Laurens County, South Carolina

Laurens County
County
Laurens County Courthouse and Confederate Monument
Seal Logo
Motto:  "A Great Place In South Carolina"
Location within the U.S. state of South Carolina
South Carolina's location within the U.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 for	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  (2023)	68,873
• Density	94.74/sq mi (36.58/km2)
Time zone	UTC−5 (Eastern)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district	3rd
Website	laurenscounty.us

Laurens County is a county located in the U.S. state of South Carolina. As of the 2020 census, its population was 67,539. ^[1] Its county seat is Laurens. ^[2]

Laurens County is included in the Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC Metropolitan Statistical Area. ^[3]

History

Laurens County was formed on March 12, 1785. ^[4] It was named after Henry Laurens, the fifth president of the Continental 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. The Battle of Musgrove Mill was the first time during the American Revolution that regular soldiers of Great Britain were defeated in battle by militia.

Geography

Interactive map of Laurens County

According to the U.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]

National protected area

• Sumter National Forest (part)

State and local protected areas/sites

• Cliff Pitts Wildlife Management Area ^[6]
• Clinton Reservoir Tract ^[6]
• Gray Court Tract Wildlife Management Area ^[6]
• Lake Rabon Park
• Laurens County Park
• Musgrove Mill State Historic Site

Major water bodies

• Bush River
• Enoree River
• Lake Greenwood
• Lake Rabon
• Saluda River

Adjacent counties

• Spartanburg County – north
• Union County – northeast
• Newberry County – southeast
• Greenwood County – south
• Abbeville County – southwest
• Anderson County – west
• Greenville County – northwest

Major highways

• I-26
• I-385
• US 25
• 
  US 25 Bus.
• US 76
• 
  US 76 Bus.
• US 221
• 
  US 221 Truck
• SC 14
• SC 39
• SC 49
• SC 56
• 
  SC 56 Bus.
• SC 66
• 
  SC 66 Conn.
• SC 72
• 
  SC 72 Bus.
• SC 101
• SC 127
• SC 252
• 
  SC 252 Truck
• SC 418
• SC 560

Major infrastructure

• Laurens County Airport

Demographics

Historical population

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%
2023 (est.)	68,873	[1]	2.0%
U.S. Decennial Census [7] 1790–1960 [8] 1900–1990 [9] 1990–2000 [10] 2010 [11] 2020 [1]

2020 census

Laurens County racial composition ^[12]

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 or Latino	4,147	6.14%

As of the 2020 census, there were 67,539 people, 25,901 households, and 16,961 families residing in the county.

2010 census

At the 2010 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% were American, 9.8% were Irish, 9.6% were German, and 8.8% were English. ^[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 the poverty line, including 31.0% of those under age 18 and 14.6% of those age 65 or over. ^[16]

2000 census

At the 2000 census, ^[17] there were 69,567 people, 26,290 households, and 18,876 families living in the county. The population 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 or African American, 0.28% Native American, 0.15% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 0.95% from other races, and 0.78% from two or more races. 1.94% of the population were Hispanic or Latino 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. The per capita income for the county was $15,761. About 11.60% of families and 14.30% of the population were below the poverty 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]

Government and politics

During the 1870 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 by Democrats ^[20] in the run-up to the 1876 South Carolina gubernatorial election. ^[19]

Until 1948, Laurens County was a Democratic Party stronghold similar to the rest of the Solid 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 Dixiecrat Strom 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 for Richard Nixon's two electoral victories. The county flipped to the Democratic column to support Jimmy 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.

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

Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2020	20,004	65.61%	10,159	33.32%	325	1.07%
2016	16,816	63.30%	8,889	33.46%	861	3.24%
2012	14,746	58.02%	10,318	40.60%	352	1.38%
2008	15,334	58.34%	10,578	40.25%	370	1.41%
2004	14,466	60.71%	9,205	38.63%	158	0.66%
2000	12,102	59.29%	7,920	38.80%	388	1.90%
1996	8,057	48.69%	7,055	42.64%	1,435	8.67%
1992	8,347	48.53%	6,638	38.59%	2,215	12.88%
1988	9,731	61.97%	5,930	37.77%	41	0.26%
1984	9,729	64.49%	5,312	35.21%	45	0.30%
1980	6,036	42.83%	7,856	55.74%	201	1.43%
1976	5,300	41.31%	7,440	57.98%	91	0.71%
1972	8,141	74.46%	2,650	24.24%	142	1.30%
1968	4,813	39.75%	3,016	24.91%	4,279	35.34%
1964	5,081	53.79%	4,365	46.21%	0	0.00%
1960	3,299	42.05%	4,547	57.95%	0	0.00%
1956	1,377	20.71%	3,726	56.05%	1,545	23.24%
1952	3,400	47.91%	3,697	52.09%	0	0.00%
1948	69	2.62%	513	19.51%	2,047	77.86%
1944	38	1.84%	1,924	93.40%	98	4.76%
1940	40	1.46%	2,697	98.54%	0	0.00%
1936	13	0.42%	3,069	99.58%	0	0.00%
1932	13	0.47%	2,750	99.39%	4	0.14%
1928	44	2.16%	1,989	97.64%	4	0.20%
1924	6	0.28%	2,105	99.53%	4	0.19%
1920	35	1.52%	2,263	98.48%	0	0.00%
1916	14	0.73%	1,895	98.65%	12	0.62%
1912	6	0.38%	1,566	98.49%	18	1.13%
1904	50	2.73%	1,779	97.21%	1	0.05%
1900	30	1.91%	1,540	98.09%	0	0.00%

