Jasper County, South Carolina

Jasper County
County
Jasper County Courthouse
Flag Seal
Location within the U.S. state of South Carolina
South Carolina's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 32°26′N81°01′W / 32.43°N 81.02°W / 32.43; -81.02
Country	United States
State	South Carolina
Founded	1912
Named for	William Jasper
Seat	Ridgeland
Largest community	Hardeeville
Area
• Total	701.58 sq mi (1,817.1 km2)
• Land	655.16 sq mi (1,696.9 km2)
• Water	46.42 sq mi (120.2 km2)  6.62%
Population  (2020)
• Total	28,791
• Estimate  (2023)	33,544
• Density	43.94/sq mi (16.97/km2)
Time zone	UTC−5 (Eastern)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional districts	1st, 6th
Website	www.jaspercountysc.gov

Jasper County is the southernmost county in the U.S. state of South Carolina. As of the 2020 census, the population was 28,791. ^[1] Its county seat is Ridgeland and its largest community is Hardeeville. ^[2] The county was formed in 1912 from portions of Hampton County and Beaufort County.

Jasper County is included in the Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC Metropolitan Statistical Area. It is located in the Lowcountry region of the state.

History

The county was founded in 1912 and was named after William Jasper. The county seat is Ridgeland while the largest community is Hardeeville. The county is also in the Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC Metropolitan Statistical Area.

For several decades, in contrast to neighboring Beaufort County, Jasper was one of the poorest counties in the state. Recent development from 2000 onwards has given the county new residents, expanded business opportunities, and a wealthier tax base.

Geography

Interactive map of Jasper County

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 701.58 square miles (1,817.1 km²), of which 655.16 square miles (1,696.9 km²) is land and 46.42 square miles (120.2 km²) (6.62%) is water. ^[3]

National protected areas

• Savannah National Wildlife Refuge (part)
• Tybee National Wildlife Refuge

State and local protected areas/sites

• Frampton Plantation House
• Kingfisher Pond Recreation Area
• Old House Plantation
• Tillman Sand Ridge Heritage Preserve/Wildlife Management Area ^[4]
• Turtle Island Wildlife Management Area ^[4]

Major water bodies

• Atlantic Ocean (North Atlantic Ocean)
• Intracoastal Waterway
• Little Black River ^[5]
• Middle River ^[6]
• Okatee River
• Savannah River
• Tulifiny River

Adjacent counties

• Hampton County – north
• Beaufort County – east
• Chatham County, Georgia – south
• Effingham County, Georgia – west

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1920	9,868		—
1930	9,988		1.2%
1940	11,011		10.2%
1950	10,995		−0.1%
1960	12,237		11.3%
1970	11,885		−2.9%
1980	14,504		22.0%
1990	15,487		6.8%
2000	20,678		33.5%
2010	24,777		19.8%
2020	28,791		16.2%
2023 (est.)	33,544	[1]	16.5%
U.S. Decennial Census [7] 1790–1960 [8] 1900–1990 [9] 1990–2000 [10] 2010 [11] 2020 [12]

2020 census

Jasper County, South Carolina – Racial and ethnic composition
Note: the U.S. census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.

Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic)	Pop 2000 [13]	Pop 2010 [11]	Pop 2020 [12]	% 2000	% 2010	% 2020
White alone (NH)	8,374	9,263	13,056	40.50%	37.39%	45.35%
Black or African American alone (NH)	10,852	11,303	9,559	52.48%	45.62%	33.20%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)	64	49	59	0.31%	0.20%	0.20%
Asian alone (NH)	89	169	187	0.43%	0.68%	0.65%
Pacific Islander alone (NH)	9	5	23	0.04%	0.02%	0.08%
Other race alone (NH)	13	21	108	0.06%	0.08%	0.38%
Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)	87	215	720	0.42%	0.87%	2.50%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	1,190	3,752	5,079	5.75%	15.14%	17.64%
Total	20,678	24,777	28,791	100.00%	100.00%	100.00%

As of the 2020 census, there were 28,791 people, 10,269 households, and 7,298 families residing in the county.

