RANKING · 2025 ACS · 46 SHOWN OF 46

Most sparsely populated, South Carolina counties

South Carolina counties with the fewest residents per square mile (2023). This list covers the 46 counties in South Carolina that qualify, ranked against each other statewide.

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SAME RANKING BYCities States Metros

RELATEDLargest by population Fastest growing Fastest shrinking Most densely populated Best broadband access Worst broadband access

YEAR1990 2000 2010 2020 2025

RANKPLACESTATEPOPPOPULATION DENSITYVS 2000

01Allendale County, SCSC7,35518−34%

02McCormick County, SCSC10,21528+3%

03Fairfield County, SCSC20,34030−13%

04Williamsburg County, SCSC29,66232−20%

05Hampton County, SCSC18,17432−15%

06Bamberg County, SCSC12,79633−23%

07Calhoun County, SCSC14,18837−7%

08Colleton County, SCSC39,38237+3%

09Barnwell County, SCSC20,65338−12%

10Lee County, SCSC15,73038−22%

11Saluda County, SCSC19,68043+3%

12Abbeville County, SCSC24,83651−5%

13Clarendon County, SCSC31,04351−4%

14Union County, SCSC26,79952−10%

15Marlboro County, SCSC25,48853−12%

16Chesterfield County, SCSC44,74056+5%

17Chester County, SCSC33,00157−3%

18Marion County, SCSC28,24258−20%

19Jasper County, SCSC38,53359+86%

20Edgefield County, SCSC29,80860+21%

21Newberry County, SCSC39,56163+10%

22Dillon County, SCSC27,45868−11%

23Orangeburg County, SCSC83,17775−9%

24Georgetown County, SCSC65,91281+18%

25Kershaw County, SCSC73,166101+39%

26Laurens County, SCSC71,848101+3%

27Darlington County, SCSC62,888112−7%

28Oconee County, SCSC83,775134+27%

29Cherokee County, SCSC58,275148+11%

30Greenwood County, SCSC70,379154+6%

31Sumter County, SCSC105,067158+0%

32Aiken County, SCSC181,515170+27%

33Florence County, SCSC138,504173+10%

34Lancaster County, SCSC114,296208+86%

35Berkeley County, SCSC274,666249+93%

36Pickens County, SCSC139,198280+26%

37Anderson County, SCSC219,930308+33%

38Dorchester County, SCSC178,397314+85%

39Beaufort County, SCSC204,433355+69%

40Horry County, SCSC427,551377+117%

41York County, SCSC306,887451+86%

42Lexington County, SCSC317,588454+47%

43Spartanburg County, SCSC380,857471+50%

44Charleston County, SCSC436,200475+41%

45Richland County, SCSC434,956574+36%

46Greenville County, SCSC583,125742+54%

SHOWING 1–46 OF 46

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UPDATED 2026-06-02 · DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR ESTIMATES