Berkeley County, South Carolina facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Berkeley County
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Old Berkeley County Courthouse
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| Motto(s):
"One Berkeley"
"Rich History. Bright Future." |
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Location within the U.S. state of South Carolina
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 South Carolina's location within the U.S. |
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| Country |  United States |
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| State |  South Carolina |
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| Founded | 1882 | ||
| Named for | Sir William Berkeley | ||
| Seat | Moncks Corner | ||
| Largest community | Goose Creek | ||
| Area | |||
| • Total | 1,233.88 sq mi (3,195.7 km2) | ||
| • Land | 1,103.62 sq mi (2,858.4 km2) | ||
| • Water | 130.26 sq mi (337.4 km2) 10.56% | ||
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 229,861 | ||
| • Estimate
(2023)
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255,217 | ||
| • Density | 208.28/sq mi (80.42/km2) | ||
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern) | ||
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) | ||
| Congressional district | 1st | ||
Berkeley County is a county in the U.S. state of South Carolina. As of the 2020 census, its population was 229,861. Its county seat is Moncks Corner, and the largest community is Goose Creek. After two previous incarnations of Berkeley County, the current county was created in 1882. Berkeley County is included in the Charleston-North Charleston, SC Metropolitan Statistical Area.
History
Berkeley County was established in 1682. It was named after John and William Berkeley, co-owners of the Province of Carolina. It became part of the Charleston District in 1769. It did not exist as a District during most of the 19th century and generally was part of the Low Country culture. In 1882, after Democrats regained control of the state legislature following the Reconstruction era, they established the current incarnation of Berkeley County, with its seat at Mount Pleasant. The county seat was moved in 1895 to Moncks Corner. Berkeley is also known for Revolutionary War connections. The Old Berkeley County Courthouse was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1971.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,233.88 square miles (3,195.7 km2), of which 1,103.62 square miles (2,858.4 km2) is land and 130.26 square miles (337.4 km2), or 10.56%, is water.
National protected areas
- Francis Marion National Forest (part)
- Hell Hole Bay Wilderness
- Wambaw Creek Wilderness (part)
State and local protected areas/sites
- Bonneau Ferry Wildlife Management Area
- Canal Wildlife Management Area
- Childsbury Towne Heritage Preserve
- Cypress Gardens
- Hatchery Wildlife Management Area
- Moultrie Hunt Unit Wildlife Management Area
- Old Santee Canal Park
- Site of Francis Marion Tomb
- Wee Tee Wildlife Management Area (part)
Major water bodies
- Cooper River
- Goose Creek Reservoir
- Lake Marion
- Lake Moultrie
- Santee River
- South Santee River
- Wambaw Creek
- Wando River
Adjacent counties
- Georgetown County – east
- Williamsburg County – northeast
- Clarendon County – north
- Orangeburg County – northwest
- Dorchester County – west
- Charleston County – south
Major highways
I-26
I-526
US 17 Alt.- Invalid type: US-Alt-Truck
US 52
US 176
SC 6
SC 6 Truck
SC 16
SC 27
SC 41
SC 45
SC 165
SC 311
SC 402
Major infrastructure
- Seed Orchard Helibase
Demographics
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1890 | 55,428 | — | |
| 1900 | 30,454 | −45.1% | |
| 1910 | 23,487 | −22.9% | |
| 1920 | 22,558 | −4.0% | |
| 1930 | 22,236 | −1.4% | |
| 1940 | 27,128 | 22.0% | |
| 1950 | 30,251 | 11.5% | |
| 1960 | 38,196 | 26.3% | |
| 1970 | 56,199 | 47.1% | |
| 1980 | 94,727 | 68.6% | |
| 1990 | 128,776 | 35.9% | |
| 2000 | 142,651 | 10.8% | |
| 2010 | 177,843 | 24.7% | |
| 2020 | 229,861 | 29.2% | |
| 2023 (est.) | 255,217 | 43.5% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 1790–1960 1900–1990 1990–2000 2010 2020 |
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2020 census
| Race | Num. | Perc. |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 137,840 | 59.97% |
| Black or African American (non-Hispanic) | 51,784 | 22.53% |
| Native American | 1,035 | 0.45% |
| Asian | 5,353 | 2.33% |
| Pacific Islander | 173 | 0.08% |
| Other/Mixed | 13,348 | 5.81% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 20,328 | 8.84% |
As of the 2020 census, there were 229,861 people, 80,640 households, and 57,117 families residing in the county.
