Berkeley County, South Carolina

Berkeley County
County
Old Berkeley County Courthouse
Seal Logo
Motto(s):  "One Berkeley" "Rich History. Bright Future."
Location within the U.S. state of South Carolina
South Carolina's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 33°13′N79°57′W / 33.21°N 79.95°W / 33.21; -79.95
Country	United States
State	South Carolina
Founded	1882
Named for	Sir William Berkeley
Seat	Moncks Corner
Largest community	Goose Creek
Government
• County Supervisor	Johnny Cribb
Area
• Total	1,233.88 sq mi (3,195.7 km2)
• Land	1,103.62 sq mi (2,858.4 km2)
• Water	130.26 sq mi (337.4 km2)  10.56%
Population  (2020)
• Total	229,861
• Estimate  (2023)	255,217
• Density	208.28/sq mi (80.42/km2)
Time zone	UTC−5 (Eastern)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district	1st
Website	www.berkeleycountysc.gov

Berkeley County is a county in the U.S. state of South Carolina. As of the 2020 census, its population was 229,861. ^[1] Its county seat is Moncks Corner, and the largest community is Goose Creek. ^[2] After two previous incarnations of Berkeley County, the current county was created in 1882. ^[3] Berkeley County is included in the Charleston-North Charleston, SC Metropolitan Statistical Area.

History

Berkeley County was established in 1682. It was named after John and William Berkeley, co-owners of the Province of Carolina. ^[4] It became part of the Charleston District in 1769. It did not exist as a District during most of the 19th century and generally was part of the Low Country culture. In 1882, after Democrats regained control of the state legislature following the Reconstruction era, they established the current incarnation of Berkeley County, with its seat at Mount Pleasant. The county seat was moved in 1895 to Moncks Corner. ^[3]

The Old Berkeley County Courthouse was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1971. ^[5]

Geography

Interactive map of Berkeley County

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,233.88 square miles (3,195.7 km²), of which 1,103.62 square miles (2,858.4 km²) is land and 130.26 square miles (337.4 km²) (10.56%) is water. ^[6]

National protected areas

• Francis Marion National Forest (part)
• Hell Hole Bay Wilderness
• Wambaw Creek Wilderness (part)

State and local protected areas/sites

• Bonneau Ferry Wildlife Management Area ^[7]
• Canal Wildlife Management Area ^[7]
• Childsbury Towne Heritage Preserve ^[7]
• Cypress Gardens
• Hatchery Wildlife Management Area ^[7]
• Moultrie Hunt Unit Wildlife Management Area ^[7]
• Old Santee Canal Park
• Site of Francis Marion Tomb
• Wee Tee Wildlife Management Area (part)

Major water bodies

• Cooper River
• Goose Creek Reservoir
• Lake Marion
• Lake Moultrie
• Santee River
• South Santee River
• Wambaw Creek
• Wando River

Adjacent counties

• Georgetown County – east
• Williamsburg County – northeast
• Clarendon County – north
• Orangeburg County – northwest
• Dorchester County – west
• Charleston County – south

Major highways

• I-26
• I-526
• 
  US 17 Alt.
• 
  US 17 Alt. Truck
• US 52
• US 176
• SC 6
• 
  SC 6 Truck
• SC 16
• SC 27
• SC 41
• SC 45
• SC 165
• SC 311
• SC 402

Major infrastructure

• Seed Orchard Helibase

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1890	55,428		—
1900	30,454		−45.1%
1910	23,487		−22.9%
1920	22,558		−4.0%
1930	22,236		−1.4%
1940	27,128		22.0%
1950	30,251		11.5%
1960	38,196		26.3%
1970	56,199		47.1%
1980	94,727		68.6%
1990	128,776		35.9%
2000	142,651		10.8%
2010	177,843		24.7%
2020	229,861		29.2%
2023 (est.)	255,217	[1]	11.0%
U.S. Decennial Census [8] 1790–1960 [9] 1900–1990 [10] 1990–2000 [11] 2010 [12] 2020 [1]

2020 census

Berkeley County racial composition ^[13]

Race	Num.	Perc.
White (non-Hispanic)	137,840	59.97%
Black or African American (non-Hispanic)	51,784	22.53%
Native American	1,035	0.45%
Asian	5,353	2.33%
Pacific Islander	173	0.08%
Other/Mixed	13,348	5.81%
Hispanic or Latino	20,328	8.84%

As of the 2020 census, there were 229,861 people, 80,640 households, and 57,117 families residing in the county.

