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COUNTY

Fairfield County

South Carolina · 20,340 residents (2025 est.) · 686 sq mi
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The short version

Fairfield County is home to 20,550 people in South Carolina. The median age is 47.4, about 8 years above the US median. Four-year degrees are less common here than nationally, at 15% of adults. The typical home is worth $151,200, having more than doubled since 2000. 1% of locals were born outside the United States. That trails the South Carolina median by roughly 31%.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 47.4
US median: 38.9
Less educated
15% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 32%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
20,550
−12%since 2000
from 23,454 in 2000
20,340 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1990 – 2025
Population density
30 / sq mi
−12%since 2009
from 34 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
Median age
47.4
+28%since 2000
from 36.9 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Land area
686 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
20K21K22K23K24K19902000201020202024Fairfield County
202421K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 54.6%(951)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 93.7%(767)
US avg: 6%
10 to 146.2%(1,274)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 195%(1,035)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 246.4%(1,325)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 3410.4%(2,132)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 4410.3%(2,122)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 5412.2%(2,511)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 6417%(3,492)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 7415.3%(3,135)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 845.3%(1,092)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over3.5%(714)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$47,885
−13%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $30,376 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$31,810
+113%since 2000
from $14,911 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
34.0%
+15.1 ptssince 2009
from 18.9% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
15.6%
−4.0 ptssince 2000
from 19.6% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.481
Unchangedsince 2010
from 0.480 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Retail trade19.3%
US avg: 9.9%
Information9.3%
US avg: 10.8%
Finance & insurance7.1%
US avg: 5.9%
Wholesale trade6.5%
US avg: 6.9%
Professional, scientific, technical4.8%
US avg: 5.1%
Other services4.4%
US avg: 6.7%
Public administration3.9%
US avg: 4.8%
Transportation & warehousing2.9%
US avg: 2.2%
Education & health services2.2%
US avg: 0.9%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing0.7%
US avg: 1.6%
Arts, entertainment, food0.5%
US avg: 1.9%
Manufacturing0.4%
US avg: 0.4%
Construction0.3%
US avg: 1.2%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$151,200
+32%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $63,100 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$938
+30%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $395 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
74.6%
−2.8 ptssince 2000
from 77.4% in 2000
25.4% rent
Vacancy rate
18.8%
−5.6 ptssince 2009
from 24.5% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Persons per household
2.26 people
−19%since 2009
from 2.79 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
Owner cost-burdened
20.8%
−7.5 ptssince 2009
from 28.3% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
48.3%
+11.1 ptssince 2009
from 37.3% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
3.2
+11%since 2009
from 2.9 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.
Gentrification Score
28
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic39.2%(9,195)
Black58.9%(13,810)
Hispanic / Latino1.1%(250)
Asian0.2%(41)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic38.9%(7,998)
Black54.5%(11,192)
Hispanic / Latino2.5%(516)
Asian0.1%(21)
Other4%(823)
Diversity Score
69
+6%since 2009
from 65 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Segregation Score
26
+24%since 2020
from 21 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