2010 census
At the 2010 census, there were 177,843 people, 65,419 households, and 47,141 families living in the county. The population density was 161.8 inhabitants per square mile (62.5/km2). There were 73,372 housing units at an average density of 66.8 per square mile (25.8/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 66.5% white, 25.0% black or African American, 2.3% Asian, 0.6% American Indian, 0.1% Pacific islander, 2.8% from other races, and 2.7% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 6.0% of the population.
Of the 65,419 households, 38.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.3% were married couples living together, 15.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 27.9% were non-families, and 22.0% of households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.66 and the average family size was 3.10. The median age was 34.5 years.
The median household income was $50,777 and the median family income was $56,869. Males had a median income of $40,534 versus $30,997 for females. The per capita income for the county was $22,865. About 9.9% of families and 12.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.2% of those under age 18 and 10.3% of those age 65 or over.
Economy
In 2022, the GDP of Berkeley County was $10.6 billion (approx. $46,147 per capita). In chained 2017 dollars, its real GDP was $9 billion (about $39,335 per capita). From 2022 through 2024, its unemployment rate has fluctuated around 3%.
As of April 2024[update], some of the largest employers in the county include Blackbaud, Booz Allen Hamilton, Nucor, Publix, Volvo, and Walmart.
| Industry | Employment Counts | Employment Percentage (%) | Average Annual Wage ($) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accommodation and Food Services | 6,306 | 10.6 | 23,088 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 2,507 | 4.2 | 41,756 |
| Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 96 | 0.2 | 62,504 |
| Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | 1,031 | 1.7 | 28,808 |
| Construction | 3,757 | 6.3 | 72,072 |
| Finance and Insurance | 1,519 | 2.6 | 79,092 |
| Health Care and Social Assistance | 4,243 | 7.1 | 57,096 |
| Information | 1,886 | 3.2 | 124,384 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | 376 | 0.6 | 95,680 |
| Manufacturing | 9,406 | 15.8 | 79,976 |
| Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction | 132 | 0.2 | 78,156 |
| Other Services (except Public Administration) | 2,238 | 3.8 | 56,888 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 5,911 | 9.9 | 91,988 |
| Public Administration | 2,964 | 5.0 | 51,636 |
| Real Estate and Rental and Leasing | 889 | 1.5 | 75,556 |
| Retail Trade | 8,271 | 13.9 | 36,036 |
| Transportation and Warehousing | 3,881 | 6.5 | 59,956 |
| Utilities | 1,517 | 2.6 | 92,560 |
| Wholesale Trade | 2,487 | 4.2 | 70,824 |
| Total | 59,417 | 100.0% | 62,118 |
Education
All of the county is in the Berkeley County School District.
Attractions
- Cypress Gardens
- Mepkin Abbey
- Berkeley County Museum and Heritage Center
Communities
Cities
- Charleston (mostly in Charleston County)
- Goose Creek (largest community)
- Hanahan
- North Charleston (partly in Dorchester County and Charleston County)
Towns
- Bonneau
- Jamestown
- Moncks Corner (county seat)
- St. Stephen
- Summerville (partly in Dorchester County and Charleston County)
Census-designated places
- Bonneau Beach
- Ladson (partly in Charleston County and Dorchester County)
- Pimlico
- Pinopolis
- Russellville
- Sangaree
Unincorporated communities
See also
In Spanish: Condado de Berkeley (Carolina del Sur) para niños