2010 census

At the 2010 census, there were 177,843 people, 65,419 households, and 47,141 families living in the county. ^{[14] [12]} The population density was 161.8 inhabitants per square mile (62.5/km²). There were 73,372 housing units at an average density of 66.8 per square mile (25.8/km²). ^[15] The racial makeup of the county was 66.5% white, 25.0% black or African American, 2.3% Asian, 0.6% American Indian, 0.1% Pacific islander, 2.8% from other races, and 2.7% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 6.0% of the population. ^{[14] [16]}

Of the 65,419 households, 38.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.3% were married couples living together, 15.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 27.9% were non-families, and 22.0% of households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.66 and the average family size was 3.10. The median age was 34.5 years. ^[14]

The median household income was $50,777 and the median family income was $56,869. Males had a median income of $40,534 versus $30,997 for females. The per capita income for the county was $22,865. About 9.9% of families and 12.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.2% of those under age 18 and 10.3% of those age 65 or over. ^[17]

2000 census

At the 2000 census, there were 142,651 people, 49,922 households, and 37,691 families living in the county. The population density was 130 people per square mile (50 people/km²). There were 54,717 housing units at an average density of 50 per square mile (19/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 68.00% White, 26.63% Black or African American, 0.52% Native American, 1.87% Asian, 0.08% Pacific Islander, 1.20% from other races, and 1.70% from two or more races. 2.76% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 16.4% were of American, 10.0% German, 8.4% Irish and 7.7% English ancestry according to Census 2000. ^[18] Of the 49,922 households 39.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.70% were married couples living together, 14.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.50% were non-families. 19.40% of households were one person and 5.60% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.75 and the average family size was 3.15.

The age distribution was 28.00% under the age of 18, 11.70% from 18 to 24, 31.20% from 25 to 44, 21.20% from 45 to 64, and 7.90% 65 or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females, there were 103.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 102.20 males.

The median household income was $39,908 and the median family income was $44,242. Males had a median income of $31,583 versus $22,420 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,879. About 9.70% of families and 11.80% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.60% of those under age 18 and 12.90% of those age 65 or over.

Government and politics

County government (as of 2023): ^[19]

Berkeley County Council:

• District 1: Dan Owens
• District 2: Josh Whitley
• District 3: Phillip Obie II
• District 4: Tommy Newell
• District 5: Amy Stern
• District 6: Marshall West
• District 7: Caldwell Pinckney, Jr.
• District 8: Steve Davis

Other Eected Officials:

• 9th Circuit Solicitor: Scarlett A Wilson
• County Auditor: Janet Brown Jurosko
• County Supervisor: Johnny Cribb
• Clerk of Court: Leah Guerry Dupree
• County Coroner: Darnell Hartwell
• Probate Judge: Hon. Keith Kornahrens
• Register of Deeds: Cindy Forte
• Sheriff: S. Duane Lewis
• Treasurer: Carolyn Umphlett

In 2020, Joe Biden received 43.3% of the vote, the best performance for a Democrat since Jimmy Carter in 1976.

United States presidential election results for Berkeley County, South Carolina ^[20]

Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2020	57,397	54.95%	45,223	43.29%	1,838	1.76%
2016	44,587	56.07%	30,705	38.61%	4,225	5.31%
2012	38,475	56.42%	28,542	41.85%	1,178	1.73%
2008	36,205	55.89%	27,755	42.84%	821	1.27%
2004	32,104	60.65%	20,142	38.05%	691	1.31%
2000	24,796	57.24%	17,707	40.88%	813	1.88%
1996	17,691	53.22%	13,358	40.18%	2,193	6.60%
1992	18,048	50.87%	12,533	35.33%	4,898	13.81%
1988	16,779	63.81%	9,312	35.41%	206	0.78%
1984	16,972	69.24%	7,380	30.11%	159	0.65%
1980	12,830	55.63%	9,850	42.71%	384	1.66%
1976	6,981	41.60%	9,741	58.05%	59	0.35%
1972	9,345	66.66%	4,497	32.08%	177	1.26%
1968	4,021	28.89%	5,089	36.56%	4,808	34.55%
1964	6,100	63.30%	3,537	36.70%	0	0.00%
1960	2,422	48.79%	2,542	51.21%	0	0.00%
1956	1,055	28.24%	902	24.14%	1,779	47.62%
1952	2,482	59.24%	1,708	40.76%	0	0.00%
1948	58	3.02%	323	16.83%	1,538	80.15%
1944	32	4.47%	521	72.77%	163	22.77%
1940	91	15.66%	490	84.34%	0	0.00%
1936	8	1.15%	690	98.85%	0	0.00%
1932	22	2.28%	941	97.72%	0	0.00%
1928	42	13.21%	276	86.79%	0	0.00%
1924	26	4.93%	501	95.07%	0	0.00%
1920	24	4.20%	548	95.80%	0	0.00%
1916	6	1.30%	457	98.70%	0	0.00%
1912	5	1.47%	323	94.72%	13	3.81%
1908	235	27.84%	609	72.16%	0	0.00%
1904	115	14.74%	665	85.26%	0	0.00%
1900	112	19.18%	472	80.82%	0	0.00%
1896	183	25.96%	513	72.77%	9	1.28%
1892	1,171	52.30%	1,037	46.32%	31	1.38%

