United States › South Carolina › Lee County COUNTY
Lee County South Carolina · 15,730 residents (2025 est.) · 410 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
With 16,166 people, Lee County is a county in South Carolina. Four-year degrees are less common here than nationally, at 12% of adults. The typical home is worth $104,600, having more than doubled since 2000. The poverty rate is 25.0%, above the 12.5% national rate. That trails the South Carolina median by roughly 35%. 2% of locals were born outside the United States.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 42.4
US median: 38.9
Less educated
12% 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 20,119 in 2000
15,730 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
from 49 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 35.7 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
16K 17K 18K 19K 21K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Lee County Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $44,760
−9%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $26,907 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $13,896 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 12.0% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 21.8% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.473 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Professional, scientific, technical 4.2%
Public administration 3.3%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 2.4%
Arts, entertainment, food 1.9%
Transportation & warehousing 1.6%
Education & health services 1.5%
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$104,600
+21%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $47,600 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$823
+37%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $330 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 79.4% in 2000
29.5% rent
from 18.0% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
2.35 people
−15%since 2009
from 2.76 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 23.5% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 31.5% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 2.5 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 34.6%(6,961)
Hispanic / Latino 1.3%(264)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 33.2%(5,374)
Hispanic / Latino 2.4%(390)
from 63 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
from 27 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
+ 16 more ancestry groups with data from 9.2% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 61.4% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 2.6% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 21.0 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 74.3% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 17.7% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.9% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 3.5% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 2.0% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.6% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 17.4% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 17.3% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 50.8% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 64.3% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 17.2% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 21.2% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 2.4% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 7.9% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 16.2% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 17.2% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 49.2% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 76.3% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 91.8% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 97.9% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 1.8% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 44.4%(3,064)
Women 15+
Never married 36.5%(2,486)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 17.2% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 38.6% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 11.0% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 25.4% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 35.1% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 3.4% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 50.4% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 52.8% 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) 13.2%(111)
Gulf War (1990s) 28.1%(236)
Share of the 839 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 Lee County Head to head
Compare Lee County to nearby counties LEE COUNTY VS
Sumter County
Income $56,693 +27%
Home value $165,300 +58%
Population 105,067 +568%
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LEE COUNTY VS
Darlington County
Income $48,581 +9%
Home value $158,200 +51%
Population 62,888 +300%
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LEE COUNTY VS
Kershaw County
Income $68,231 +52%
Home value $217,100 +108%
Population 73,166 +365%
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LEE COUNTY VS
Florence County
Income $58,305 +30%
Home value $177,900 +70%
Population 138,504 +781%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Lee County, South Carolina? Lee County, South Carolina has about 16,166 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Lee County, South Carolina? The typical household in Lee County, South Carolina earns about $44,760 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Lee County, South Carolina expensive? In Lee County, South Carolina, the median home is worth about $104,600, and the typical rent is about $823 a month.
How educated are people in Lee County, South Carolina? About 11.6% of adults age 25 and over in Lee County, South Carolina hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Lee County, South Carolina? About 25.0% of people in Lee County, South Carolina live below the federal poverty line.
Has Lee County, South Carolina grown since 1990? Yes, Lee County, South Carolina has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 2,271 residents, a change of about -12 percent over that period.
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