Hispanic origin
Guatemalan1%(210)
Honduran0.1%(29)
Dominican0.1%(20)
Spaniard0.1%(15)
Panamanian0.1%(14)
Mexican0%(10)
Asian origin
Korean0%(8)
Ancestry
English6.8%(1,392)
American5.5%(1,132)
Irish4.4%(898)
German3.2%(658)
Scotch-Irish2.4%(493)
Scottish1.5%(301)
Italian0.6%(127)
French0.5%(101)
West Indian0.4%(87)
Welsh0.2%(49)
Jamaican0.2%(45)
+ 17 more ancestry groups with data
Norwegian0.2%(41)
Dutch0.2%(32)
Swedish0.1%(30)
Polish0.1%(28)
Greek0.1%(26)
Nigerian0.1%(26)
Swiss0.1%(24)
Arab0.1%(23)
Moroccan0.1%(23)
Haitian0.1%(16)
British0.1%(14)
Slovak0.1%(13)
Turkish0%(1)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
15.2%
+3.6 ptssince 2000
from 11.7% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
85.1%
+18.1 ptssince 2000
from 67.0% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
5.4%
+1.9 ptssince 2000
from 3.5% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
30.0 min
+47%since 2000
from 20.4 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
79.8%
−5.2 ptssince 2009
from 84.9% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
11.0%
+0.2 ptssince 2009
from 10.8% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
0.3%
+0.2 ptssince 2009
from 0.1% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
6.3%
+4.5 ptssince 2009
from 1.8% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
1.2%
+0.8 ptssince 2009
from 0.4% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
Biked to work
0.0%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
No vehicle available
5.9%
−4.0 ptssince 2009
from 9.9% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
5.5%
−5.1 ptssince 2011
from 10.5% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
55.6%
−0.9 ptssince 2011
from 56.5% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
72.9%
+6.4 ptssince 2020
from 66.5% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
Self-employed
16.6%
−5.1 ptssince 2009
from 21.8% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
30.5%
+4.3 ptssince 2009
from 26.2% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
48.7%
+0.8 ptssince 2009
from 47.9% in 2009
Female
51.3%
−0.8 ptssince 2009
from 52.1% in 2009
Foreign born
1.1%
−0.1 ptssince 2009
from 1.2% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
6.9%
−4.0 ptssince 2009
from 10.9% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
19.1%
+2.4 ptssince 2012
from 16.7% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
7.0%
−8.6 ptssince 2013
from 15.6% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
81.8%
+32.3 ptssince 2017
from 49.5% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
91.3%
+6.7 ptssince 2020
from 84.6% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
Same house as last year
89.3%
−4.5 ptssince 2020
from 93.8% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
English only at home
98.1%
+1.5 ptssince 2016
from 96.6% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
1.2%
−1.3 ptssince 2016
from 2.5% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married35.8%(3,030)
Married45.4%(3,844)
Widowed8.7%(737)
Divorced10%(849)
Women 15+
Never married31.8%(2,894)
Married43.1%(3,923)
Widowed14.4%(1,307)
Divorced10.7%(974)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Uninsured
7.0%
−8.6 ptssince 2013
from 15.6% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Employer-based
50.6%
+2.3 ptssince 2020
from 48.3% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
15.5%
+0.4 ptssince 2020
from 15.1% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
Medicare
26.0%
+2.4 ptssince 2020
from 23.6% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
24.9%
+2.1 ptssince 2020
from 22.8% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
2.9%
−0.8 ptssince 2020
from 3.7% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
62.8%
+1.4 ptssince 2020
from 61.4% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
46.0%
+2.0 ptssince 2020
from 44.0% 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)20.5%(237)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)32.8%(379)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era34.7%(401)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War3.3%(38)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0.1%(1)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 1,157 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

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Head to head

Compare Fairfield County to nearby counties

FAIRFIELD COUNTY VS
Chester County
Income$52,458+10%
Home value$158,300+5%
Population33,001+62%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
FAIRFIELD COUNTY VS
Newberry County
Income$61,780+29%
Home value$173,300+15%
Population39,561+94%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
FAIRFIELD COUNTY VS
Richland County
Income$63,784+33%
Home value$242,800+61%
Population434,956+2038%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
FAIRFIELD COUNTY VS
Kershaw County
Income$68,231+42%
Home value$217,100+44%
Population73,166+260%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Fairfield County, South Carolina?

Fairfield County, South Carolina has about 20,550 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

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

The typical household in Fairfield County, South Carolina earns about $47,885 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Fairfield County, South Carolina expensive?

In Fairfield County, South Carolina, the median home is worth about $151,200, and the typical rent is about $938 a month.

How educated are people in Fairfield County, South Carolina?

About 15.2% of adults age 25 and over in Fairfield County, South Carolina hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Fairfield County, South Carolina?

About 15.6% of people in Fairfield County, South Carolina live below the federal poverty line.

Has Fairfield County, South Carolina grown since 1990?

Yes, Fairfield County, South Carolina has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 1,745 residents, a change of about -8 percent over that period.

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

How we source and harmonize this data →