United States › South Carolina › Barnwell County COUNTY
Barnwell County South Carolina · 20,653 residents (2025 est.) · 548 sq mi
Time machine
COMPARE TO 1990 Census 2000 Census 2009 ACS 2010 ACS 2011 ACS 2012 ACS 2013 ACS 2014 ACS 2015 ACS 2016 ACS 2017 ACS 2018 ACS 2019 ACS 2020 ACS 2021 ACS 2022 ACS 2023 ACS
The short version
Barnwell County is a county of 20,521 people in South Carolina. 14% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, below the 36% national rate. Home values have more than doubled since 2000, reaching $106,000. The poverty rate is 25.0%, above the 12.5% national rate. That trails the South Carolina median by roughly 33%. 2% of locals were born outside the United States.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Mid-age
median age 40.4
US median: 38.9
Less educated
14% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 23,478 in 2000
20,653 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
from 42 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 35.5 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
20K 21K 22K 23K 24K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Barnwell County Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $46,626
−10%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $28,591 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $15,870 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 18.0% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 20.9% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.466 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Education & health services 4.6%
Professional, scientific, technical 4.4%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 2.4%
Arts, entertainment, food 1.8%
Transportation & warehousing 0.9%
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$106,000
+13%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $51,500 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$740
+6%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $384 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 75.5% in 2000
29.1% rent
from 18.9% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.71 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 20.8% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 37.6% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 1.9 in 2009
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 54.8%(12,857)
Hispanic / Latino 1.4%(327)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 50.5%(10,367)
Hispanic / Latino 2.9%(595)
from 65 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
from 30 in 2020
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means White and non-White residents are more separated across neighborhoods.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Ancestry
+ 17 more ancestry groups with data from 11.6% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 67.5% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 3.2% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 19.7 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 78.3% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 14.7% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 1.2% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 2.5% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 2.3% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 12.5% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 15.0% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 55.8% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 65.0% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 15.3% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 26.8% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 1.3% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 10.0% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 20.5% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 15.4% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 54.6% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 82.2% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 88.4% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 97.3% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 2.2% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 41.3%(3,222)
Women 15+
Never married 30.6%(2,651)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 15.4% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 41.6% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 17.7% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 22.2% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 30.4% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 2.3% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 54.1% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 47.2% in 2020
US average: 36.7%
Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.
Section 09 · Service history
Veterans Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later) 40.9%(457)
Gulf War (1990s) 20.1%(225)
Share of the 1,118 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.
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Drill deeper
Places similar to Barnwell County Head to head
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BARNWELL COUNTY VS
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BARNWELL COUNTY VS
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BARNWELL COUNTY VS
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Frequently asked
How many people live in Barnwell County, South Carolina? Barnwell County, South Carolina has about 20,521 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Barnwell County, South Carolina? The typical household in Barnwell County, South Carolina earns about $46,626 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Barnwell County, South Carolina expensive? In Barnwell County, South Carolina, the median home is worth about $106,000, and the typical rent is about $740 a month.
How educated are people in Barnwell County, South Carolina? About 13.9% of adults age 25 and over in Barnwell County, South Carolina hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Barnwell County, South Carolina? About 25.0% of people in Barnwell County, South Carolina live below the federal poverty line.
Has Barnwell County, South Carolina grown since 1990? Yes, Barnwell County, South Carolina has grown since 1990. The population has added about 228 residents, a change of about 1 percent over that period.
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