Jobs, pay and daily life in Clemson, from official statistics with source and year on every table.
Click any dot to open that city: jobs, pay, rent, commute, county economy and climate. Dot size follows population; colours follow the state flag.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 07/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Clemson is a city in South Carolina with 18,072 residents. The median household earns $49,520 a year and the median rent is $1,007 a month, which is 24.4% of the median household income. It is part of the Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC metropolitan area, where BLS counts 434,900 jobs.
How Clemson compares. Among the 80 largest places in South Carolina, Clemson is #34 by population, #79 for homeownership (#1 = highest), #5 for college degrees (#1 = most), #64 for household income (#1 = highest). Its county, Pickens County, is #20 of 46 counties for average pay ($53,824).
Clemson has 18,072 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 0.3% of the population of South Carolina. It covers 8 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 2,275 people per square mile. The median age is 24.8, 38% younger than the state median (24.8 against 40.2).
The median gross rent is $1,007 a month (rent plus utilities), 15% below the state median ($1,007 against $1,180). Over a year that is 24.4% of the median household income. US housing guidance treats housing as affordable when it takes 30% of income or less, so the typical household is under that line. The median home value is $398,400, which is 8.0 times the median household income ($49,520); a ratio above 5 usually means buying is out of reach without savings or a second income. 34.3% of households own their home, 52% below the state average (34.3% against 71.9%). A low ownership share points to a rental-heavy market with more apartments and shorter stays.
The Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC metropolitan area has 434,900 jobs in the BLS wage survey, and the median pay across all occupations is $46,580 a year, 9% below the national median ($46,580 against $50,980). The biggest occupation groups are office and administrative support (52,300 jobs, median $44,260); sales and related (43,100 jobs, median $36,400); food preparation and serving related (41,950 jobs, median $29,280). The area is most specialised in production (1.7 times) and architecture and engineering (1.5 times), where the share of workers is well above the national share. The best-paying groups with at least 5,000 jobs are management ($117,760) and architecture and engineering ($94,310). In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Pickens County was 3.2%. 56.0% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Pickens County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 69.7% drive alone, 3.5% use public transit, 6.0% walk, 9.8% work from home. 7.7% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 48% below the state average (7.7% against 14.7%).
59.4% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 85% above the state share (59.4% against 32.1%). 6.9% of residents were born outside the United States, 19% above the state share (6.9% against 5.8%). The poverty rate is 36.0%, 156% above the state rate (36.0% against 14.1%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 81°F (27.1°C), and the coolest is Jan at 41°F (4.8°C). About 1,262 mm (50 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; Dec is the wettest month (131 mm) and Oct the driest (89 mm). These values come from NASA satellite-based climatology on a grid of about 50 km, so they describe the wider area, not a weather station in the city.
Closest cities in this guide: Seneca (9 miles, rent 20% lower); Anderson (15 miles, rent 3% lower); Easley (16 miles, rent 6% lower); Powdersville (19 miles, rent 22% higher). Rent differences are against Clemson; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in South Carolina (373) →State guide: South CarolinaCountry guidePickens CountySouth Carolina rankings
These links go to official sources and open in a new window. The first one is the government's or company's own site as listed in Wikidata (property "official website"); check it before relying on it.
There are 373 federal postings open in South Carolina (USAJOBS, state level; we do not have a city filter for them). Private-sector jobs are not in this feed.
