Florence County, South Carolina

Florence County
County
Florence Public Library
Flag Seal
Location within the U.S. state of South Carolina
South Carolina's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 34°02′N79°43′W / 34.03°N 79.71°W / 34.03; -79.71
Country	United States
State	South Carolina
Founded	1888
Named for	Florence Harllee [1]
Seat	Florence
Largest community	Florence
Area
• Total	804.28 sq mi (2,083.1 km2)
• Land	800.51 sq mi (2,073.3 km2)
• Water	3.77 sq mi (9.8 km2)  0.47%
Population  (2020)
• Total	137,059
• Estimate  (2023)	137,214
• Density	170/sq mi (66/km2)
Time zone	UTC−5 (Eastern)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional districts	6th, 7th
Website	www.florenceco.org

Florence County is a county located in the U.S. state of South Carolina. As of the 2020 census, its population was 137,059. ^[2] Its county seat is Florence. ^[3] Florence County is included in the Florence, SC Metropolitan Statistical Area.

History

Florence County was formed from main sections of Darlington and Marion Counties, plus other townships from Williamsburg and Clarendon Counties, starting in 1888. The last section of Williamsburg County was not added until 1921. Florence County was named after its county seat, Florence, ^[4] which its founder, General William Harllee in turned named for his daughter, Florence. ^[5] On December 26, 1921, Black American male Bill McAllister was lynched for having an affair with a white woman. ^[6]

Geography

Interactive map of Florence County

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 804.28 square miles (2,083.1 km²), of which 800.51 square miles (2,073.3 km²) is land and 3.77 square miles (9.8 km²) (0.47%) is water. ^[7]

State and local protected areas

• Lynches River County Park ^[8]
• Moore Farms Botanical Garden (part)
• Pee Dee Station Site Wildlife Management Area ^[9]
• Woods Bay State Park (part)

Major water bodies

• Great Pee Dee River
• Lynches River

Adjacent counties

• Marlboro County – north
• Dillon County – northeast
• Marion County – east
• Williamsburg County – south
• Clarendon County – southwest
• Sumter County – west
• Lee County – west
• Darlington County – northwest

Major highways

• I-20
• I-20 BS
• I-95
• US 52
• 
  US 52 Truck
• 
  US 52 Conn.
• US 76
• 
  US 76 Conn.
• US 301
• 
  US 301 Truck (truck route)
• US 378
• 
  US 378 Bus.
• SC 41
• SC 46
• SC 51
• 
  SC 51 Conn.
• SC 57
• SC 327
• SC 341
• SC 403
• SC 541
• SC 575

Major infrastructure

• Florence Regional Airport
• Florence Station

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1890	25,027		—
1900	28,474		13.8%
1910	35,671		25.3%
1920	50,406		41.3%
1930	61,027		21.1%
1940	70,582		15.7%
1950	79,710		12.9%
1960	84,438		5.9%
1970	89,636		6.2%
1980	110,163		22.9%
1990	114,344		3.8%
2000	125,761		10.0%
2010	136,885		8.8%
2020	137,059		0.1%
2023 (est.)	137,214	[2]	0.1%
U.S. Decennial Census [10] 1790–1960 [11] 1900–1990 [12] 1990–2000 [13] 2010 [14] 2020 [2]

2020 census

Florence County racial composition ^[15]

Race	Num.	Perc.
White (non-Hispanic)	69,021	50.36%
Black or African American (non-Hispanic)	56,877	41.5%
Native American	330	0.24%
Asian	2,309	1.68%
Pacific Islander	48	0.04%
Other/Mixed	4,191	3.06%
Hispanic or Latino	4,283	3.12%

As of the 2020 census, there were 137,059 people, 53,047 households, and 35,763 families residing in the county.

2010 census

At the 2010 census, there were 136,885 people, 52,653 households, and 36,328 families living in the county. ^{[16] [14]} The population density was 171.1 inhabitants per square mile (66.1 inhabitants/km²). There were 58,666 housing units at an average density of 73.3 units per square mile (28.3 units/km²). ^[17] The racial makeup of the county was 54.9% white, 41.3% black or African American, 1.2% Asian, 0.3% American Indian, 1.1% from other races, and 1.1% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 2.2% of the population. ^[16] In terms of ancestry, 8.4% were American, 7.8% were English, 6.7% were Irish, and 6.2% were German. ^[18]

Of the 52,653 households, 35.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.7% were married couples living together, 19.6% had a female householder with no husband present, 31.0% were non-families, and 26.3% of households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.54 and the average family size was 3.06. The median age was 37.6 years. ^[16]

The median household income was $40,487 and the median family income was $48,896. Males had a median income of $38,934 versus $30,163 for females. The per capita income for the county was $21,932. About 14.5% of families and 18.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 26.1% of those under age 18 and 14.0% of those age 65 or over. ^[19]

2000 census

At the 2000 census, there were 125,761 people, 47,147 households, and 33,804 families living in the county. The population density was 157 people per square mile (61 people/km²). There were 51,836 housing units at an average density of 65 units per square mile (25 units/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 58.65% White, 39.34% Black or African American, 0.22% Native American, 0.70% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.39% from other races, and 0.68% from two or more races. 1.10% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. ^[20] Of the 47,147 households 33.80% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.70% were married couples living together, 18.10% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.30% were non-families. 24.50% of households were one person and 8.20% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.59 and the average family size was 3.08.

