Laurens County, South Carolina | |
|---|---|
 Laurens County Courthouse and Confederate Monument | |
 Seal  Logo | |
| Motto: "A Great Place In South Carolina" | |
 Location within the U.S. state ofSouth Carolina | |
 South Carolina's location within theU.S. | |
| Coordinates:34°29′N82°01′W / 34.48°N 82.01°W /34.48; -82.01 | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  South Carolina |
| Founded | 1785 |
| Named after | Henry Laurens |
| Seat | Laurens |
| Largest community | Laurens |
| Area | |
• Total | 722.93 sq mi (1,872.4 km2) |
| • Land | 712.87 sq mi (1,846.3 km2) |
| • Water | 10.06 sq mi (26.1 km2) 1.39% |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 67,539 |
• Estimate (2024) | 70,545 |
| • Density | 94.742/sq mi (36.580/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) |
| Congressional district | 3rd |
| Website | laurenscounty |
Laurens County is acounty located in theU.S. state ofSouth Carolina. As of the2020 census, its population was 67,539.[1] Itscounty seat isLaurens.[2] Laurens County is included in theGreenville-Anderson-Greer, SC Metropolitan Statistical Area.[3]
Laurens County was formed on March 12, 1785.[4] It was named afterHenry Laurens, the fifth president of theContinental Congress.
One of nine modern counties of the Colonial Ninety-Six District, Laurens County hosted more "official" (i.e. officially recognized and contemporaneously documented by competent governments) battles than did half of the original colonies. TheBattle of Musgrove Mill was the first time during the American Revolution that regular soldiers of Great Britain were defeated in battle by militia.
According to theU.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 722.93 square miles (1,872.4 km2), of which 712.87 square miles (1,846.3 km2) is land and 10.06 square miles (26.1 km2) (1.39%) is water.[5]
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SC 560| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1790 | 9,337 | — | |
| 1800 | 12,809 | 37.2% | |
| 1810 | 14,982 | 17.0% | |
| 1820 | 17,682 | 18.0% | |
| 1830 | 20,863 | 18.0% | |
| 1840 | 21,584 | 3.5% | |
| 1850 | 23,407 | 8.4% | |
| 1860 | 23,858 | 1.9% | |
| 1870 | 22,536 | −5.5% | |
| 1880 | 29,444 | 30.7% | |
| 1890 | 31,610 | 7.4% | |
| 1900 | 24,311 | −23.1% | |
| 1910 | 26,650 | 9.6% | |
| 1920 | 42,560 | 59.7% | |
| 1930 | 42,094 | −1.1% | |
| 1940 | 44,185 | 5.0% | |
| 1950 | 46,974 | 6.3% | |
| 1960 | 47,609 | 1.4% | |
| 1970 | 49,713 | 4.4% | |
| 1980 | 52,214 | 5.0% | |
| 1990 | 58,092 | 11.3% | |
| 2000 | 69,567 | 19.8% | |
| 2010 | 66,537 | −4.4% | |
| 2020 | 67,539 | 1.5% | |
| 2024 (est.) | 70,545 | [1] | 4.5% |
| U.S. Decennial Census[7] 1790–1960[8] 1900–1990[9] 1990–2000[10] 2010[11] 2020[1] | |||
| Race | Num. | Perc. |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 44,358 | 65.68% |
| Black or African American (non-Hispanic) | 15,937 | 23.6% |
| Native American | 144 | 0.21% |
| Asian | 295 | 0.44% |
| Pacific Islander | 24 | 0.04% |
| Other/Mixed | 2,634 | 3.9% |
| Hispanic orLatino | 4,147 | 6.14% |
As of the2020 census, there were 67,539 people, 25,901 households, and 16,961 families residing in the county.
At the2010 census, there were 66,537 people, 25,525 households, and 17,707 families living in the county.[13] The population density was 93.2 inhabitants per square mile (36.0/km2). There were 30,709 housing units at an average density of 43.0 per square mile (16.6/km2).[14] The racial makeup of the county was 70.4% white, 25.4% black or African American, 0.3% Asian, 0.2% American Indian, 0.1% Pacific islander, 2.3% from other races, and 1.3% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 4.1% of the population.[13] In terms of ancestry, 11.8% wereAmerican, 9.8% wereIrish, 9.6% wereGerman, and 8.8% wereEnglish.[15]
Of the 25,525 households, 32.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.6% were married couples living together, 17.2% had a female householder with no husband present, 30.6% were non-families, and 26.1% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.51 and the average family size was 3.00. The median age was 39.9 years.[13]
The median income for a household in the county was $37,529 and the median income for a family was $45,769. Males had a median income of $36,807 versus $26,799 for females. The per capita income for the county was $18,757. About 14.1% of families and 19.2% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 31.0% of those under age 18 and 14.6% of those age 65 or over.[16]
At the2000 census,[17] there were 69,567 people, 26,290 households, and 18,876 families living in the county. Thepopulation density was 97 people per square mile (37 people/km2). There were 30,239 housing units at an average density of 42 per square mile (16/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 71.57%White, 26.23%Black orAfrican American, 0.28%Native American, 0.15%Asian, 0.05%Pacific Islander, 0.95% fromother races, and 0.78% from two or more races. 1.94% of the population wereHispanic orLatino of any race.