Open federal jobs in South Carolina →
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 12,280 | 1.14 | $27,850 | $22,820 | $34,450 | -11% |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 11,960 | 1.45 | $38,520 | $30,270 | $48,880 | -4% |
| Retail Salespersons | 11,830 | 1.09 | $30,840 | $22,780 | $46,160 | -13% |
| Cashiers | 10,250 | 1.19 | $29,080 | $21,910 | $36,860 | -12% |
| Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators | 9,860 | 2.51 | $40,840 | $34,160 | $50,570 | -9% |
| Registered Nurses | 9,730 | 1.03 | $81,400 | $68,530 | $100,630 | -17% |
| Customer Service Representatives | 9,430 | 1.30 | $39,010 | $29,540 | $59,400 | -13% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 9,090 | 1.43 | $19,950 | $15,410 | $46,730 | -43% |
| Office Clerks, General | 8,410 | 1.22 | $36,030 | $20,540 | $54,250 | -20% |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 8,190 | 0.68 | $29,800 | $24,860 | $35,400 | -17% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 7,340 | 0.93 | $35,560 | $29,830 | $48,030 | -5% |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 6,250 | 1.01 | $31,180 | $23,090 | $39,570 | -15% |
| General and Operations Managers | 5,780 | 0.59 | $106,750 | $57,470 | $222,130 | +1% |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 5,240 | 0.91 | $53,080 | $40,190 | $77,070 | -9% |
| Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | 4,870 | 1.02 | $46,120 | $29,430 | $61,250 | -3% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers | 4,650 | 1.16 | $63,630 | $44,570 | $101,050 | -8% |
| Maintenance and Repair Workers, General | 4,610 | 1.08 | $49,500 | $35,710 | $77,680 | -0% |
| Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products | 4,430 | 1.28 | $60,840 | $35,000 | $138,460 | -16% |
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | 4,390 | 1.13 | $60,680 | $48,800 | $75,990 | -5% |
| Cooks, Restaurant | 4,360 | 1.11 | $35,680 | $24,220 | $44,860 | -5% |
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Computer and Information Systems Managers | 870 | 0.46 | $161,180 | $97,620 | $228,700 | -8% |
| Architectural and Engineering Managers | 900 | 1.47 | $160,900 | $111,050 | $223,690 | -6% |
| Marketing Managers | 720 | 0.65 | $148,480 | $78,160 | $243,140 | -11% |
| Financial Managers | 1,880 | 0.80 | $145,610 | $80,870 | $296,790 | -13% |
| Dentists, General | 540 | 1.54 | $139,940 | $51,850 | $318,010 | -18% |
| Pharmacists | 900 | 0.99 | $135,580 | $73,610 | $164,810 | -4% |
| Industrial Production Managers | 1,510 | 2.20 | $129,490 | $79,990 | $207,600 | +3% |
| Sales Managers | 1,770 | 1.00 | $129,090 | $60,400 | $226,450 | -13% |
| Lawyers | 1,290 | 0.61 | $124,970 | $70,540 | $341,840 | -22% |
| Software Developers | 2,070 | 0.44 | $121,790 | $67,630 | $197,880 | -10% |
| Nurse Practitioners | 1,120 | 1.24 | $119,280 | $81,910 | $145,570 | -10% |
| Construction Managers | 1,120 | 1.05 | $111,700 | $73,900 | $177,800 | -3% |
| General and Operations Managers | 5,780 | 0.59 | $106,750 | $57,470 | $222,130 | +1% |
| Civil Engineers | 1,170 | 1.13 | $102,830 | $65,330 | $160,610 | +2% |
| Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products | 590 | 0.74 | $101,890 | $49,160 | $196,770 | -3% |
| Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary | 850 | 0.93 | $101,820 | $63,210 | $146,660 | -4% |
| Electrical Engineers | 690 | 1.24 | $101,620 | $73,800 | $165,270 | -16% |
| Mechanical Engineers | 1,800 | 2.17 | $101,570 | $78,820 | $165,710 | -2% |
| Industrial Engineers | 2,670 | 2.61 | $101,300 | $76,590 | $133,360 | -1% |
| Physical Therapists | 940 | 1.26 | $101,020 | $78,390 | $121,620 | -2% |
These figures are for the whole Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC metropolitan area, not the city alone.
Median pay across all occupations: $46,580 (US $50,980); unemployment 3.3% (2026M09).
| Industry (residents) ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Education and health care | 41.4% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 19.8% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 8.4% |
| Manufacturing | 7.9% |
| Retail trade | 7.3% |
| Other services | 5.4% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 4.8% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 1.6% |
| Wholesale trade | 1.1% |
| Construction | 0.7% |
| Public administration | 0.5% |
| Information | 0.5% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 0.5% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county (the first of several) where Clemson lies and cover the whole county, not only the city. The city also extends into Anderson County.
