The numbers behind Medicare in Pickens County
| Pickens County | South Carolina | |
|---|---|---|
| Residents age 65 and older | 23,861 | 1,037,931 statewide |
| Share of residents age 65+ | 17.6% | 19.3% statewide |
| People with Medicare | 29,988 | 1,294,203 statewide |
| Enrolled in Medicare Advantage | 16,557 | 604,910 statewide |
| Medicare Advantage share | 55.2% | 46.7% statewide |
Data: U.S. Census Bureau (2023 population estimates); CMS, September 2026. Medicare Advantage share is enrollees divided by people with Medicare.
Among South Carolina’s 46 counties, Pickens County comes in 14th for residents age 65 and up (23,861). Older adults make up 17.6% of the population here; the state figure is 19.3%. Another 8,589 residents are age 60 to 64 and will reach Medicare eligibility within about five years (see our turning 65 guide). By age, the 65-and-older group splits 57% ages 65 to 74, 33% ages 75 to 84 and 10% age 85 and up (Census 2023). CMS data show 55.2% of Pickens County residents with Medicare chose Medicare Advantage, which is higher than the 46.7% average across South Carolina. A county average does not tell you which kind of plan fits you. Whether Medicare Advantage or Original Medicare with a Medigap plan is the better fit depends on your doctors, your prescriptions and how you want to handle costs, so we compare both for your ZIP code.
Who has Medicare in Pickens County
Pickens County is a metro county; the U.S. Department of Agriculture describes it as: counties in metro areas of 250,000 to 1 million population. Metro counties usually have more hospitals and more insurers competing for Medicare members, so there can be more plans to compare.
CMS counts 29,743 Medicare beneficiaries in Pickens County (2023). Their average age is 73, about the same as the South Carolina average of 73. About 7% are “dual eligible,” meaning they have both Medicare and Medicaid, close to the state figure of 7%.
Among people in Original Medicare in Pickens County, CMS reported about 583 emergency room visits and 210 inpatient hospital stays per 1,000 beneficiaries in 2023, which is close to the state average for emergency visits (563) and close to it for hospital stays (202). About 11% received home health care. These figures describe how people use care under Original Medicare; they do not show what any plan covers or costs.
Sources: CMS Medicare Geographic Variation, 2023; USDA Rural-Urban Continuum Codes, 2023.
Insurers choose which counties to serve each year, which means the Medicare Advantage and Part D plans you can pick in Pickens County can be different from the ones offered next door. We are not based in Pickens County; we help Pickens County residents by phone or video call.
Hospitals located in Pickens County
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) lists these hospitals in Pickens County:
- Cannon Memorial Hospital — Pickens (acute care; nonprofit; emergency services)
- Prisma Health Baptist Easley Hospital — Easley (acute care; nonprofit; emergency services; CMS overall rating 4 of 5)
Being located in the county is not the same as being in your plan’s network. Each Medicare Advantage plan builds its own network, so we confirm that your hospital and your doctors are included before you choose. Ratings are CMS Care Compare overall hospital star ratings; they describe the hospital, not whether a plan covers it. Source: CMS Hospital General Information.
Where people live in Pickens County
The largest communities in Pickens County by 2023 Census population estimates are Easley (26,348), Clemson (17,798), Central (5,322), Pickens (3,391), Liberty (3,309), Six Mile (754). Each figure counts only the people living inside the county.
Census ZIP Code Tabulation Areas mostly within Pickens County number 9: 29630, 29631, 29634, 29640, 29657, 29667, 29671, 29682, 29685. Your exact ZIP code is what decides which plans you can join.
Questions about Medicare in Pickens County?
Reach out to us: fill out our short form or call (571) 354-0146, and a licensed agent will compare the plans available to you, check your doctors and drugs, and stay with you each year at renewal. For general Medicare information, the federal helpline is 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227).
Medicare resources from official sources
- Medicare Plan Finder on Medicare.gov, searchable by ZIP code.
- Social Security: Medicare to enroll or check status.
- Medicare.gov: Medigap on how Medicare Supplement works.
- HealthCare.gov if you are not yet on Medicare.
- South Carolina Department of Insurance: South Carolina’s insurance regulator, including agent license lookup.
Coverage we offer Pickens County residents
We work with many carriers, which lets us compare more than one option for Pickens County households, including group health insurance, life insurance, final expense insurance, annuities, Medicare Advantage, Medicare Supplement (Medigap), Part D drug plans, ACA health insurance and ICHRA.
Let’s check your Pickens County options together
We confirm your doctors and prescriptions before you enroll, at no cost to you.
Get my plan comparisonPlain-English Medicare answers
- How to read your Medicare Annual Notice of Change
- Medicare 101 for families
- What Medicare Part D actually costs
- Does Medicare cover dental, vision and hearing?
Pickens County compared with similar South Carolina counties
| County | Residents 65+ | Medicare Advantage share | Dual eligible share | Area type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lancaster County | 23,409 | 45.2% | 5% | Metro |
| Florence County | 25,047 | 47.0% | 12% | Metro |
| Dorchester County | 26,553 | 43.2% | 7% | Metro |
| Sumter County | 18,854 | 50.0% | 10% | Metro |
| Kershaw County | 13,328 | 48.4% | 7% | Metro |
| Laurens County | 13,209 | 52.7% | 13% | Metro |
See every South Carolina county in our South Carolina directory or go to our South Carolina Medicare hub.