Cowpens, Spartanburg County, South Carolina Population and Demographics

In this article, we'll explore the population statistics for Cowpens, South Carolina, including popular demographics data like median age, number of households, household income, gender, employment and unemployment rates, occupations, religion, and more.

We are using the latest American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year survey data from the US Census Bureau, which is accurate up to 2021.

Table of Contents

Population

There is a lot of data that lets us see how many people live in Cowpens, South Carolina. The most basic data is the total population, which is the total number of people living in Cowpens, South Carolina. The estimated population of Cowpens, South Carolina is 1,990 people, with a median age of 46.7.

We can look at the total population in Cowpens over the last 5 years to see how much it has changed.

Year Population Change 5-Year Change
2021
1,990
+2.37%
+7.28%
2020
1,944
+0.1%
-
2019
1,942
+8.98%
-
2018
1,782
-3.94% -
2017
1,855
- -

Population of Cowpens, South Carolina by Race and Ethnicity

We can also look at how the population has changed over the last 5 years by each of the race/ethnicity types as defined by the US Census Bureau.

Race 2021 2017 Change
White
80.8%
75%
+7.73%
Black/African American
12.7%
15.6%
-18.59%
Native
0%
0%
0.00%
Hispanic
4.6%
6.1%
-24.59%
Asian
0%
0%
0.00%
Hawaiian/Pacific Islander
0%
0%
0.00%
Two Or More Races
2%
3.2%
-37.50%
Other
0%
0%
0.00%

This data can be very important for a number of reasons, including social and economic research, planning and development, and marketing to a multi-cultural population.

Note that the Native group includes both Native American and Alaskan Native people.

Population of Cowpens, South Carolina by Age and Gender

The age and gender of a population is another interesting demographic statistic because it lets us track trends in the population over time. For example, we can see how the population has changed over the last 5 years by median age as a total, and also by male and female.

Year Total Male Female
2021 46.7 +6.62% 46.1 +4.54% 48.5 +11.24%
2020 43.8 +6.57% 44.1 +11.36% 43.6 +5.31%
2019 41.1 -6.16% 39.6 -12.78% 41.4 -5.05%
2018 43.8 -0.45% 45.4 -4.42% 43.6 +0.23%
2017 44 - 47.5 - 43.5 -

The median age of Cowpens, South Carolina gives you an idea of the age distribution, with half of the population being older than the median age and half being younger.

This can then be used to infer and compare against birth rates, parent ages, and more metrics to understand the population. For example, an increasing median age indicates an aging population, which can be a sign of a declining population in terms of birth rates and workforce participation.

Age 2021 2017
(Years) Male Female Male Female
0 to 9 113 +11.36% 79 -2.23% 118 70
10 to 19 118 -26.46% 111 -55.67% 87 57
20 to 29 75 +101.2% 159 +26.85% 149 202
30 to 39 86 -11.07% 86 +35.22% 72 110
40 to 49 92 -3.24% 117 -11.85% 83 101
50 to 59 144 -13.85% 112 +25.7% 116 141
60 to 69 173 -5.32% 157 -7.1% 162 145
70+ 77 +102.14% 156 +36.39% 168 209

Median Household Income

The latest median household income of Cowpens, South Carolina is $34,917.00.

In simple terms, the median income is the middle income of a group of people. Half of the people in the group make more than the median income, and half make less. The median income is a good indicator of the overall income of a group of people, and can be used to compare against other metrics such as the average income, per capita income, and more.

Median Income by Age

We can also look at the median income by age to see how the median income varies by age, and how it compares to the overall median income for Cowpens.

  • Under 25
    $15,536.00
  • 25 to 44
    $28,728.00
  • 45 to 64
    $64,063.00
  • 65 and over
    $0.00

Average Household Income

Whenever we ask what is the average household income in Cowpens, we are actually talking about the mean household income.

This is calculated by adding up all the incomes of all the households in Cowpens, and then dividing that number by the total number of households. This is a good way to get a general idea of the average income of a group of people, but it can be skewed by a very high or very low incomes.

The average household income of Cowpens, South Carolina is currently $56,312.00.

In terms of accurately summarizing income at a geographic level, the median income is a better metric than the average income because it isn't affected by a small number of very high or very low incomes.

If you had an area where the average income was greater than the median, it can mean that there is significant income inequality, with income being concentrated in a small number of wealthy households.

2.49% of households in Cowpens are classed as high income households (making $200,000+ per year).

Household Income Tiers

The US Census Bureau divides households into income tiers based on the median income for the area. This is a good way to compare the income of Cowpens against other areas.

  • Less than $24,999
    39.03%
  • $25,000 to $49,999
    20.88%
  • $50,000 to $74,999
    12.69%
  • $75,000 to $99,999
    10.56%
  • $100,000 to $149,999
    9.96%
  • $150,000 to $199,999
    4.39%
  • $200,000 or more
    2.49%

Per Capita Income

The per capita income in Cowpens is $24,606.00.

