Berkeley County, South Carolina | |
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 Seal  Logo | |
| Mottoes: "One Berkeley" "Rich History. Bright Future." | |
 Location within the U.S. state ofSouth Carolina | |
 South Carolina's location within theU.S. | |
| Coordinates:33°13′N79°57′W / 33.21°N 79.95°W /33.21; -79.95 | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  South Carolina |
| Founded | 1882 |
| Named after | Sir William Berkeley |
| Seat | Moncks Corner |
| Largest community | Goose Creek |
| Government | |
| • County Supervisor | Johnny Cribb |
| Area | |
• Total | 1,233.88 sq mi (3,195.7 km2) |
| • Land | 1,103.62 sq mi (2,858.4 km2) |
| • Water | 130.26 sq mi (337.4 km2) 10.56% |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 229,861 |
• Estimate (2024) | 264,276 |
| • Density | 208.279/sq mi (80.4170/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) |
| Congressional district | 1st |
| Website | www |
Berkeley County is acounty in theU.S. state ofSouth Carolina. As of the2020 census, its population was 229,861.[1] Itscounty seat isMoncks Corner, and the largest community isGoose Creek.[2] After two previous incarnations of Berkeley County, the current county was created in 1882.[3] Berkeley County is included in theCharleston, South Carolina metropolitan area.
Berkeley County was established in 1682. It was named afterJohn andWilliam Berkeley, co-owners of theProvince of Carolina.[4] It became part of the Charleston District in 1769. It did not exist as a District during most of the 19th century and generally was part of theLow Country culture.
St. John's Berkeley Parish was a parish that grew with agricultural development using enslaved labor. It was eventually absorbed into what became Berkeley County.[5]
In 1882, after Democrats regained control of the state legislature following theReconstruction era, they established the current incarnation of Berkeley County, with its seat atMount Pleasant. The county seat was moved in 1895 to Moncks Corner.[3] Berkeley is also known for Revolutionary War connections.TheOld Berkeley County Courthouse was listed on theNational Register of Historic Places in 1971.[6]
According to theU.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,233.88 square miles (3,195.7 km2), of which 1,103.62 square miles (2,858.4 km2) is land and 130.26 square miles (337.4 km2), or 10.56%, is water.[7]
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1890 | 55,428 | — | |
| 1900 | 30,454 | −45.1% | |
| 1910 | 23,487 | −22.9% | |
| 1920 | 22,558 | −4.0% | |
| 1930 | 22,236 | −1.4% | |
| 1940 | 27,128 | 22.0% | |
| 1950 | 30,251 | 11.5% | |
| 1960 | 38,196 | 26.3% | |
| 1970 | 56,199 | 47.1% | |
| 1980 | 94,727 | 68.6% | |
| 1990 | 128,776 | 35.9% | |
| 2000 | 142,651 | 10.8% | |
| 2010 | 177,843 | 24.7% | |
| 2020 | 229,861 | 29.2% | |
| 2024 (est.) | 264,276 | [9] | 15.0% |
| U.S. Decennial Census[10] 1790–1960[11] 1900–1990[12] 1990–2000[13] 2010[14] 2020[1] | |||
| Race | Num. | Perc. |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 137,840 | 59.97% |
| Black or African American (non-Hispanic) | 51,784 | 22.53% |
| Native American | 1,035 | 0.45% |
| Asian | 5,353 | 2.33% |
| Pacific Islander | 173 | 0.08% |
| Other/Mixed | 13,348 | 5.81% |
| Hispanic orLatino | 20,328 | 8.84% |
As of the2020 census, there were 229,861 people, 80,640 households, and 57,117 families residing in the county.
At the2010 census, there were 177,843 people, 65,419 households, and 47,141 families living in the county.[16][14] The population density was 161.8 inhabitants per square mile (62.5/km2). There were 73,372 housing units at an average density of 66.8 per square mile (25.8/km2).[17] Theracial makeup of the county was 66.5% white, 25.0% black or African American, 2.3% Asian, 0.6% American Indian, 0.1% Pacific islander, 2.8% from other races, and 2.7% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 6.0% of the population.[16][18]
Of the 65,419 households, 38.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.3% were married couples living together, 15.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 27.9% were non-families, and 22.0% of households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.66 and the average family size was 3.10. The median age was 34.5 years.[16]
The median household income was $50,777 and the median family income was $56,869. Males had a median income of $40,534 versus $30,997 for females. The per capita income for the county was $22,865. About 9.9% of families and 12.6% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 18.2% of those under age 18 and 10.3% of those age 65 or over.[19]
At the2000 census, there were 142,651 people, 49,922 households, and 37,691 families living in the county. The population density was 130 people per square mile (50 people/km2). There were 54,717 housing units at an average density of 50 per square mile (19/km2). Theracial makeup of the county was 68.00%White, 26.63%Black or African American, 0.52% Native American, 1.87%Asian, 0.08% Pacific Islander, 1.20% from other races, and 1.70% from two or more races. 2.76% of the population wereHispanic or Latino of any race. 16.4% were ofAmerican, 10.0%German, 8.4%Irish and 7.7%English ancestry according toCensus 2000.[20]Of the 49,922 households 39.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.70% were married couples living together, 14.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.50% were non-families. 19.40% of households were one person and 5.60% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.75 and the average family size was 3.15.
The age distribution was 28.00% under the age of 18, 11.70% from 18 to 24, 31.20% from 25 to 44, 21.20% from 45 to 64, and 7.90% 65 or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females, there were 103.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 102.20 males.
