Pickens County is a county in South Carolina, United States, in the northwest corner of the state along the North Carolina line and the Blue Ridge foothills. It had a population of 131,404 at the 2020 census and covers 512 square miles (1,328 km2), of which 496.94 square miles (1,287.1 km2) is land, centred near 34°53′N 82°43′W.
Pickens is the county seat and its postal code is 29671. The county has three incorporated cities (Easley, Clemson and Pickens) and four incorporated towns (Liberty, Central, Norris and Six Mile), plus dozens of unincorporated communities and residential subdivisions. Pickens County sits in the Eastern time zone and is part of the Greenville–Anderson metropolitan statistical area.
Towns & Villages in Pickens County
Pickens County lists more than 90 named places, ranging from its seven incorporated cities and towns to small unincorporated crossroads and platted subdivisions. Two of the county’s cities — Easley and Clemson — straddle the Anderson County line; the population figures below are for the whole city, not just the Pickens County portion. CDP = census-designated place; Unincorp. = unincorporated community or subdivision with no municipal government.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Easley | City | 22,921 | 29640, 29641, 29642 |
| Clemson | City | 17,681 | 29631–29634 |
| Central | Town | 5,247 | 29630 |
| Pickens | City · seat | 3,388 | 29671 |
| Liberty | Town | 3,366 | 29657 |
| Six Mile | Town | 759 | 29682 |
| Norris | Town | 741 | 29667 |
| Dacusville | Unincorp. | — | 29638 |
| Sunset | Unincorp. | — | 29685 |
| Pumpkintown | Unincorp. | — | 29676 |
| Cateechee | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Rocky Bottom | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Nine Times | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Eastatoe | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Pickensville | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Isaqueena Village | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Arial | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Beverly | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Hale | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Hendricks | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Midway | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Montague | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Crosswell | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Crow Creek | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Chadwick | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Glenwood | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Lathem | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Nimmons | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Smithfields | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Traber | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Cedar Rock | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Holly Hill | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Shady Grove | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Springdale | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Terrapin Crossroads | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Ashley Estates | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Avondale Heights | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Berkeley Forest | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Beverly Hills | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Botany Park | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Briargate | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Briarwood | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Brookwood | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Brookwood Heights | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Burdine Springs | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Cadillac Heights | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Calhoun Courts | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Camelot | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Canaan Land | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Carolina Hills | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Cherokee Forest | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Clemson Gardens | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Clemson Heights | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Countryside Manor | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Crestview Heights | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Dellwood | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Douthit Hills | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Eastbriar | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Elaine Heights | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Five Forks | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Forest Acres | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Forest Park | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Hamilton Heights | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Heatherwood | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Heathwood | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Highland Estates | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Hillwood | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Huntington North | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Huntington South | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Kelcar Acres | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Kingsberry | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Lakeview Estates | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Marshall Heights | Unincorp. | — | — |
| McDaniel Heights | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Meadow Brook | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Meadow Rose | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Monaco Estates | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Monte Vista | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Mountain Estates | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Mountaindale | Unincorp. | — | — |
| North Hills | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Oak Creek | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Ole Salem Estates | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Pearidge | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Perry Hills | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Pleasant View | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Quail Haven | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Rosewood Heights | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Skyview | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Sunny Acres | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Timberlane | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Twinbrook | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Vista Heights | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Whispering Pines | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Woodland Heights | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Wyatt Acres | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Yorkwood | Unincorp. | — | — |
Easley and Clemson both extend into neighboring Anderson County, so a small share of each city’s population is counted there rather than in Pickens County. Clemson was known as Calhoun, South Carolina, before it was renamed for the university in 1943, which is why the university district still turns up as “Calhoun” on older maps.