2010 census

At the 2010 census, there were 24,777 people, 8,517 households, and 5,944 families living in the county. ^{[14] [15]} The population density was 37.8 inhabitants per square mile (14.6 inhabitants/km²). There were 10,299 housing units at an average density of 15.7 units per square mile (6.1 units/km²). ^[16] The racial makeup of the county was 46.0% black or African American, 43.0% white, 0.7% Asian, 0.5% American Indian, 0.1% Pacific islander, 8.3% from other races, and 1.4% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 15.1% of the population. ^[14] In terms of ancestry, 7.1% were Irish, and 2.5% were American. ^[17]

Of the 8,517 households, 36.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.2% were married couples living together, 18.6% had a female householder with no husband present, 30.2% were non-families, and 24.8% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.73 and the average family size was 3.23. The median age was 34.6 years. ^[14]

The median income for a household in the county was $37,393 and the median income for a family was $45,800. Males had a median income of $31,999 versus $24,859 for females. The per capita income for the county was $17,997. About 14.2% of families and 21.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 32.2% of those under age 18 and 14.5% of those age 65 or over. ^[18]

2000 census

At the 2000 census, ^[19] there were 20,678 people, 7,042 households, and 5,091 families living in the county. The population density was 32 people per square mile (12 people/km²). There were 7,928 housing units at an average density of 12 units per square mile (4.6 units/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 52.69% Black or African American, 42.39% White, 0.37% Native American, 0.44% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 3.39% from other races, and 0.67% from two or more races. 5.75% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 7,042 households, out of which 34.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.1% were married couples living together, 18.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.7% were non-families. 23.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.75 and the average family size was 3.22.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 26.8% under the age of 18, 10.3% from 18 to 24, 30.7% from 25 to 44, 21.2% from 45 to 64, and 11.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 111.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 111.3 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $30,727, and the median income for a family was $36,793. Males had a median income of $29,407 versus $21,055 for females. The per capita income for the county was $14,161. About 15.4% of families and 20.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 26.3% of those under age 18 and 21.4% of those age 65 or over.

Law and government

Jasper County is governed by a five-member partisan county council, who are elected in staggered four year terms. The council appoints a county administrator who is tasked with running the day-to-day operations of the county, with the exception of the Sheriff's Office.

Mary Gordon Ellis, the first woman elected to the South Carolina legislature, represented Jasper County in the state senate for one term, from 1928 to 1932, after having served as state superintendent of schools. ^[20]

Politics

Like most counties in the rural Black Belt of South Carolina, Jasper has long leaned Democratic. However, in 2024, Donald Trump was able to flip the county Republican for the first time since Richard Nixon carried it in 1972.

United States presidential election results for Jasper County, South Carolina ^[21]

Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party(ies)
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2024	9,900	54.32%	8,144	44.68%	183	1.00%
2020	7,078	49.17%	7,185	49.92%	131	0.91%
2016	5,187	45.39%	5,956	52.12%	284	2.49%
2012	4,169	41.60%	5,757	57.45%	95	0.95%
2008	3,365	38.01%	5,389	60.87%	100	1.13%
2004	2,933	42.84%	3,840	56.09%	73	1.07%
2000	2,414	37.32%	3,646	56.36%	409	6.32%
1996	2,024	31.29%	4,053	62.66%	391	6.05%
1992	1,725	29.93%	3,453	59.92%	585	10.15%
1988	2,004	40.66%	2,894	58.71%	31	0.63%
1984	3,102	45.09%	3,753	54.56%	24	0.35%
1980	1,617	32.54%	3,312	66.65%	40	0.80%
1976	1,221	29.49%	2,903	70.12%	16	0.39%
1972	1,650	57.21%	1,203	41.71%	31	1.07%
1968	633	20.31%	1,402	44.99%	1,081	34.69%
1964	1,593	61.39%	1,002	38.61%	0	0.00%
1960	779	51.93%	721	48.07%	0	0.00%
1956	403	31.71%	210	16.52%	658	51.77%
1952	800	55.71%	636	44.29%	0	0.00%
1948	31	3.49%	141	15.90%	715	80.61%
1944	18	3.96%	230	50.66%	206	45.37%
1940	41	8.93%	418	91.07%	0	0.00%
1936	4	0.88%	452	99.12%	0	0.00%
1932	11	2.68%	399	97.32%	0	0.00%
1928	5	4.67%	102	95.33%	0	0.00%
1924	0	0.00%	89	69.53%	39	30.47%
1920	0	0.00%	219	100.00%	0	0.00%
1916	0	0.00%	243	100.00%	0	0.00%
1912	0	0.00%	198	100.00%	0	0.00%

Economy

In 2022, the GDP was $1.7 billion (about $49,980 per capita), ^[22] and the real GDP was $1.3 billion (about $39,745 per capita) in chained 2017 dollars. ^[23]

As of April 2024 ^[update] , some of the largest employers in the county include AmeriGas, the city of Hardeeville, Publix, and Walmart. ^[24]