| County ⇅ | Population ⇅ | GDP (2024) ⇅ | GDP per resident ⇅ | Jobs (QCEW 2024) ⇅ | Employer sites ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Job change vs 2023 ⇅ | Unemployment rate ⇅ | Labour force ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pickens County | 134,629 | $6,019 million | $44,709 | 39,859 | 2,956 | $53,824 | +2.4% | 3.2% | 69,415 |
| Anderson County | 210,478 | $10,558 million | $50,162 | 72,695 | 4,568 | $51,737 | +1.7% | 3.7% | 107,538 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accommodation and food services | 6,016 | 20.9% | $19,966 | 1.66 |
| Retail trade | 5,819 | 20.3% | $32,697 | 1.46 |
| Manufacturing | 5,395 | 18.8% | $69,581 | 1.65 |
| Health care and social assistance | 3,279 | 11.4% | $56,943 | 0.57 |
| Construction | 1,456 | 5.1% | $56,347 | 0.70 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 1,218 | 4.2% | $23,073 | 1.82 |
| Professional and technical services | 1,116 | 3.9% | $81,821 | 0.40 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 975 | 3.4% | $39,366 | 0.81 |
| Administrative and waste services | 931 | 3.2% | $42,079 | 0.40 |
| Finance and insurance | 571 | 2.0% | $83,217 | 0.35 |
| Wholesale trade | 513 | 1.8% | $70,597 | 0.33 |
| Real estate and rental | 356 | 1.2% | $44,913 | 0.58 |
| Educational services | 326 | 1.1% | $43,816 | 0.40 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 302 | 1.1% | $43,683 | 0.18 |
| Utilities | 223 | 0.8% | $102,809 | 1.47 |
| Information | 178 | 0.6% | $106,519 | 0.24 |
| Management of companies | 54 | 0.2% | $118,799 | 0.08 |
QCEW counts jobs covered by unemployment insurance; sectors with too few employers are withheld by BLS. Latest-month unemployment is preliminary.
| How residents get to work ⇅ | Share ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 69.7% |
| Public transit | 3.5% |
| Walk | 6.0% |
| Work from home | 9.8% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 7.7% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $49,520 |
| Income per person | $37,246 |
| Median gross rent per month | $1,007 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 24.4% |
| Median home value | $398,400 |
| Homeowners | 34.3% |
| Poverty rate | 36.0% |
| Price level of the metro area (US = 100) | 93.3 |
| Metro median pay, all occupations | $46,580 |
Estimate for a wage earner: 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction (IRS), Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500, Medicare 1.45% (+0.9% above $200,000 single / $250,000 married), and a state rate you set; graduated states show 0 until you enter your own estimate. It ignores credits, pre-tax deductions, local taxes and benefits. Sources: IRS: tax year 2026 inflation adjustments · SSA wage base per Federal Register notice 2025-19763.
State tax: Graduated, top rate 6.00%.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 24.8 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 95.2% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 59.4% |
| Born abroad | 6.9% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 56.0% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 4.8 | 41 | 100 |
| Feb | 6.8 | 44 | 102 |
| Mar | 11.1 | 52 | 110 |
| Apr | 16.0 | 61 | 93 |
| May | 20.8 | 69 | 102 |
| Jun | 25.3 | 78 | 111 |
| Jul | 27.1 | 81 | 116 |
| Aug | 26.5 | 80 | 110 |
| Sep | 23.1 | 74 | 101 |
| Oct | 16.9 | 62 | 89 |
| Nov | 10.6 | 51 | 97 |
| Dec | 6.7 | 44 | 131 |
Satellite-reanalysis climatology on a grid of roughly 50 km, so it smooths local effects (hills, coast, city heat). It is not a weather-station record.
| City ⇅ | State ⇅ | Distance (straight line) ⇅ | Population ⇅ | Median household income ⇅ | Median rent ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seneca | SC | 9 mi | 8,993 | $52,022 | $807 |
| Anderson | SC | 15 mi | 30,051 | $46,933 | $975 |
| Easley | SC | 16 mi | 24,841 | $66,299 | $947 |
| Powdersville | SC | 19 mi | 10,771 | $84,910 | $1,232 |
| Parker | SC | 23 mi | 12,898 | $40,043 | $1,099 |
| Berea | SC | 24 mi | 16,862 | $49,829 | $1,076 |
| Gantt | SC | 24 mi | 15,401 | $47,316 | $1,062 |
| Sans Souci | SC | 26 mi | 7,665 | $45,069 | $999 |
| Greenville | SC | 28 mi | 72,935 | $71,472 | $1,312 |
| Travelers Rest | SC | 28 mi | 8,370 | $54,583 | $1,033 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
Pick two cities.
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18,072 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$1,007 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 24.4% of the median household income.
$49,520 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
3.2% (BLS county, Pickens County (latest month 2026M09)).
South Carolina. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.