Kershaw County, SC

County

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2024 Population

68,314

US Senator

Lindsey Graham

Republican Party

US Senator

Tim Scott

Republican Party

2024 Median Age

40.4

0.248% 1-year increase

2024 Poverty Rate

13.2%

6.45% 1-year decrease

2024 Median Household Income

$68,231

6.04% 1-year growth

2024 Median Property Value

$217,100

13.1% 1-year growth

2024 Employed Population

30,413

2.48% 1-year growth

About

None of the households in Kershaw County, SC reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

98.5% of the residents in Kershaw County, SC are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Kershaw County, SC are LeGrand Institute of Cosmetology Inc (20 degrees awarded in 2023).

In 2024, the median property value in Kershaw County, SC was $217,100, and the homeownership rate was 82%.

Most people in Kershaw County, SC drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 30 minutes. The average car ownership in Kershaw County, SC was 2 cars per household.

Kershaw County, SC borders Chesterfield County, SC, Darlington County, SC, Fairfield County, SC, Lancaster County, SC, Lee County, SC, Richland County, SC, and Sumter County, SC.

United States South Carolina Columbia, SC

Population & Diversity

Kershaw County, SC is home to a population of 68.3k people, from which 98.5% are citizens. As of 2024, 3.26% of Kershaw County, SC residents were born outside of the country (2.23k people).

In 2024, there were 2.78 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (45k people) in Kershaw County, SC than any other race or ethnicity. There were 16.2k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 2.33k Other (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

98.5%

2024 Citizenship

98.4%

2023 Citizenship

As of 2024, 98.5% of Kershaw County, SC residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.2%. In 2023, the percentage of US citizens in Kershaw County, SC was 98.4%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been increasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Kershaw County, SC compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Kershaw County, SC

White (Non-Hispanic)
45k ± 176
Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
16.2k ± 436
Other (Hispanic)
2.33k ± 426

5.94%

Hispanic Population

4.06k people

5.94% of the people in Kershaw County, SC are hispanic (4.06k people).

The following chart shows the 8 races represented in Kershaw County, SC as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the County level, so we are showing data for South Carolina.

Most Common Origin

Mexico
63,986 ± 6,172 people
India
20,779 ± 3,532 people
Honduras
17,281 ± 3,222 people

In 2023, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of South Carolina was Mexico, the natal country of 63,986 South Carolina residents, followed by India with 20,779 and Honduras with 17,281.

Foreign-Born Population

3.26%

2024 Foreign-Born Population

2.23k people

2.87%

2023 Foreign-Born Population

1.92k people

As of 2024, 3.26% of Kershaw County, SC residents (2.23k people) were born outside of the United States, which is approximately the same as the national average of 14%. In 2023, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Kershaw County, SC was 2.87%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Kershaw County, SC compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Gulf War (2001-)
1,621 ± 260
Vietnam
1,491 ± 296
Gulf War (1990s)
1,048 ± 254

Kershaw County, SC has a large population of military personnel who served in Gulf War (2001-), 1.09 times greater than any other conflict.

The chart shows the distribution of veterans by conflict in Kershaw County, SC.

Economy

The economy of Kershaw County, SC employs 30.4k people. In 2024, the largest industries in Kershaw County, SC were Manufacturing (4,433 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (3,936 people), and Retail Trade (2,790 people), and the highest paying industries were Utilities ($73,523), Information ($70,313), and Management of Companies & Enterprises ($59,091).

Employment

Occupations

30.4k

2024 Value

± 1,429

2.48%

1 Year growth

± 6.61%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Kershaw County, SC grew at a rate of 2.48%, from 29.7k employees to 30.4k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Kershaw County, SC, are Office & Administrative Support Occupations (3,700 people), Management Occupations (3,137 people), and Sales & Related Occupations (2,747 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Kershaw County, SC.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for South Carolina.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in South Carolina (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

Industries

Employment by Industries

30.4k

2024 Value

± 1,429

2.48%

1 Year growth

± 6.61%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Kershaw County, SC grew at a rate of 2.48%, from 29.7k employees to 30.4k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Kershaw County, SC, are Manufacturing (4,433 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (3,936 people), and Retail Trade (2,790 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Kershaw County, SC, though some of these residents may live in Kershaw County, SC and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$47,247

Median earning men ± $2,996

$38,192

Median earning women ± $1,693

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2024 are Information ($84,153), Public Administration ($73,095), and Manufacturing ($61,357).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2024 are Information ($64,074), Wholesale Trade ($56,339), and Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($51,569).

Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for South Carolina.

Y-Axis

2.54%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 2.26M people employed in South Carolina. This represents a 2.54% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

Right after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, during April 2020, a general dip can be seen across industry sectors, resulting in an overall decline in employment by 13.4%.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in South Carolina.

Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments

105
Retail Trade
104
Construction
87
Other Services (except Public Administration)

The visualization shows the distribution of establishments by industry and by size according to the number of employees.

The visualization shows the number of establishments and its share across establishment sizes.

Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll

$132k
Manufacturing
$101k
Health Care and Social Assistance
$84.3k
Transportation and Warehousing

The chart shows the total annual payroll and the average annual payroll by industry.

Education

In 2023, universities in Kershaw County, SC awarded 20 degrees. The student population of Kershaw County, SC in 2023 is skewed towards women, with 2 male students and 28 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Kershaw County, SC are White (15 and 75%) and Black or African American (5 and 25%).