Employment and Wage Statistics by Industry in Jasper County, South Carolina - Q3 2023 ^[24]

Industry	Employment Counts	Employment Percentage (%)	Average Annual Wage ($)
Accommodation and Food Services	740	6.6	23,920
Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services	956	8.6	45,968
Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting	111	1.0	63,336
Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation	170	1.5	41,236
Construction	1,801	16.1	70,252
Educational Services	594	5.3	53,560
Finance and Insurance	110	1.0	61,048
Health Care and Social Assistance	2,094	18.7	34,580
Information	24	0.2	99,476
Management of Companies and Enterprises	288	2.6	58,396
Manufacturing	295	2.6	37,336
Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction	385	3.4	63,648
Other Services (except Public Administration)	850	7.6	59,852
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services	173	1.5	62,244
Public Administration	1,752	15.7	49,296
Real Estate and Rental and Leasing	174	1.6	51,480
Retail Trade	172	1.5	97,968
Transportation and Warehousing	293	2.6	70,720
Utilities	21	0.2	83,916
Wholesale Trade	173	1.5	70,344
Total	11,176	100.0%	51,570

Transportation

Major highways

• I-95
• US 17
• US 278
• 
  US 278 Conn.
• US 321
• US 601
• SC 3
• SC 46
• SC 170
• SC 315
• SC 336
• 
  SC 336 Conn.
• SC 462
• SC 652

Railroads

CSX Transportation's Charleston Subdivision (also known as the Charleston-Savannah Railway) currently operates both freight trains and passenger trains (via Amtrak) along the line, but does not stop anywhere within the county. The line also runs along the Hampton-Jasper County border northeast of the bridge over the Tullifinny River.

Another active CSX line within the county is the Columbia Subdivision which bisects the northwest corner of Jasper County between the Georgia state line and Hampton County. This line also operates freight as well as Amtrak passenger trains.

Communities

City

• Hardeeville (largest community)

Town

• Ridgeland (county seat)

Unincorporated communities

• Coosawhatchie
• Gillisonville
• Grahamville
• Grays
• Levy
• Limehouse
• Okatie
• Old House
• Pineland
• Pocotaligo
• Point South
• Robertville
• Switzerland
• Tarboro
• Tillman
• Wagon Branch

See also

• List of counties in South Carolina
• National Register of Historic Places listings in Jasper County, South Carolina
• Jasper Ocean Terminal, planned deepwater container port in the county

References

1. "QuickFacts: Jasper County, South Carolina". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 22, 2024.
2. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
3. "2020 County Gazetteer Files – South Carolina". United States Census Bureau. August 23, 2022. Retrieved September 10, 2023.
4. "SCDNR Public Lands". www2.dnr.sc.gov. Retrieved April 1, 2023.
5. Pinckney, Carmen (March 17, 2020). "Savannah National Wildlife Refuge Hiking Trails". South Carolina Lowcountry. Retrieved July 12, 2023.
6. Roosevelt, Franklin D. (April 10, 1939). "Proclamation 2329—Closed Area Under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, Georgia and South Carolina". The American Presidency Project. Retrieved July 12, 2023.
7. "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 18, 2015.
8. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved March 18, 2015.
9. Forstall, Richard L., ed. (March 27, 1995). "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 18, 2015.
10. "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 18, 2015.
11. "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Jasper County, South Carolina". United States Census Bureau.
12. "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Jasper County, South Carolina". United States Census Bureau.
13. "P004 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Jasper County, South Carolina". United States Census Bureau.
14. "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 11, 2016.
15. "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on June 6, 2011. Retrieved October 1, 2014.
16. "Population, Housing Units, Area, and Density: 2010 - County". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved March 11, 2016.
17. "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 11, 2016.
18. "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 11, 2016.
19. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved May 14, 2011.
20. "Women Wielding Power-South Carolina". nwhm.org. Archived from the original on September 6, 2015. Retrieved September 10, 2015.
21. Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved March 13, 2018.
22. U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (January 1, 2001). "Gross Domestic Product: All Industries in Jasper County, SC". FRED, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. Retrieved May 4, 2024.
23. U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (January 1, 2001). "Real Gross Domestic Product: All Industries in Jasper County, SC". FRED, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. Retrieved May 4, 2024.
24. "Jasper County" (PDF). Community Profiles (04000053). Columbia, SC: S.C. Department of Employment & Workforce - Business Intelligence Department. April 19, 2024.

External links

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