Per capita income is the average income of a person in a given area. It is calculated by dividing the total income of Cowpens by the total population of Cowpens.

This is different from the average or mean income because it includes and accounts for all people in Cowpens, South Carolina, including people like children, the elderly, unemployed people, retired people, and more.

Education Levels

We can also look at the education levels in Cowpens to see how many people have a high school degree, a bachelor's degree, or a graduate degree.

Educational attainment is a good indicator of the overall education level of a population, and can be used to compare against other metrics such as the average income, per capita income, and more to see how education levels affect income, unemployment rates, and more.

  • Master's degree or higher
    10.54%
  • Bachelor's degree
    32.68%
  • Some college or associate's degree
    9.62%
  • High school diploma or equivalent
    47.16%
  • Less than high school diploma
    0.00%

Employment

Employment rates are all based around the total population in Cowpens that are over the age of 16.

The total population of Cowpens over the age of 16 is 1,693.

Of those people, a total of 54.60% are working or actively looking for work. This is called the labor force participation rate.

The participation rate is a useful market measure because it shows the relative amount of labor resources available to the economy.

The employment to total population rate in Cowpens is 52.60%.

Employment by Age

We can look at the employment rates by age to see how it compares to the overall employment rate.

Age Population Participation Unemployment Rate
16 to 19 years 35 62.90% 0.00%
20 to 24 years 165 64.20% 9.40%
25 to 29 years 186 100.00% 2.70%
30 to 34 years 88 73.90% 0.00%
35 to 44 years 182 63.20% 0.00%
45 to 54 years 242 81.40% 7.60%
55 to 59 years 111 90.10% 5.00%
60 to 64 years 184 34.80% 0.00%
65 to 74 years 426 16.40% 0.00%
75 years and over 74 0.00% 0.00%

Employment by Race

Another very interesting employment statistic we can look at is the employment and unemployment rates by race in Cowpens. The table below shows the rates for each of the ethnicity groups types defined by the US Census Bureau.

Age Population Participation Unemployment Rate
White 1,427 52.60% 2.70%
Black or African American 169 59.80% 0.00%
American Indian and Alaska Native 0 0.00% 0.00%
Asian 0 0.00% 0.00%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander 0 0.00% 0.00%
Other 50 64.00% 0.00%
Two or more races 47 87.20% 36.60%
Hispanic or Latino 80 77.50% 24.20%
Not Hispanic or Latino 1,427 52.60% 2.70%

Occupations

In this section we can look at the most common occupations in Cowpens as well as the gender breakdown and earnings of them.

The total population of civilian employees that are 16 years old or older in Cowpens is 890, with median earnings of $36,019.00.

Women in Cowpens, South Carolina earning approximately 92.30% of the men's earnings.

Population Earnings
Total 890 $36,019.00
Male 407 $37,548.00
Female 483 $34,659.00

Occupations by Category

In the table below, we can break down the population and earnings even further by occupation. The list of occupation categories below will show you how many people are employed in each category and the median earnings of each profession.

Occupation Employed Earnings
Management 72 $52,750.00
Business and Financial 48 $73,286.00
Computer and Mathematical 14 $0.00
Architecture and Engineering 17 $0.00
Life, Physical, and Social Science 3 $0.00
Community and Social Service 30 $38,684.00
Legal 4 $0.00
Educational and Library 61 $51,806.00
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media 6 $0.00
Healthcare Practitioners 42 $43,500.00
Healthcare Support 10 $0.00
Firefighters and Protective Service 30 $0.00
Law Enforcement 0 $0.00
Food Preparation and Serving 73 $12,917.00
Building and Grounds Cleaning 23 $6,964.00
Personal Care and Service 15 $0.00
Sales 56 $10,652.00
Office and Administrative Support 148 $28,991.00
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry 0 $0.00
Construction and Extraction 36 $40,789.00
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair 83 $27,625.00
Production 50 $33,000.00
Transportation and Material Moving 23 $20,156.00

Occupations by Gender

The table below shows the same occupations from the list above, but we have split them by male and female to see how many male and females work in each occupation, the median earnings, and the male to female ratio of earnings.

That last metric is important because it can be used to look at the gender pay gap between men and women.

Occupation Male Female
Population Earnings Population Earnings
Management 9 $14,375.00 63 $52,875.00
Business and Financial 0 $0.00 48 $73,286.00
Computer and Mathematical 6 $0.00 8 $0.00
Architecture and Engineering 17 $0.00 0 $0.00
Life, Physical, and Social Science 0 $0.00 3 $0.00
Community and Social Service 0 $0.00 30 $38,684.00
Legal 4 $0.00 0 $0.00
Educational and Library 20 $55,357.00 41 $41,917.00
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media 0 $0.00 6 $0.00
Healthcare Practitioners 8 $0.00 34 $41,786.00
Healthcare Support 0 $0.00 10 $0.00
Firefighters and Protective Service 30 $0.00 0 $0.00
Law Enforcement 0 $0.00 0 $0.00
Food Preparation and Serving 21 $7,386.00 52 $20,259.00
Building and Grounds Cleaning 12 $0.00 11 $0.00
Personal Care and Service 0 $0.00 15 $0.00
Sales 26 $11,250.00 30 $10,526.00
Office and Administrative Support 29 $0.00 119 $29,276.00
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry 0 $0.00 0 $0.00
Construction and Extraction 36 $40,789.00 0 $0.00
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair 83 $27,625.00 0 $0.00
Production 37 $11,927.00 13 $0.00
Transportation and Material Moving 23 $20,156.00 0 $0.00

