CensusEasy
COUNTY · 2020 ACS

Barnwell County

South Carolina · 20,589 residents · 548 sq mi
Time machine
COMPARE TO
Compare
The short version

Barnwell County is a county of 20,589 people in South Carolina. 15% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, below the 33% national rate. 27.8% of locals live below the federal poverty line. Home values have risen by half since 2000, reaching $87,600. That trails the South Carolina median by roughly 32%. The foreign-born share is 2%.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $66,278
Older
median age 42.5
US median: 38.8
Less educated
15% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 33%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $265,253
Section 01

Population & growth

20,589
−12%since 2000
from 23,478 in 2000
1990 – 2025
42.5
+20%since 2000
from 35.5 in 2000
US average: 38.8
Land area
548 sq mi
Population, 19902024
20K21K22K23K24K19902000201020202024Barnwell County
202421K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2020
Under 55.4%(1,122)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 96.5%(1,348)
US avg: 6.1%
10 to 146.5%(1,341)
US avg: 6.5%
15 to 196.5%(1,335)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 245.5%(1,128)
US avg: 6.7%
25 to 3411.1%(2,288)
US avg: 13.5%
35 to 4411.1%(2,291)
US avg: 12.7%
45 to 5412.5%(2,568)
US avg: 12.3%
55 to 6415.6%(3,210)
US avg: 13.1%
65 to 7412.1%(2,496)
US avg: 10%
75 to 845.2%(1,074)
US avg: 4.9%
85 and over1.9%(388)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

$37,572
−13%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $28,591 in 2000
US average: $66,278
1990 – 2024
$22,339
+41%since 2000
from $15,870 in 2000
US average: $35,364
Households earning $100K+
26.0%
+8.0 ptssince 2009
from 18.0% in 2009
US average: 43.9%
27.8%
+7.0 ptssince 2000
from 20.9% in 2000
US average: 12.8%
Workforce by industry, 2020
Retail trade17.2%
US avg: 10%
Finance & insurance8.7%
US avg: 5.5%
Information7.6%
US avg: 11.1%
Professional, scientific, technical5.5%
US avg: 4.7%
Other services4.8%
US avg: 6.6%
Wholesale trade4%
US avg: 6.7%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing3.8%
US avg: 1.7%
Public administration3.6%
US avg: 4.7%
Construction3.5%
US avg: 1.2%
Education & health services3.2%
US avg: 0.8%
Arts, entertainment, food1.6%
US avg: 2%
Transportation & warehousing1.4%
US avg: 2.5%
Manufacturing0.3%
US avg: 0.5%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

$87,600
+13%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $51,500 in 2000
US average: $265,253
1990 – 2024
$646
+12%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $384 in 2000
US average: $1,124
69.8%
−5.7 ptssince 2000
from 75.5% in 2000
30.2% rent
2.40 people
−11%since 2009
from 2.71 people in 2009
US average: 2.61
2.3
+20%since 2009
from 1.9 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic54.8%(12,857)
Black42.4%(9,957)
Hispanic / Latino1.4%(327)
Asian0.4%(89)
Other0%
2020
White, non-Hispanic50.3%(10,352)
Black42.7%(8,785)
Hispanic / Latino2.5%(520)
Asian0.8%(161)
Other2.2%(445)
30
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means White and non-White residents are more separated across neighborhoods.
Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Mexican1.1%(239)
Dominican0.8%(164)
Puerto Rican0.4%(93)
Cuban0.1%(13)
Asian origin
Chinese0.1%(26)
Korean0.1%(14)
Ancestry
American22.6%(4,783)
English4.4%(931)
Irish1.7%(363)
West Indian1.5%(307)
Jamaican1.4%(301)
German1.4%(298)
Scotch-Irish1.1%(224)
Scottish0.8%(160)
Italian0.4%(79)
French0.3%(65)
British0.3%(58)
+ 14 more ancestry groups with data
Norwegian0.2%(39)
Polish0.2%(32)
Dutch0.1%(31)
Russian0.1%(23)
Brazilian0.1%(19)
Portuguese0.1%(19)
Canadian0.1%(14)
Lithuanian0.1%(13)
Danish0.1%(12)
Swiss0%(3)
Welsh0%(2)
Section 05

Education

14.7%
+3.0 ptssince 2000
from 11.6% in 2000
US average: 32.9%
High school or higher
82.3%
+14.8 ptssince 2000
from 67.5% in 2000
US average: 88.5%
6.5%
+3.3 ptssince 2000
from 3.2% in 2000
US average: 12.7%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

30.9 min
+57%since 2000
from 19.7 min in 2000
US average: 26.9
85.0%
+6.7 ptssince 2009
from 78.3% in 2009
US average: 75.1%
11.1%
−1.4 ptssince 2009
from 12.5% in 2009
US average: 8.4%
Section 07

Work & employment

6.6%
−8.4 ptssince 2011
from 15.0% in 2011
US average: 5.4%
54.2%
−1.6 ptssince 2011
from 55.8% in 2011
US average: 63.4%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
65.0%
US average: 73.3%
27.0%
+0.2 ptssince 2009
from 26.8% in 2009
US average: 39.3%
Section 08

People & community

48.1%
+0.1 ptssince 2009
from 48.1% in 2009
51.9%
−0.1 ptssince 2009
from 51.9% in 2009
2.1%
+0.8 ptssince 2009
from 1.3% in 2009
US average: 13.5%
11.4%
−4.0 ptssince 2013
from 15.4% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Computer in household
82.2%
US average: 91.9%
88.4%
US average: 86.2%
Marital status (2024)
Men 15+
Never married41.3%(3,222)
Married44.9%(3,509)
Widowed4.9%(381)
Divorced8.9%(696)
Women 15+
Never married30.6%(2,651)
Married42.4%(3,679)
Widowed15.8%(1,369)
Divorced11.2%(968)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

11.4%
−4.0 ptssince 2013
from 15.4% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
41.6%
US average: 55.4%
Direct-purchase
17.7%
US average: 13.7%
22.2%
US average: 17.6%
30.4%
US average: 20.0%
VA health care
2.3%
US average: 2.3%
Any private
54.1%
US average: 68.1%
Any public
47.2%
US average: 35.2%

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, 2020
Gulf War (2001 or later)16.6%(176)
US avg: 20.6%
Gulf War (1990s)23.5%(249)
US avg: 21.4%
Vietnam era43.2%(458)
US avg: 35.2%
Korean War8.1%(86)
US avg: 7.6%
World War II1.9%(20)
US avg: 2.9%

Share of the 1,061 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.

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Drill deeper

Places similar to Barnwell County

Head to head

Compare Barnwell County to nearby counties

Frequently asked

How many people live in Barnwell County, South Carolina?

Barnwell County, South Carolina has about 20,589 residents according to the 2020 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Barnwell County, South Carolina?

The typical household in Barnwell County, South Carolina earns about $37,572 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 $87,600, and the typical rent is about $646 a month.

How educated are people in Barnwell County, South Carolina?

About 14.7% 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 27.8% 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 296 residents, a change of about 1 percent over that period.

Keep going

Explore from here

DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →