Saluda

Population: 676
Median household income: $52,946
Median home value: $321,000

Saluda, a community in Polk County, North Carolina, has 676 residents. The median household income of $52,946 is below the Polk County median ($61,005).

Between 2019 and 2023, Saluda's population declined 24.1% from 891 to 676, while its median home value rose 23.7% from $259,500 to $321,000.

The median gross rent is $1,339. 50.8% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Demographics

ACS 2019–2023

Population: 676
Median age: 60.0 yrs
Median household income: $52,946
Median home value: $321,000
Median gross rent: $1,339
Housing units: 524
Homeownership rate: 85.1%
Bachelor's degree or higher: 50.8%
Unemployment rate: 7.0%

Trends

ACS 5-year · 2019–2023

Population

891676

Median household income

$48,375$52,946

Median home value

$259,500$321,000

Median gross rent

$994$1,339

Year	Population	Median household income	Median home value	Median gross rent
2019	891	$48,375	$259,500	$994
2020	779	$42,197	$254,300	$946
2021	646	$43,964	$263,500	$994
2022	617	$51,429	$295,200	$1,250
2023	676	$52,946	$321,000	$1,339

Each year is a US Census Bureau ACS 5-year estimate ending that year.

Age distribution

Under 54.0%

5 to 1714.3%

18 to 242.8%

25 to 342.8%

35 to 449.6%

45 to 549.2%

55 to 6413.9%

65 to 7423.4%

75 and over20.0%

	Count	Share
Under 5	27	4.0%
5 to 17	97	14.3%
18 to 24	19	2.8%
25 to 34	19	2.8%
35 to 44	65	9.6%
45 to 54	62	9.2%
55 to 64	94	13.9%
65 to 74	158	23.4%
75 and over	135	20.0%

Race & ethnicity

	Count	Share
White (non-Hispanic)	608	89.9%
Black or African American	12	1.8%
American Indian & Alaska Native	1	0.1%
Asian	5	0.7%
Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander	0	0.0%
Some other race	0	0.0%
Two or more races	46	6.8%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	4	0.6%

Educational attainment (age 25+)

No high school diploma6.2%

High school graduate22.1%

Some college or associate's20.8%

Bachelor's degree32.8%

Graduate or professional degree18.0%

	Count	Share
No high school diploma	33	6.2%
High school graduate	118	22.1%
Some college or associate's	111	20.8%
Bachelor's degree	175	32.8%
Graduate or professional degree	96	18.0%

Commute to work

Mean travel time to work: 28 min

Drove alone64.1%

Carpooled16.7%

Public transit0.0%

Walked5.7%

Bicycle0.0%

Worked from home11.4%

Other means2.0%

How workers get to work

	Count	Share
Drove alone	157	64.1%
Carpooled	41	16.7%
Public transit	0	0.0%
Walked	14	5.7%
Bicycle	0	0.0%
Worked from home	28	11.4%
Other means	5	2.0%

Travel time

	Count	Share
Under 15 min	50	23.0%
15 to 29 min	69	31.8%
30 to 44 min	55	25.3%
45 to 59 min	13	6.0%
60+ min	30	13.8%

Households

Average household size: 2.15
Poverty rate: 18.8% (111 of 591)

	Count	Share
Family households	180	65.5%
Nonfamily households	95	34.5%

Housing

Median year structure built: 1966

Occupancy

	Count	Share
Occupied	275	52.5%
Vacant	249	47.5%

Tenure (of occupied units)

	Count	Share
Owner-occupied	234	85.1%
Renter-occupied	41	14.9%

1-unit, detached90.6%

1-unit, attached0.4%

2 to 4 units1.3%

5 to 19 units0.0%

20 or more units0.0%

Mobile home & other7.6%

Units in structure

	Count	Share
1-unit, detached	475	90.6%
1-unit, attached	2	0.4%
2 to 4 units	7	1.3%
5 to 19 units	0	0.0%
20 or more units	0	0.0%
Mobile home & other	40	7.6%

Geography

Place GEOID: 3758920
Type (LSAD): 25
Land area: 1.56 sq mi
Water area: 0 sq mi
Center point: 35.2375, -82.3469