Economy

In 2022, the GDP of Berkeley County was $10.6 billion (approx. $46,147 per capita). ^[21] In chained 2017 dollars, its real GDP was $9 billion (about $39,335 per capita). ^[22] From 2022 through 2024, its unemployment rate has fluctuated around 3%. ^[23]

As of April 2024 ^[update] , some of the largest employers in the county include Blackbaud, Booz Allen Hamilton, Nucor, Publix, Volvo, and Walmart. ^[24]

Employment and Wage Statistics by Industry in Berkeley County, South Carolina ^[24]

Industry	Employment Counts	Employment Percentage (%)	Average Annual Wage ($)
Accommodation and Food Services	6,306	10.6	23,088
Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services	2,507	4.2	41,756
Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting	96	0.2	62,504
Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation	1,031	1.7	28,808
Construction	3,757	6.3	72,072
Finance and Insurance	1,519	2.6	79,092
Health Care and Social Assistance	4,243	7.1	57,096
Information	1,886	3.2	124,384
Management of Companies and Enterprises	376	0.6	95,680
Manufacturing	9,406	15.8	79,976
Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction	132	0.2	78,156
Other Services (except Public Administration)	2,238	3.8	56,888
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services	5,911	9.9	91,988
Public Administration	2,964	5.0	51,636
Real Estate and Rental and Leasing	889	1.5	75,556
Retail Trade	8,271	13.9	36,036
Transportation and Warehousing	3,881	6.5	59,956
Utilities	1,517	2.6	92,560
Wholesale Trade	2,487	4.2	70,824
Total	59,417	100.0%	62,118

Education

All of the county is in the Berkeley County School District. ^[25]

Attractions

• Cypress Gardens
• Mepkin Abbey
• Berkeley County Museum and Heritage Center

Communities

Cities

• Charleston (mostly in Charleston County)
• Goose Creek (largest community)
• Hanahan
• North Charleston (partly in Dorchester County and Charleston County)

Towns

• Bonneau
• Jamestown
• Moncks Corner (county seat)
• St. Stephen
• Summerville (partly in Dorchester County and Charleston County)

Census-designated places

• Bonneau Beach
• Ladson (partly in Charleston County and Dorchester County)
• Pimlico
• Pinopolis
• Russellville
• Sangaree

Unincorporated communities

• Bethera
• Cross
• Gumville
• Huger
• Pineville
• Pringletown
• Cane Bay

See also

• List of counties in South Carolina
• National Register of Historic Places listings in Berkeley County, South Carolina
• Wassamasaw Tribe of Varnertown Indians, state-recognized tribe that resides in the county

References

1. "QuickFacts: Berkeley 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. "South Carolina: Individual County Chronologies". South Carolina Atlas of Historical County Boundaries. The Newberry Library. 2009. Archived from the original on January 3, 2017. Retrieved March 20, 2015.
4. Federal Writers' Project (1941). Palmetto Place Names. Sloane Printing Co. p. 12.
5. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places . National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
6. "2020 County Gazetteer Files – South Carolina". United States Census Bureau. August 23, 2022. Retrieved September 10, 2023.
7. "SCDNR Public Lands". www2.dnr.sc.gov. Retrieved April 1, 2023.
8. "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 16, 2015.
9. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved March 16, 2015.
10. Forstall, Richard L., ed. (March 27, 1995). "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 16, 2015.
11. "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 16, 2015.
12. "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on June 6, 2011. Retrieved November 22, 2013.
13. "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved December 15, 2021.
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 9, 2016.
15. "Population, Housing Units, Area, and Density: 2010 - County". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved March 9, 2016.
16. "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.
17. "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.
18. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved May 14, 2011.
19. "County Officials". www.berkeleycountysc.gov. Retrieved March 7, 2024.
20. Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved March 13, 2018.
21. U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (January 1, 2001). "Gross Domestic Product: All Industries in Berkeley County, SC". FRED, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. Retrieved April 30, 2024.
22. U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (January 1, 2001). "Real Gross Domestic Product: All Industries in Berkeley County, SC". FRED, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. Retrieved April 30, 2024.
23. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (January 1, 1990). "Unemployment Rate in Berkeley County, SC". FRED, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. Retrieved April 30, 2024.
24. "Berkeley County" (PDF). Community Profiles (04000015). Columbia, South Carolina: S.C. Department of Employment & Workforce - Business Intelligence Department. April 19, 2024.
25. "2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Berkeley County, SC" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 9, 2022. Retrieved August 1, 2022. - Text list

External links

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