Lowest-earning Counties in South Carolina

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Lowest-earning counties in South Carolina

Americans on the whole were doing well financially heading into 2020, with major markers like unemployment reaching 50-year lows. The pandemic changed all that: During the second quarter of the 2020 fiscal year, our nation's real GDP fell by a whopping 31.4%, a number that hasn't been seen since the Great Depression. Since then the GDP has recovered, the first quarter of 2022 was 11% above the fourth quarter of 2019.

While GDP has recovered since the height of the pandemic, wage growth has not kept pace with inflation. In 2021 average hourly wages increased 4.7% while there was 7% inflation, meaning the worker's purchasing power dropped by 2.4%.

Where you live can make a big impact on your financial situation. The highest earning county in the U.S. earns $147,111, while the lowest earns $22,292. Stacker compiled a list of the lowest-earning counties in South Carolina using data from the U.S. Census Bureau. Counties are ranked by the Census' 2020 5-year estimate median household income.

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#46. Beaufort County

- Median household income: $71,430
--- 30.2% above state average, 9.9% above national average
- Households earning over $100k: 32.7%
--- #363 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 7.2%
--- #2,803 highest among all counties nationwide

#45. York County

- Median household income: $68,555
--- 25.0% above state average, 5.5% above national average
- Households earning over $100k: 33.0%
--- #351 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 8.0%
--- #2,719 highest among all counties nationwide

#44. Charleston County

- Median household income: $67,182
--- 22.5% above state average, 3.4% above national average
- Households earning over $100k: 33.8%
--- #321 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 10.1%
--- #2,659 highest among all counties nationwide

#43. Berkeley County

- Median household income: $65,443
--- 19.3% above state average, 0.7% above national average
- Households earning over $100k: 28.2%
--- #603 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 8.6%
--- #2,594 highest among all counties nationwide

#42. Lancaster County

- Median household income: $65,421
--- 19.2% above state average, 0.7% above national average
- Households earning over $100k: 29.6%
--- #511 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 10.7%
--- #2,592 highest among all counties nationwide

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#41. Dorchester County

- Median household income: $63,501
--- 15.7% above state average, 2.3% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 28.2%
--- #603 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 8.7%
--- #2,477 highest among all counties nationwide

#40. Lexington County

- Median household income: $62,740
--- 14.4% above state average, 3.5% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 27.0%
--- #698 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 9.2%
--- #2,439 highest among all counties nationwide

#39. Greenville County

- Median household income: $62,422
--- 13.8% above state average, 4.0% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 28.6%
--- #575 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 9.4%
--- #2,420 highest among all counties nationwide

#38. Richland County

- Median household income: $54,441
--- 0.8% below state average, 16.2% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 24.1%
--- #983 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 13.3%
--- #1,743 highest among all counties nationwide

#37. Kershaw County

- Median household income: $53,980
--- 1.6% below state average, 16.9% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 19.7%
--- #1,656 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 13.2%
--- #1,699 highest among all counties nationwide

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#36. Spartanburg County

- Median household income: $53,757
--- 2.0% below state average, 17.3% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 20.0%
--- #1,607 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 12.2%
--- #1,667 highest among all counties nationwide

#35. Anderson County

- Median household income: $53,598
--- 2.3% below state average, 17.5% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 22.1%
--- #1,259 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 11.2%
--- #1,652 highest among all counties nationwide

#34. Aiken County

- Median household income: $53,385
--- 2.7% below state average, 17.9% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 22.2%
--- #1,245 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 12.8%
--- #1,628 highest among all counties nationwide

#33. Edgefield County

- Median household income: $52,491
--- 4.3% below state average, 19.2% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 26.2%
--- #761 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 15.0%
--- #1,543 highest among all counties nationwide

#32. Georgetown County

- Median household income: $52,488
--- 4.3% below state average, 19.2% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 24.0%
--- #990 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 11.7%
--- #1,542 highest among all counties nationwide

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#31. Horry County

- Median household income: $51,570
--- 6.0% below state average, 20.7% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 18.7%
--- #1,839 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 10.4%
--- #1,400 highest among all counties nationwide

#30. Pickens County

- Median household income: $51,032
--- 7.0% below state average, 21.5% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 21.6%
--- #1,343 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 13.2%
--- #1,322 highest among all counties nationwide

#29. Calhoun County

- Median household income: $49,844
--- 9.1% below state average, 23.3% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 18.2%
--- #1,930 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 17.2%
--- #1,193 highest among all counties nationwide

#28. Oconee County

- Median household income: $49,691
--- 9.4% below state average, 23.5% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 21.3%
--- #1,399 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 13.2%
--- #1,175 highest among all counties nationwide

#27. Florence County

- Median household income: $49,645
--- 9.5% below state average, 23.6% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 20.8%
--- #1,475 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 14.9%
--- #1,169 highest among all counties nationwide