There were 26,290 households, out of which 32.50% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.10% were married couples living together, 15.60% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.20% were non-families. 24.60% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.80% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.55 and the average family size was 3.01.
In the county, the population was spread out, with 25.30% under the age of 18, 9.20% from 18 to 24, 28.50% from 25 to 44, 23.80% from 45 to 64, and 13.20% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.60 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.70 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $33,933, and the median income for a family was $39,739. Males had a median income of $30,402 versus $21,684 for females. Theper capita income for the county was $15,761. About 11.60% of families and 14.30% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 19.60% of those under age 18 and 13.50% of those age 65 or over.
As of December 2017, the county unemployment rate was 4.4%.[18]
During the1870 South Carolina gubernatorial election,Joseph Crews was a county election commissioner in Laurens County, and in that capacity had ordered all ballot boxes to be set up in the county seat. This disadvantaged rural voters, but enabled him and the state militia to oversee the election process and to mobilize black voters. However, armed whites attacked the black militia and disarmed them; some were wounded, others murdered. "Like companies of Confederate cavalry", "heavily armed whites" pushed away black voters—until Federal troops came from twenty miles away, with Crews, and took the ballot boxes.[19] but was murdered byDemocrats[20] in the run-up to the1876 South Carolina gubernatorial election.[19]
Until 1948, Laurens County was a Democratic Party stronghold similar to the rest of theSolid South, with Democratic presidential candidates receiving near-unanimous margins of victory in most years. The 20 years from 1948 to 1968 were a highly transitional time for the politics of South Carolina and Laurens County, largely in part due to the Democratic Party's increasing support for African-American civil rights and enfranchisement. South Carolinian DixiecratStrom Thurmond won the county in 1948, and Democrats won it back from 1952 to 1960.Barry Goldwater's opposition to the Civil Rights Act led the county to turn Republican for the first time in 1964, which it remained forRichard Nixon's two electoral victories. The county flipped to the Democratic column to supportJimmy Carter from neighboring Georgia in 1976 and 1980, the last Democrat to win the county. From 1984, the county has been consistently Republican in presidential elections, often by wide margins of victory.
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 1900 | 30 | 1.91% | 1,540 | 98.09% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1904 | 50 | 2.73% | 1,779 | 97.21% | 1 | 0.05% |
| 1912 | 6 | 0.38% | 1,566 | 98.49% | 18 | 1.13% |
| 1916 | 14 | 0.73% | 1,895 | 98.65% | 12 | 0.62% |
| 1920 | 35 | 1.52% | 2,263 | 98.48% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1924 | 6 | 0.28% | 2,105 | 99.53% | 4 | 0.19% |
| 1928 | 44 | 2.16% | 1,989 | 97.64% | 4 | 0.20% |
| 1932 | 13 | 0.47% | 2,750 | 99.39% | 4 | 0.14% |
| 1936 | 13 | 0.42% | 3,069 | 99.58% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1940 | 40 | 1.46% | 2,697 | 98.54% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1944 | 38 | 1.84% | 1,924 | 93.40% | 98 | 4.76% |
| 1948 | 69 | 2.62% | 513 | 19.51% | 2,047 | 77.86% |
| 1952 | 3,400 | 47.91% | 3,697 | 52.09% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1956 | 1,377 | 20.71% | 3,726 | 56.05% | 1,545 | 23.24% |
| 1960 | 3,299 | 42.05% | 4,547 | 57.95% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1964 | 5,081 | 53.79% | 4,365 | 46.21% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1968 | 4,813 | 39.75% | 3,016 | 24.91% | 4,279 | 35.34% |
| 1972 | 8,141 | 74.46% | 2,650 | 24.24% | 142 | 1.30% |
| 1976 | 5,300 | 41.31% | 7,440 | 57.98% | 91 | 0.71% |
| 1980 | 6,036 | 42.83% | 7,856 | 55.74% | 201 | 1.43% |
| 1984 | 9,729 | 64.49% | 5,312 | 35.21% | 45 | 0.30% |
| 1988 | 9,731 | 61.97% | 5,930 | 37.77% | 41 | 0.26% |
| 1992 | 8,347 | 48.53% | 6,638 | 38.59% | 2,215 | 12.88% |
| 1996 | 8,057 | 48.69% | 7,055 | 42.64% | 1,435 | 8.67% |
| 2000 | 12,102 | 59.29% | 7,920 | 38.80% | 388 | 1.90% |
| 2004 | 14,466 | 60.71% | 9,205 | 38.63% | 158 | 0.66% |
| 2008 | 15,334 | 58.34% | 10,578 | 40.25% | 370 | 1.41% |