The age distribution was 25.90% under the age of 18, 9.70% from 18 to 24, 28.90% from 25 to 44, 23.60% from 45 to 64, and 11.80% 65 or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 88.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.20 males.

The median household income was $35,144 and the median family income was $41,274. Males had a median income of $32,065 versus $21,906 for females. The per capita income for the county was $17,876. About 13.50% of families and 16.40% of the population were below the poverty line, including 22.30% of those under age 18 and 16.50% of those age 65 or over.

According to the 2000 census, the population of Florence County was classified as 58% urban and 42% rural, containing the two urban areas of Florence (2000 pop. 67,314) and Lake City (8,728). Along with Darlington County, it comprises part of the Florence, SC Metropolitan Statistical Area.

Law and government

Law enforcement

In 2020, Florence County Sheriff Kenney Boone pled guilty to embezzlement and misconduct in office. He was not sentenced to jail time. ^[21] As of 2021 ^[update] the current sheriff is T.J. Joye. ^[22]

Politics

As part of the “Solid South,” Florence County was strongly Democratic throughout its early existence. In recent years, though, Florence has shifted to a Republican-leaning county, having not voted Democratic at the presidential level since Jimmy Carter in 1976. However, it has done so by relatively modest margins as the county has been decided by a single-digit margin in every election since 2008. In 2020, incumbent Republican president Donald Trump narrowly carried Florence County, winning 32,615 votes (50.56%) to 31,153 (48.29%) for Democratic candidate Joe Biden.

Typically, Democratic strength is concentrated in the City of Florence, while the suburban and rural areas lean strongly Republican.

Most of the county is located within the state's 7th congressional district, which is represented by Republican Russell Fry. A small portion of the county, specifically the areas around Lake City, is located in the majority-minority 6th district, and is represented by Democrat Jim Clyburn.

United States presidential election results for Florence County, South Carolina ^[23]

Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party(ies)
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2024	32,615	53.34%	27,706	45.32%	819	1.34%
2020	32,615	50.56%	31,153	48.29%	742	1.15%
2016	29,573	51.05%	26,710	46.11%	1,648	2.84%
2012	28,961	49.83%	28,614	49.23%	547	0.94%
2008	29,861	51.16%	28,012	47.99%	500	0.86%
2004	27,689	55.89%	21,442	43.28%	414	0.84%
2000	23,678	57.14%	17,157	41.41%	602	1.45%
1996	18,490	51.26%	15,804	43.81%	1,776	4.92%
1992	19,802	50.77%	15,569	39.92%	3,632	9.31%
1988	19,490	60.50%	12,531	38.90%	193	0.60%
1984	22,753	60.51%	14,639	38.93%	208	0.55%
1980	17,069	50.19%	16,391	48.19%	551	1.62%
1976	13,539	45.27%	16,294	54.49%	71	0.24%
1972	18,106	65.30%	9,455	34.10%	165	0.60%
1968	8,917	36.19%	8,079	32.79%	7,642	31.02%
1964	10,346	59.11%	7,157	40.89%	0	0.00%
1960	5,815	48.84%	6,090	51.15%	1	0.01%
1956	1,855	19.00%	3,463	35.46%	4,447	45.54%
1952	5,236	49.51%	5,340	50.49%	0	0.00%
1948	192	3.76%	1,189	23.27%	3,729	72.97%
1944	128	3.99%	2,822	87.86%	262	8.16%
1940	95	3.53%	2,597	96.47%	0	0.00%
1936	25	0.59%	4,194	99.41%	0	0.00%
1932	29	0.90%	3,195	99.04%	2	0.06%
1928	93	5.27%	1,672	94.73%	0	0.00%
1924	32	2.46%	1,217	93.54%	52	4.00%
1920	79	4.29%	1,763	95.71%	0	0.00%
1916	26	1.34%	1,912	98.66%	0	0.00%
1912	6	0.38%	1,496	95.10%	71	4.51%
1908	28	1.87%	1,460	97.46%	10	0.67%
1904	31	2.07%	1,466	97.93%	0	0.00%
1900	74	5.43%	1,290	94.57%	0	0.00%
1896	136	8.00%	1,530	89.95%	35	2.06%
1892	293	15.40%	1,609	84.60%	0	0.00%

Economy

In 2022, the GDP of Florence County was $8.5 billion (about $62,154 per capita). ^[24] The real GDP was $7.2 billion (about $52,808 per capita) in chained 2017 dollars. ^[25] In 2022-2024, the unemployment rate has fluctuated between 2.3-3.8%. ^[26]