The median household income was $39,908 and the median family income was $44,242. Males had a median income of $31,583 versus $22,420 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,879. About 9.70% of families and 11.80% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 15.60% of those under age 18 and 12.90% of those age 65 or over.
County government (as of 2025):[21]
Berkeley County Council:
Other Elected Officials:
In2020,Joe Biden received 43.3% of the vote, the best performance for a Democrat sinceJimmy Carter in1976.
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 1892 | 1,171 | 52.30% | 1,037 | 46.32% | 31 | 1.38% |
| 1896 | 183 | 25.96% | 513 | 72.77% | 9 | 1.28% |
| 1900 | 112 | 19.18% | 472 | 80.82% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1904 | 115 | 14.74% | 665 | 85.26% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1908 | 235 | 27.84% | 609 | 72.16% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1912 | 5 | 1.47% | 323 | 94.72% | 13 | 3.81% |
| 1916 | 6 | 1.30% | 457 | 98.70% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1920 | 24 | 4.20% | 548 | 95.80% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1924 | 26 | 4.93% | 501 | 95.07% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1928 | 42 | 13.21% | 276 | 86.79% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1932 | 22 | 2.28% | 941 | 97.72% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1936 | 8 | 1.15% | 690 | 98.85% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1940 | 91 | 15.66% | 490 | 84.34% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1944 | 32 | 4.47% | 521 | 72.77% | 163 | 22.77% |
| 1948 | 58 | 3.02% | 323 | 16.83% | 1,538 | 80.15% |
| 1952 | 2,482 | 59.24% | 1,708 | 40.76% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1956 | 1,055 | 28.24% | 902 | 24.14% | 1,779 | 47.62% |
| 1960 | 2,422 | 48.79% | 2,542 | 51.21% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1964 | 6,100 | 63.30% | 3,537 | 36.70% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1968 | 4,021 | 28.89% | 5,089 | 36.56% | 4,808 | 34.55% |
| 1972 | 9,345 | 66.66% | 4,497 | 32.08% | 177 | 1.26% |
| 1976 | 6,981 | 41.60% | 9,741 | 58.05% | 59 | 0.35% |
| 1980 | 12,830 | 55.63% | 9,850 | 42.71% | 384 | 1.66% |
| 1984 | 16,972 | 69.24% | 7,380 | 30.11% | 159 | 0.65% |
| 1988 | 16,779 | 63.81% | 9,312 | 35.41% | 206 | 0.78% |
| 1992 | 18,048 | 50.87% | 12,533 | 35.33% | 4,898 | 13.81% |
| 1996 | 17,691 | 53.22% | 13,358 | 40.18% | 2,193 | 6.60% |
| 2000 | 24,796 | 57.24% | 17,707 | 40.88% | 813 | 1.88% |
| 2004 | 32,104 | 60.65% | 20,142 | 38.05% | 691 | 1.31% |
| 2008 | 36,205 | 55.89% | 27,755 | 42.84% | 821 | 1.27% |
| 2012 | 38,475 | 56.42% | 28,542 | 41.85% | 1,178 | 1.73% |
| 2016 | 44,587 | 56.07% | 30,705 | 38.61% | 4,225 | 5.31% |
| 2020 | 57,397 | 54.95% | 45,223 | 43.29% | 1,838 | 1.76% |
| 2024 | 64,777 | 57.41% | 46,416 | 41.14% | 1,641 | 1.45% |
In 2022, the GDP of Berkeley County was $10.6 billion (approx. $46,147 per capita).[23] Inchained 2017 dollars, its real GDP was $9 billion (about $39,335 per capita).[24] From 2022 through 2024, its unemployment rate has fluctuated around 3%.[25]
As of April 2024[update], some of the largest employers in the county includeBlackbaud,Booz Allen Hamilton,Nucor,Publix,Volvo Cars, andWalmart.[26]
| Industry | Employment Counts | Employment Percentage (%) | Average Annual Wage ($) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accommodation and Food Services | 6,306 | 10.6 | 23,088 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 2,507 | 4.2 | 41,756 |
| Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 96 | 0.2 | 62,504 |
| Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | 1,031 | 1.7 | 28,808 |
| Construction | 3,757 | 6.3 | 72,072 |
| Finance and Insurance | 1,519 | 2.6 | 79,092 |
| Health Care and Social Assistance | 4,243 | 7.1 | 57,096 |
| Information | 1,886 | 3.2 | 124,384 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | 376 | 0.6 | 95,680 |
| Manufacturing | 9,406 | 15.8 | 79,976 |
| Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction | 132 | 0.2 | 78,156 |
| Other Services (except Public Administration) | 2,238 | 3.8 | 56,888 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 5,911 | 9.9 | 91,988 |
| Public Administration | 2,964 | 5.0 | 51,636 |
| Real Estate and Rental and Leasing | 889 | 1.5 | 75,556 |
| Retail Trade | 8,271 | 13.9 | 36,036 |
| Transportation and Warehousing | 3,881 | 6.5 | 59,956 |
| Utilities | 1,517 | 2.6 | 92,560 |
| Wholesale Trade | 2,487 | 4.2 | 70,824 |
| Total | 59,417 | 100.0% | 62,118 |
All of the county is in theBerkeley County School District.[27]
Geographic data related toBerkeley County, South Carolina atOpenStreetMapPlaces adjacent to Berkeley County, South Carolina | ||||||||||||||||
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Municipalities and communities ofBerkeley County, South Carolina,United States | ||
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| Footnotes | ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties | |
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