United States › South Carolina › Lee County COUNTY · 2020 ACS
Lee County South Carolina · 16,531 residents · 410 sq mi
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The short version
With 16,531 people, Lee County is a county in South Carolina. Four-year degrees are less common here than nationally, at 15% of adults. The median age is 45.7, about 7 years above the US median. The typical home is worth $79,000, having risen by half since 2000. That trails the South Carolina median by roughly 40%. The poverty rate is 25.7%, above the 12.8% national rate.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $66,278
Older
median age 45.7
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 from 35.7 in 2000
US average: 38.8
Population, 1990 – 2024
16K 17K 18K 19K 21K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Lee County Age distribution, 2020
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Section 02
Income & economy $32,851
−19%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $26,907 in 2000
US average: $66,278
from $13,896 in 2000
US average: $35,364
Households earning $100K+
from 12.0% in 2009
US average: 43.9%
from 21.8% in 2000
US average: 12.8%
Workforce by industry, 2020
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 5.8%
Professional, scientific, technical 4.7%
Public administration 2.9%
Transportation & warehousing 2%
Education & health services 1.6%
Arts, entertainment, food 0.2%
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$79,000
+10%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $47,600 in 2000
US average: $265,253
$709
+43%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $330 in 2000
US average: $1,124
from 79.4% in 2000
28.7% rent
2.43 people
−12%since 2009
from 2.76 people in 2009
US average: 2.61
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.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 34.6%(6,961)
Hispanic / Latino 1.3%(264)
2020
White, non-Hispanic 34.6%(5,721)
Hispanic / Latino 1.8%(295)
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means White and non-White residents are more separated across neighborhoods.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Ancestry
+ 12 more ancestry groups with data from 9.2% in 2000
US average: 32.9%
High school or higher
from 61.4% in 2000
US average: 88.5%
from 2.6% in 2000
US average: 12.7%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 21.0 min in 2000
US average: 26.9
from 74.3% in 2009
US average: 75.1%
from 17.4% in 2009
US average: 8.4%
Section 07
Work & employment from 17.3% in 2011
US average: 5.4%
from 50.8% in 2011
US average: 63.4%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
US average: 73.3%
from 21.2% in 2009
US average: 39.3%
Section 08
People & community from 2.4% in 2009
US average: 13.5%
from 17.2% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Computer in household
US average: 91.9%
Marital status (2024)
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: 8.8%
Direct-purchase
US average: 13.7%
VA health care
US average: 2.3%
Any private
US average: 68.1%
Any public
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) 15.6%(151)
Gulf War (1990s) 25.7%(250)
Share of the 971 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 +73%
Home value $165,300 +109%
Population 105,067 +568%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
LEE COUNTY VS
Darlington County
Income $48,581 +48%
Home value $158,200 +100%
Population 62,888 +300%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
LEE COUNTY VS
Kershaw County
Income $68,231 +108%
Home value $217,100 +175%
Population 73,166 +365%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
LEE COUNTY VS
Florence County
Income $58,305 +77%
Home value $177,900 +125%
Population 138,504 +781%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Lee County, South Carolina? Lee County, South Carolina has about 16,531 residents according to the 2020 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Lee County, South Carolina? The typical household in Lee County, South Carolina earns about $32,851 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 $79,000, and the typical rent is about $709 a month.
How educated are people in Lee County, South Carolina? About 14.9% 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 25.7% 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 1,906 residents, a change of about -10 percent over that period.
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