Duke Energy, Francis Marion University, GE HealthCare, Honda, McLeod Health, Otis Worldwide, QVC, Ruiz Foods, and Walmart are some of the largest employers in the county. ^[27]

Employment and Wage Statistics by Industry in Florence County, South Carolina ^[27]

Industry	Employment Counts	Employment Percentage (%)	Average Annual Wage ($)
Accommodation and Food Services	7,326	11.1	20,124
Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services	4,207	6.4	34,632
Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting	191	0.3	49,036
Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation	661	1.0	27,768
Construction	1,800	2.7	63,024
Educational Services	4,188	6.3	48,360
Finance and Insurance	1,584	2.4	88,192
Health Care and Social Assistance	15,179	22.9	59,124
Information	569	0.9	69,732
Manufacturing	7,301	11.0	64,896
Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction	34	0.1	43,420
Other Services (except Public Administration)	1,599	2.4	39,364
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services	2,217	3.4	78,000
Public Administration	3,165	4.8	50,336
Real Estate and Rental and Leasing	844	1.3	51,636
Retail Trade	8,811	13.3	33,592
Transportation and Warehousing	3,572	5.4	46,436
Utilities	183	0.3	90,064
Wholesale Trade	2,713	4.1	65,416
Total	66,144	100.0%	49,641

Communities

Cities

• Florence (county seat and largest community)
• Johnsonville
• Lake City

Towns

• Coward
• Olanta
• Pamplico
• Quinby
• Scranton
• Timmonsville

Census-designated places

• Danwood

Other unincorporated communities

• Cartersville
• Effingham
• Evergreen
• Hannah
• Kingsburg
• Mars Bluff
• Poston

Notable people

• Donald Henry Gaskins (1933–1991), serial killer
• Roger K. Kirby (born 1960), politician
• Kent Lee (1923–2017), Navy admiral
• Georganna Sinkfield (born 1943), politician

See also

• List of counties in South Carolina
• National Register of Historic Places listings in Florence County, South Carolina
• Chaloklowa Chickasaw, state-recognized group that resides in the county

References

1. "Florence County, South Carolina". www.carolina.com. Retrieved June 13, 2022.
2. "QuickFacts: Florence County, South Carolina". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 22, 2024.
3. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
4. "Florence County". studysc.org. Retrieved January 19, 2024.
5. Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. Govt. Print. Off. pp.  127.
6. The County Record, January 12, 1922, p. 1.
7. "2020 County Gazetteer Files – South Carolina". United States Census Bureau. August 23, 2022. Retrieved September 10, 2023.
8. "Lynches River County Park". www.lynchesriverpark.com. Retrieved July 27, 2022.
9. "Pee Dee Station Site Wildlife Management Area, SC, US". iNaturalist. Retrieved July 27, 2022.
10. "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 17, 2015.
11. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Archived from the original on August 11, 2012. Retrieved March 17, 2015.
12. Forstall, Richard L., ed. (March 27, 1995). "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 17, 2015.
13. "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. April 2, 2001. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 9, 2022. Retrieved March 17, 2015.
14. "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on June 6, 2011. Retrieved November 23, 2013.
15. "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved December 7, 2021.
16. "DP-1 Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Demographic Profile Data". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved March 9, 2016.
17. "Population, Housing Units, Area, and Density: 2010 – County". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved March 9, 2016.
18. "DP02 SELECTED SOCIAL CHARACTERISTICS IN THE UNITED STATES – 2006–2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved March 9, 2016.
19. "DP03 SELECTED ECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS – 2006–2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved March 9, 2016.
20. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved May 14, 2011.
21. Jeffrey Collins (April 29, 2021). "Sheriff admits stealing public money; avoids prison". Associated Press. Retrieved November 9, 2021.
22. "Home - Florence County Sheriff's Office". www.fcso.org. Retrieved November 9, 2021.
23. Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved March 13, 2018.
24. U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (January 1, 2001). "Gross Domestic Product: All Industries in Florence County, SC". FRED, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. Retrieved May 3, 2024.
25. U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (January 1, 2001). "Real Gross Domestic Product: All Industries in Florence County, SC". FRED, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. Retrieved May 3, 2024.
26. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (January 1, 1990). "Unemployment Rate in Florence County, SC". FRED, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. Retrieved May 3, 2024.
27. "Florence County" (PDF). Community Profiles (4000041). Columbia, SC: S.C. Department of Employment & Workforce - Business Intelligence Department. April 19, 2024.

Work cited

• "In Florence County: Killing of Negro Did Not Occur in Williamsburg". The County Record. Kingstree, Williamsburg, South Carolina. January 12, 1922. pp. 1–8. ISSN   2471-0350. OCLC   28401988 . Retrieved February 5, 2022.

Further reading

• Gregg, Alexander (1905). History of the Old Cheraws. State Company.

External links

• Geographic data related to Florence County, South Carolina at OpenStreetMap
• Official website
• Florence County history and images