Households and Family Size

A household defined bu the US Census Bureau is a group of people who occupy a housing unit. A housing unit is a house, apartment, mobile home, group of rooms, or single room occupied as separate living quarters.

There are currently 843 households in Cowpens, with an average household size of 2.3 people.

A family is defined as a group of two or more people related by birth, marriage, or adoption who live together in the same household.

There are 612 families in Cowpens with an average family size of 2.75 people.

Households by Marital Status

The four categories of household by marital status are:

  • Married-couple family
  • Male householder with no spouse present
  • Female household with no spouse present
  • Nonfamily household

The table below shows the total number of households and families, with the average sizes of each.

Married Male Female Nonfamily
Total Households 440 56 116 231
Average Household Size 2.56 3.11 3.32 1.1
Total Families 440 56 116 0
Average Household Size 2.56 3.02 3.32 0

Poverty

Of the 612 families in Cowpens, 27.60% are considered to be below the poverty threshold.

The table below shows the latest poverty thresholds in Cowpens:

Household Size Poverty Threshold
1 Person $14,580.00
2 People $19,720.00
3 People $24,860.00
4 People $30,000.00
5 People $35,140.00
6 People $40,280.00
7 People $45,420.00
8 People $50,560.00

Housing

There are 997 housing units in Cowpens, South Carolina.

The table below shows the split between occupied and vacant units:

Total Percentage
Occupied 843 84.55%
Vacant 154 15.45%

20.16% of the total 997 housing units in Cowpens are rental units. This is approximately 201 properties.

For owner-occupied housing units, a total of 593 are occupied by the owner - or 59.48% of the total.

Rental Rates

The median rent for a property in Cowpens is $725.00.

In the chart below, we can look at the number of rental properties in Cowpens that fall into a particular rent range. These can then be used to compare with other areas, or to see how they have changed over time.

  • No rent paid
    49
  • Less than $500
    38
  • $500 to $999
    151
  • $1,000 to $1,499
    12
  • $1,500 to $1,999
    0
  • $2,000 to $2,499
    0
  • $2,500 to $2,999
    0
  • $3,000 or more
    0

Property Value

The median value of a property in Cowpens is $109,200.00.

Just like with rental rates, we can look at the number of properties in Cowpens that fall into a particular value range.

  • Less than $50,000
    37
  • $50,000 to $99,999
    244
  • $100,000 to $149,999
    90
  • $150,000 to $199,999
    54
  • $200,000 to $299,999
    114
  • $300,000 to $499,999
    17
  • $500,000 to $999,999
    37
  • $1,000,000 or more
    0

Property Age

We can also look at the age of properties in Cowpens. The chart below shows the number of properties in Cowpens that fall into a particular age range.

  • 1939 or earlier
    132
  • 1940 to 1949
    58
  • 1950 to 1959
    140
  • 1960 to 1969
    129
  • 1970 to 1979
    266
  • 1980 to 1989
    61
  • 1990 to 1999
    155
  • 2000 to 2009
    50
  • 2010 to 2013
    6
  • 2014 or later
    0

Vehicles per Household

The number of vehicles available per household can be a good indicator of the level of affluence in an area. The chart below shows the number of households in Cowpens that have a particular number of vehicles available.

  • No vehicles available
    43
  • 1 vehicle available
    280
  • 2 vehicles available
    316
  • 3 or more vehicles available
    204

Commuting to Work

In this section, we can also look at how people in Cowpens get to work. The chart below shows the number of people in Cowpens that commute to work in a particular way.

28.7 minutes is the average travel time to work for people in Cowpens.

These commute times can be compared to other date like income and educational levels to see how they relate to each other and if there are any trends in the data that might suggest a correlation.

  • Less than 5 minutes
    28
  • 5 to 9 minutes
    32
  • 10 to 14 minutes
    46
  • 15 to 19 minutes
    172
  • 20 to 24 minutes
    168
  • 25 to 29 minutes
    80
  • 30 to 34 minutes
    105
  • 35 to 39 minutes
    18
  • 40 to 44 minutes
    30
  • 45 to 59 minutes
    77
  • 60 to 89 minutes
    56
  • 90 or more minutes
    40

Summary

We've covered a LOT of demographic and population data for Cowpens, South Carolina in this article! Hopefully you have found it very useful in your research of the area.

If you use any of the data found on this page, please consider linking back to USPopulation.org as the source and if you have any feedback or data requests, click here to contact us.