The largest universities in Kershaw County, SC by number of degrees awarded are LeGrand Institute of Cosmetology Inc (20 and 100%).

The most popular majors in Kershaw County, SC are General Cosmetology (20 and 100%).

Admissions & Enrollments

Enrollments by Gender and Races

In 2023 there were 30 students enrolled in Kershaw County, SC, 6.67% men and 93.3% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 23 records, of which 95.7% were women and 4.35% men.

Completions

Concentrations

General Cosmetology

Most Common

20 degrees awarded

In 2023, the most common concentation for 1 to 2 Year Postsecondary Certificate recipients in Kershaw County, SC was General Cosmetology with 20 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a 1 to 2 Year Postsecondary Certificate from schools in Kershaw County, SC according to their major.

Universities

Gender

Race

LeGrand Institute of Cosmetology Inc

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

20 degrees awarded

In 2023, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was LeGrand Institute of Cosmetology Inc with 20 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

In 2023, 0 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Kershaw County, SC, which is 0 times less than the 20 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2023, the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 15 degrees mean that there were 3 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Black or African American, with 5 degrees awarded.

Awarded Degrees over Time

The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Kershaw County, SC was $217,100 in 2024, which is 0.653 times smaller than the national average of $332,700. Between 2023 and 2024 the median property value increased from $191,900 to $217,100, a 13.1% increase. The homeownership rate in Kershaw County, SC is 82%, which is higher than the national average of 65.2%.

People in Kershaw County, SC have an average commute time of 30 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Kershaw County, SC is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

In 2025, 14.5% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Kershaw County, SC. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator grew 1.3%.

Housing

Property

$217,100

Median Property Value 2024

±$8,128

$22,066

Median Property Taxes

±$1,172

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Kershaw County, SC the largest share of households pay taxes in the < $800 range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Kershaw County, SC compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

Rent vs Own

82%

Homeownership

2024

67.6%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2024

In 2024, 82% of the housing units in Kershaw County, SC were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 81.7%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Kershaw County, SC compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Equity

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$68,231

Median Household Income

± $3,174

26.9k

Number of Households

± 1,255

In 2024, the median household income of the 26.9k households in Kershaw County, SC grew to $68,231 from the previous year's value of $64,343.

The following chart displays the households in Kershaw County, SC distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $75k - $100k range.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Kershaw County, SC is from South Carolina.

0.464

2023 Wage GINI in South Carolina

0.464

2022 Wage GINI in South Carolina

In 2023, the income inequality in South Carolina was 0.464 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.102% decline from 2022 to 2023, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for South Carolina was lower than than the national average of 0.476. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in South Carolina in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in South Carolina across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2024

Drove Alone (81.1%)
Worked At Home (9.18%)
Carpooled (8.7%)

In 2024, 81.1% of workers in Kershaw County, SC drove alone to work, followed by those who worked at home (9.18%) and those who carpooled to work (8.7%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

Commute Time

30 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Kershaw County, SC have a longer commute time (30 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.4 minutes). Additionally, 2.83% of the workforce in Kershaw County, SC have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Kershaw County, SC compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Kershaw County, SC distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Kershaw County, SC have 2 cars.

Poverty

Severe Housing Problems

In 2025, 14.5% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Kershaw County, SC. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator grew 1.3%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the population living with severe housing problems.

Poverty & Diversity

13.2% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Kershaw County, SC (8.94k out of 67.9k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.5%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Males 35 - 44, followed by Females 35 - 44 and then Females 6 - 11.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Kershaw County, SC is White, followed by Black and Hispanic.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

Children in Poverty

In 2025, 17.8% of the children was living in poverty in Kershaw County, SC. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator declined 7.2%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the children living in poverty.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals
Florida
4,915 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798. New York has the second highest (5,087), followed by Florida (4,915).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

Security

Crimes & Accidents

Indicator

In 2022, the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population was 349 in Kershaw County, SC. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator declined 148 per 100,000 population.

The graph shows the trend in the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population.

Health

91.4% of the population of Kershaw County, SC has health coverage, with 37.8% on employee plans, 17% on Medicaid, 13.3% on Medicare, 19.1% on non-group plans, and 4.11% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Kershaw County, SC see 1,740 patients per year on average, which represents a 0% change from the previous year (1,740 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 3226 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 499 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 48.6% were men and 51.4% were women.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

1,740 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Kershaw County, SC

Primary care physicians in Kershaw County, SC see an average of 1,740 patients per year. This represents a 0% change from the previous year (1,740 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Kershaw County, SC in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

Health Care Diversity

In 2024, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 24.8% under 18 years, 17.6% between 18 and 34 years, 38.7% between 35 and 64 years, and 18.8% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 48.6% were men and 51.4% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

Uninsured People

8.63%

Uninsured

37.8%

Employer Coverage

17%

Medicaid

13.3%

Medicare

19.1%

Non-Group

4.11%

Military or VA

Between 2023 and 2024, the percent of uninsured citizens in Kershaw County, SC declined by 3.39% from 8.93% to 8.63%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Kershaw County, SC changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.

Health Indicators

Health Outcomes

Indicator

In 2025, the number of deaths among residents under age 18 per 100,000 population was 62.5 in Kershaw County, SC.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Kershaw County, SC.

Health Behaviors

Indicator

In 2025, the percentage of the adult population (age 18 and older) that reports a body mass index (BMI) greater than or equal to 30 kg/m2 (age-adjusted) was 36.5% in Kershaw County, SC.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Kershaw County, SC.