RANKING · 2020 CENSUS · 46 SHOWN OF 46

Most sparsely populated, South Carolina counties · 2020

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, SCSC7,35520−28%

02McCormick County, SCSC10,21527−4%

03Fairfield County, SCSC20,34031−11%

04Hampton County, SCSC18,17433−13%

05Williamsburg County, SCSC29,66233−17%

06Bamberg County, SCSC12,79634−20%

07Colleton County, SCSC39,38237+1%

08Calhoun County, SCSC14,18837−7%

09Barnwell County, SCSC20,65338−12%

10Lee County, SCSC15,73040−18%

11Saluda County, SCSC19,68042−2%

12Jasper County, SCSC38,53344+39%

13Abbeville County, SCSC24,83649−7%

14Edgefield County, SCSC29,80851+4%

15Clarendon County, SCSC31,04351−4%

16Union County, SCSC26,79953−9%

17Chesterfield County, SCSC44,74054+1%

18Marlboro County, SCSC25,48856−7%

19Chester County, SCSC33,00156−5%

20Marion County, SCSC28,24260−18%

21Newberry County, SCSC39,56160+4%

22Dillon County, SCSC27,45870−8%

23Orangeburg County, SCSC83,17776−8%

24Georgetown County, SCSC65,91278+14%

25Kershaw County, SCSC73,16690+24%

26Laurens County, SCSC71,84895−3%

27Darlington County, SCSC62,888112−7%

28Oconee County, SCSC83,775125+19%

29Cherokee County, SCSC58,275143+7%

30Greenwood County, SCSC70,379152+5%

31Aiken County, SCSC181,515158+18%

32Sumter County, SCSC105,067159+1%

33Florence County, SCSC138,504171+9%

34Lancaster County, SCSC114,296175+57%

35Berkeley County, SCSC274,666208+61%

36Pickens County, SCSC139,198264+19%

37Dorchester County, SCSC178,397284+68%

38Anderson County, SCSC219,930285+23%

39Horry County, SCSC427,551310+79%

40Beaufort County, SCSC204,433325+55%

41Spartanburg County, SCSC380,857406+29%

42York County, SCSC306,887414+71%

43Lexington County, SCSC317,588421+36%

44Charleston County, SCSC436,200445+32%

45Richland County, SCSC434,956550+30%

46Greenville County, SCSC583,125669+38%

SHOWING 1–46 OF 46

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