| 2012 | 14,746 | 58.02% | 10,318 | 40.60% | 352 | 1.38% |
| 2016 | 16,816 | 63.30% | 8,889 | 33.46% | 861 | 3.24% |
| 2020 | 20,004 | 65.61% | 10,159 | 33.32% | 325 | 1.07% |
| 2024 | 21,110 | 69.87% | 8,769 | 29.02% | 334 | 1.11% |
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Donald Trump | 20,004 | 65.61% | |
| Democratic | Joe Biden | 10,159 | 33.32% | |
| Libertarian | Jo Jorgensen | 238 | 0.78% | |
| Green | Howie Hawkins | 67 | 0.22% | |
| Alliance | Roque De La Fuente | 20 | 0.07% | |
| Total votes | 38,488 | 100% | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Donald Trump | 16,770 | 63.3% | |
| Democratic | Hillary Clinton | 8,845 | 33.4% | |
| Libertarian | Gary Johnson | 373 | 1.4% | |
| Independent | Evan McMullin | 200 | 0.8% | |
| Green | Jill Stein | 124 | 0.5% | |
| Constitution | Darrell Castle | 122 | 0.5% | |
| American | Peter Skewes | 40 | 0.2% | |
| Total votes | 26,474 | 100% | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Mitt Romney | 14,746 | 58.02% | |
| Democratic | Barack Obama | 10,318 | 40.60% | |
| Libertarian | Gary Johnson | 178 | 0.70% | |
| Constitution | Virgil Goode | 99 | 0.39% | |
| Green | Jill Stein | 75 | 0.30% | |
| Total votes | 25,416 | 100% | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | John McCain | 15,334 | 58.34% | |
| Democratic | Barack Obama | 10,578 | 40.25% | |
| Constitution | Chuck Baldwin | 129 | 0.49% | |
| Libertarian | Bob Barr | 106 | 0.40% | |
| Petition | Ralph Nader | 74 | 0.28% | |
| Green | Cynthia McKinney | 61 | 0.23% | |
| Total votes | 26,282 | 100% | ||
In 2022, theGDP was $2.7 billion (about $39,119 per capita),[22] and thereal GDP was $2.4 billion (about $34,835 per capita) inchained 2017 dollars.[23]
As of April 2024[update], some of the largest employers in the county includeCeramTec,National Healthcare,Presbyterian College,Shaw Industries,Sterilite, andWalmart.[24]
| Industry | Employment Counts | Employment Percentage (%) | Average Annual Wage ($) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accommodation and Food Services | 1,325 | 6.4 | 16,432 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 942 | 4.5 | 25,844 |
| Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 71 | 0.3 | 47,996 |
| Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | 294 | 1.4 | 18,564 |
| Construction | 630 | 3.0 | 53,716 |
| Educational Services | 1,753 | 8.4 | 50,752 |
| Finance and Insurance | 277 | 1.3 | 47,164 |
| Health Care and Social Assistance | 2,038 | 9.8 | 56,628 |
| Information | 82 | 0.4 | 60,216 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | 4 | 0.0 | 101,140 |
| Manufacturing | 7,641 | 36.7 | 57,772 |
| Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction | 32 | 0.2 | 64,792 |
| Other Services (except Public Administration) | 295 | 1.4 | 38,896 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 281 | 1.3 | 63,440 |
| Public Administration | 1,623 | 7.8 | 41,340 |
| Real Estate and Rental and Leasing | 61 | 0.3 | 44,304 |
| Retail Trade | 1,773 | 8.5 | 29,380 |
| Transportation and Warehousing | 1,014 | 4.9 | 54,392 |
| Utilities | 272 | 1.3 | 66,924 |
| Wholesale Trade | 428 | 2.1 | 64,740 |
| Total | 20,836 | 100.0% | 48,348 |
There are four public school districts in the county.Laurens County District 55 covers what is generally the northeastern half of the county whileDistrict 56 covers the southwestern half.[25] The Ware Shoals area[citation needed] is covered by the multi-countyGreenwood County District 51. A portion of the county is in theGreenville County School District.[25]
There are two public high schools in the county:Laurens (in Dist. 55) andClinton (in Dist. 56).
Public K-12 education includes M. S. Bailey Child Development Center, Clinton Elementary, Eastside Elementary, E.B. Morse Elementary, Ford Elementary, Hickory Tavern Elementary, Joanna-Woodson Elementary, Gray Court-Owings Elementary & Middle, Clinton Middle, Hickory Tavern Middle, Laurens Middle, Sanders Middle,Clinton High, andLaurens District 55 High.[clarification needed]
Private K-12 education includes Laurens Academy, Summit Classical Charter School, and Thornwell Charter School.
Presbyterian College, located in Clinton, is a four-year liberal-arts school founded in 1880.
Geographic data related toLaurens County, South Carolina atOpenStreetMapPlaces adjacent to Laurens County, South Carolina | ||||||||||||||||
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Municipalities and communities ofLaurens 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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