ZIP Codes
- 29671 — Pickens (county seat)
- 29640, 29641, 29642 — Easley
- 29631–29634 — Clemson (also serves Clemson University)
- 29630 — Central
- 29657 — Liberty
- 29682 — Six Mile
- 29667 — Norris
- 29638 — Dacusville
- 29685 — Sunset
- 29676 — Pumpkintown
Most of the small unincorporated subdivisions listed above have no ZIP code of their own and use the nearest town’s postal address.
Geography
Pickens County lies where the South Carolina Piedmont meets the Blue Ridge escarpment, and it is home to the state’s highest natural point, Sassafras Mountain, at 3,560 feet (1,090 m), on the North Carolina line. The county contains Table Rock State Park and drains into the Savannah, Saluda and French Broad river systems, with Lake Keowee and Lake Hartwell forming much of its southern and western edges.
Pickens County borders Transylvania County, North Carolina, to the north; Greenville County to the east; Anderson County to the south; and Oconee County to the west.
Demographics
Pickens County had 131,404 residents at the 2020 census, spread across 496.94 square miles of land for a density of about 264 people per square mile. Easley (22,921) and Clemson (17,681) are the county’s two largest communities, together home to roughly 31% of the county’s population; much of that concentration is driven by Clemson University, whose enrolled students inflate the city’s counted population well above its year-round resident base. Median household income in Pickens County runs below the South Carolina median of $67,804, reflecting a mix of university-town, manufacturing and rural incomes across the county.
Economy & Local Life
Clemson University is the county’s dominant employer and economic anchor, drawing research funding, sports tourism and a large student population to the Clemson-Central area. Easley retains a manufacturing and logistics base built on its textile-mill history, and BMW Manufacturing’s Greer plant and the broader Greenville-Spartanburg upstate manufacturing corridor draw commuters from across the county. Tourism around Table Rock State Park, Lake Keowee and the Blue Ridge foothills supports outfitters, cabins and seasonal retail in the county’s northern communities. Clemson Tigers home football Saturdays are the county’s single biggest annual draw, filling hotels and short-term rentals from Pickens to Easley.
History
Pickens County was created in 1826 and named for Brigadier General Andrew Pickens, a South Carolina militia commander in the American Revolution. The county originally covered a much larger area of the northwest corner of the state before Oconee County was split off in 1868. Clemson University was founded in 1889 on the former Fort Hill plantation, the home of statesman John C. Calhoun and later his son-in-law Thomas Green Clemson, whose bequest established the college; the surrounding town was known as Calhoun until it was renamed Clemson in 1943. Textile milling shaped Easley and Central through the twentieth century, and the Blue Ridge Railway once linked the county’s mill towns to Greenville.
Getting There
US routes 76, 123 and 178 are the county’s main highways, along with state routes 8, 11, 28, 88, 93 and 133 connecting its towns.
- Greenville, SC — 12 miles east
- Anderson, SC — 20 miles south
- Seneca, SC — 20 miles west
- Asheville, NC — 50 miles north
Pickens County Airport, a general-aviation field near Liberty, serves the county directly; the nearest commercial air service is Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport, about 25 miles east of Easley.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Pickens County, South Carolina?
It sits in the state’s northwest corner, bordering North Carolina, in the upstate foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains.
What is the population of Pickens County?
131,404 at the 2020 census.
How big is Pickens County?
512 square miles (1,328 km2) total, of which 496.94 square miles is land.
What is the county seat of Pickens County?
Pickens is the county seat.
How many towns are in Pickens County?
Seven incorporated municipalities — the cities of Easley, Clemson and Pickens, and the towns of Liberty, Central, Norris and Six Mile — plus dozens of unincorporated communities.
What ZIP codes are in Pickens County?
Major ZIPs include 29671 (Pickens), 29640–29642 (Easley), 29631–29634 (Clemson), 29657 (Liberty), 29630 (Central), 29667 (Norris) and 29682 (Six Mile).
What is South Carolina’s highest point, and is it in Pickens County?
Yes — Sassafras Mountain, at 3,560 feet, straddles the Pickens County–North Carolina line and is the state’s highest natural point.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in South Carolina.