Tourism * Central Services * Economic Development * Emergency Services * EMS & Special Operations * Environmental Services * Finance * Planning * Transportation

Politics

Since the 1970s, Anderson County has been a rock-solid

Republican Republican can refer to: Political ideology * An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law. ** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...

bastion, with the party going on a streak of winning the county in each presidential election since 1984. The exceptions came in 1976 and 1980, when Southerner

Jimmy Carter James Earl Carter Jr. (born October 1, 1924) is an American politician who served as the 39th president of the United States from 1977 to 1981. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, he previously served as th ...

overwhelmingly captured the county in the former election and fairly solidly in the latter.

Economy

Early industry in the county was textile mills, processing southern cotton. In the 21st century, industry has diversified with more than 230 manufacturers, including 22 international companies. The top major industries in Anderson include manufacturers of automotive products, metal products, industrial machinery, plastics, publishing and textiles. Two industries that many times interconnect are the plastic and automotive sectors. There are more than 27 BMW suppliers in the upstate, which is recognized internationally as an automotive supplier hub. The plastic industry has a strong presence in the upstate, with 244 plastic companies located within the 10 counties of the northwest corner of SC. Anderson County has 11 automotive suppliers and is a major player in the plastic industry, with 27 plastic companies located within its borders.

Communities

Cities

(county seat and largest city) * Belton * Clemson (mostly in Pickens County) * Easley (mostly in Pickens County)

Towns

* Honea Path (partly in

) * Iva * Pelzer * Pendleton * Starr * West Pelzer * Williamston

Census-designated places

* Centerville *

Fair Play Fair play or Fairplay usually refers to sportsmanship. Fair play or Fairplay may also refer to: Media * ''Fair Play'' (1925 film), an American silent film * ''Fair Play'', a 1972 TV movie starring Paul Ford * ''Fair Play'' (2014 film), a Czech ...

(mostly in Oconee County) * Homeland Park * Northlake *

Piedmont it, Piemontese , population_note = , population_blank1_title = , population_blank1 = , demographics_type1 = , demographics1_footnotes = , demographics1_title1 = , demographics1_info1 = , demographics1_title2 ...

(partly in

) * Powdersville

Unincorporated communities

* Craytonville * La France *

Sandy Springs Sandy Springs is a city in northern Fulton County, Georgia and an inner ring suburb of Atlanta. The city's population was 108,080 at the 2020 census, making it Georgia's seventh-largest city. It is the site of several corporate headquarters, i ...

* Townville (partly in Oconee County) *

Cheddar Cheddar most often refers to either: *Cheddar cheese *Cheddar, Somerset, the village after which Cheddar cheese is named Cheddar may also refer to: Places * Cheddar, Ontario, Canada * Cheddar Yeo, a river which flows through Cheddar Gorge and t ...

* Piercetown