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#26. McCormick County

- Median household income: $47,402
--- 13.6% below state average, 27.1% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 12.7%
--- #2,791 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 14.0%
--- #947 highest among all counties nationwide

#25. Sumter County

- Median household income: $46,570
--- 15.1% below state average, 28.3% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 16.4%
--- #2,247 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 15.2%
--- #870 highest among all counties nationwide

#24. Newberry County

- Median household income: $46,038
--- 16.1% below state average, 29.2% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 17.1%
--- #2,120 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 13.7%
--- #821 highest among all counties nationwide

#23. Jasper County

- Median household income: $45,924
--- 16.3% below state average, 29.3% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 16.5%
--- #2,226 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 15.4%
--- #812 highest among all counties nationwide

#22. Laurens County

- Median household income: $44,374
--- 19.1% below state average, 31.7% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 14.4%
--- #2,591 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 15.4%
--- #681 highest among all counties nationwide

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#21. Chester County

- Median household income: $43,985
--- 19.8% below state average, 32.3% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 14.4%
--- #2,591 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 17.6%
--- #647 highest among all counties nationwide

#20. Clarendon County

- Median household income: $43,881
--- 20.0% below state average, 32.5% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 15.8%
--- #2,377 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 18.8%
--- #639 highest among all counties nationwide

#19. Fairfield County

- Median household income: $43,861
--- 20.1% below state average, 32.5% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 20.6%
--- #1,517 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 18.1%
--- #635 highest among all counties nationwide

#18. Saluda County

- Median household income: $43,410
--- 20.9% below state average, 33.2% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 13.6%
--- #2,704 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 14.4%
--- #599 highest among all counties nationwide

#17. Abbeville County

- Median household income: $43,090
--- 21.5% below state average, 33.7% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 17.0%
--- #2,143 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 19.7%
--- #579 highest among all counties nationwide

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#16. Bamberg County

- Median household income: $42,830
--- 21.9% below state average, 34.1% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 15.0%
--- #2,504 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 18.8%
--- #561 highest among all counties nationwide

#15. Chesterfield County

- Median household income: $41,937
--- 23.6% below state average, 35.5% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 12.5%
--- #2,816 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 16.5%
--- #486 highest among all counties nationwide

#14. Union County

- Median household income: $41,117
--- 25.1% below state average, 36.7% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 11.2%
--- #2,956 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 16.3%
--- #424 highest among all counties nationwide

#13. Greenwood County

- Median household income: $41,081
--- 25.1% below state average, 36.8% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 15.1%
--- #2,490 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 15.0%
--- #422 highest among all counties nationwide

#12. Hampton County

- Median household income: $38,178
--- 30.4% below state average, 41.3% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 11.1%
--- #2,964 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 14.2%
--- #264 highest among all counties nationwide

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#11. Cherokee County

- Median household income: $37,787
--- 31.1% below state average, 41.9% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 12.9%
--- #2,767 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 19.3%
--- #246 highest among all counties nationwide

#10. Barnwell County

- Median household income: $37,572
--- 31.5% below state average, 42.2% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 13.1%
--- #2,744 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 24.2%
--- #237 highest among all counties nationwide

#9. Darlington County

- Median household income: $37,141
--- 32.3% below state average, 42.9% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 14.8%
--- #2,532 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 17.3%
--- #220 highest among all counties nationwide

#8. Orangeburg County

- Median household income: $36,802
--- 32.9% below state average, 43.4% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 11.5%
--- #2,922 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 23.1%
--- #204 highest among all counties nationwide

#7. Colleton County

- Median household income: $36,748
--- 33.0% below state average, 43.5% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 10.9%
--- #2,975 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 16.7%
--- #202 highest among all counties nationwide

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#6. Dillon County

- Median household income: $36,429
--- 33.6% below state average, 44.0% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 12.1%
--- #2,852 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 20.9%
--- #188 highest among all counties nationwide

#5. Williamsburg County

- Median household income: $35,681
--- 35.0% below state average, 45.1% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 10.2%
--- #3,009 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 27.3%
--- #166 highest among all counties nationwide

#4. Lee County

- Median household income: $32,851
--- 40.1% below state average, 49.5% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 11.3%
--- #2,937 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 24.6%
--- #90 highest among all counties nationwide

#3. Marlboro County

- Median household income: $31,528
--- 42.5% below state average, 51.5% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 6.4%
--- #3,128 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 26.3%
--- #62 highest among all counties nationwide

#2. Marion County

- Median household income: $30,791
--- 43.9% below state average, 52.6% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 9.6%
--- #3,043 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 24.7%
--- #50 highest among all counties nationwide

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#1. Allendale County

- Median household income: $26,074
--- 52.5% below state average, 59.9% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 7.9%
--- #3,094 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 29.2%
--- #14 highest among all counties nationwide