2020 presidential election

Main articles: 2020 United States presidential election in South Carolina and 2020 United States presidential election

United States presidential election in Laurens County, SC (2020)

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%

2016 presidential election

Main articles: 2016 United States presidential election in South Carolina and 2016 United States presidential election

United States presidential election in Laurens County, SC (2016)

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%

2012 presidential election

Main articles: 2012 United States presidential election in South Carolina and 2012 United States presidential election

United States presidential election in Laurens County, SC (2012)

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%

2008 presidential election

Main articles: 2008 United States presidential election in South Carolina and 2008 United States presidential election

United States presidential election in Laurens County, SC (2008)

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%

Education

There are three public school districts in the county. Laurens County District 55 covers what is generally the northeastern half of the county while District 56 covers the southwestern half. The Ware Shoals area is covered by the multi-county Greenwood County District 51. There are two public high schools in the county: Laurens (in Dist. 55) and Clinton (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, and Laurens District 55 High.

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.

Communities

Cities

• Clinton
• Fountain Inn (mostly in Greenville County)
• Laurens (county seat and largest community)

Towns

• Cross Hill
• Gray Court
• Ware Shoals (mostly in Greenwood County; partly in Abbeville County)
• Waterloo

Census-designated places

• Joanna
• Mountville
• Princeton
• Watts Mills

Unincorporated communities

• Barksdale
• Hickory Tavern
• Kinards (partly in Newberry County)
• Madden
• Owings

Notable people

• James Adair, (c. 1709–1783), historian and resided in Laurens County in later life ^[22]
• Andrew Johnson, 17th president of the United States, worked as a tailor in Laurens during the 1820s
• William Dunlap Simpson, 78th governor of South Carolina and chief justice of the South Carolina Supreme Court from 1880 to 1890
• Pat Cannon, former representative for Florida's 4th congressional district ^[23]

See also

• List of counties in South Carolina
• National Register of Historic Places listings in Laurens County, South Carolina

References

1. "QuickFacts: Laurens County, South Carolina". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 22, 2024.
2. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
3. "OMB Bulletin No. 23-01: Revised Delineations of Metropolitan Statistical Areas, Micropolitan Statistical Areas, and Combined Statistical Areas, and Guidance on Uses of the Delineations of These Areas" (PDF). United States Office of Management and Budget . July 21, 2023. Retrieved August 10, 2023.
4. "History of Laurens County, S.C." Town Square Publications. Retrieved March 14, 2022.
5. "2020 County Gazetteer Files – South Carolina". United States Census Bureau. August 23, 2022. Retrieved September 10, 2023.
6. "SCDNR Public Lands". www2.dnr.sc.gov. Retrieved April 1, 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. "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 14, 2022.
12. "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved December 14, 2021.
13. "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.
14. "Population, Housing Units, Area, and Density: 2010 - County". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved March 11, 2016.
15. "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.
16. "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.
17. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved May 14, 2011.
18. "Monthly Unemployment Rates Ranked By County". www.eascinc.com. Retrieved March 13, 2018.
19. Ginsberg, Benjamin (April 12, 2010). Moses of South Carolina: A Jewish Scalawag during Radical Reconstruction. JHU Press. pp. 71, 102–103, 133, 136 – via Google Books.
20. Bellesiles, Michael A. (2010). 1877: America's Year of Living Violently. The New Press. p. 31. ISBN   9781595585943.
21. Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved March 13, 2018.
22. Who Was Who in America, Historical Volume, 1607-1896. Chicago: Marquis Who's Who. 1963.
23. "Cannon, Arthur Patrick (Pat), (1904 - 1966)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved September 4, 2012.

External links

• Geographic data related to Laurens County, South Carolina at OpenStreetMap
• Official website
• Laurens County Chamber of Commerce