List of counties in South Carolina facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Counties of South Carolina
OC PN GR SP CK YK AN AB LU UN CS LA MC GN NE FA ED SA AK LX RD KE CT BR OR CL SU LE DA ML AL BM CR FL DN HA CN DR BK WG MA JA BU CH GE HR
Location	State of South Carolina
Number	46
Populations	7,369 (Allendale) – 558,036 (Greenville)
Areas	392 square miles (1,020 km2) (Calhoun) – 1,358 square miles (3,520 km2) (Charleston)
Government	County government
Subdivisions	cities, towns, unincorporated communities, census designated place

The U.S. state of South Carolina is made up of 46 counties, the maximum allowable by state law. They range in size from 392 square miles (1,015 square kilometers) in the case of Calhoun County to 1,358 square miles (3,517 square kilometers) in the case of Charleston County. The least populous county is Allendale County, with only 7,369 residents, while the most populous county is Greenville County, with a population of 558,036, despite the state's most populous city, Charleston, being located in Charleston County.

History

In the colonial period, the land around the coast was divided into parishes corresponding to the parishes of the Church of England. There were also several counties that had judicial and electoral functions. As people settled the backcountry, judicial districts and additional counties were formed. This structure continued and grew after the Revolutionary War. In 1800, all counties were renamed as districts. In 1868, the districts were converted back to counties. The South Carolina Department of Archives and History has maps that show the boundaries of counties, districts, and parishes starting in 1682.

Historically, county government in South Carolina has been fairly weak. The 1895 Constitution made no provision for local government, effectively reducing counties to creatures of the state. Each county's delegation to the General Assembly, comprising one senator and at least one representative, also doubled as its county council. Under this system, the state senator from each county wielded the most power. From the eighteenth century to 1973, counties in South Carolina performed limited functions such as the provision of law enforcement and the construction of transportation infrastructure.

In 1964, the United States Supreme Court case Reynolds v. Sims required reapportionment according to the principle of "one man, one vote", which resulted in legislative districts crossing county lines. However, it was not until 1973 that the constitution was amended to provide for limited home rule at the county level. This was finally enacted in 1975 with the Home Rule Act, which provided for elected councils in each county. Further, in 1989, all counties were given the authority to exercise broad police powers. Thus, they may enact regulations and ordinances related to the provision or preservation of security, health, peace, and order, so long as the regulation is not inconsistent with state law. Nonetheless, all counties and municipalities in South Carolina lack “fiscal home rule,” meaning they may only enact taxes authorized by the General Assembly.

County ordinances become applicable within municipal boundaries when the municipality and the county make a formal agreement, and the municipality formally adopts the ordinance. Unincorporated areas are governed by the county's land use plans.

County abbreviations

Alphabetical list

County	FIPS code	County seat	Est.	Origin	Etymology	Population (2023)	Area	Map
Abbeville County	001	Abbeville	1785	Ninety-Six District	Abbeville, France	&&&&&&&&&&024434.&&&&&024,434	&&&&&&&&&&&&0512.&&&&&0512 sq mi (&&&&&&&&&&&01326.&&&&&01,326 km2)
Aiken County	003	Aiken	1871	Barnwell County, Edgefield County, Lexington County, and Orangeburg County	William Aiken, founder of the South Carolina Canal and Railroad Company	&&&&&&&&&0177130.&&&&&0177,130	&&&&&&&&&&&01080.&&&&&01,080 sq mi (&&&&&&&&&&&02797.&&&&&02,797 km2)
Allendale County	005	Allendale	1919	Barnwell County and Hampton County	P.H. Allen, first postmaster of the new county	&&&&&&&&&&&07369.&&&&&07,369	&&&&&&&&&&&&0412.&&&&&0412 sq mi (&&&&&&&&&&&01067.&&&&&01,067 km2)
Anderson County	007	Anderson	1826	Pendleton District	Robert Anderson, American Revolutionary War general and Southern surveyor	&&&&&&&&&0213076.&&&&&0213,076	&&&&&&&&&&&&0756.&&&&&0756 sq mi (&&&&&&&&&&&01958.&&&&&01,958 km2)
Bamberg County	009	Bamberg	1897	Barnwell County	Francis Marion Bamberg (1838–1905), Confederate general in the American Civil War	&&&&&&&&&&012974.&&&&&012,974	&&&&&&&&&&&&0396.&&&&&0396 sq mi (&&&&&&&&&&&01026.&&&&&01,026 km2)
Barnwell County	011	Barnwell	1798	Orangeburg County	John Barnwell, South Carolina State Senator and prisoner of war during the American Revolution	&&&&&&&&&&020447.&&&&&020,447	&&&&&&&&&&&&0557.&&&&&0557 sq mi (&&&&&&&&&&&01443.&&&&&01,443 km2)
Beaufort County	013	Beaufort	1769	1769 Judicial District	Henry Somerset, 1st Duke of Beaufort, colonial proprietary landowner	&&&&&&&&&0198979.&&&&&0198,979	&&&&&&&&&&&&0923.&&&&&0923 sq mi (&&&&&&&&&&&02391.&&&&&02,391 km2)
Berkeley County	015	Moncks Corner	1882	Charleston County	William Berkeley, colonial proprietary governor and landowner	&&&&&&&&&0255217.&&&&&0255,217	&&&&&&&&&&&01234.&&&&&01,234 sq mi (&&&&&&&&&&&03196.&&&&&03,196 km2)
Calhoun County	017	St. Matthews	1908	Lexington County and Orangeburg County	John C. Calhoun, U.S. senator from South Carolina	&&&&&&&&&&014186.&&&&&014,186	&&&&&&&&&&&&0392.&&&&&0392 sq mi (&&&&&&&&&&&01015.&&&&&01,015 km2)
Charleston County	019	Charleston	1769	1769 Judicial District	King Charles II of England	&&&&&&&&&0424367.&&&&&0424,367	&&&&&&&&&&&01358.&&&&&01,358 sq mi (&&&&&&&&&&&03517.&&&&&03,517 km2)
Cherokee County	021	Gaffney	1897	Spartanburg County, Union County, and York County	Cherokee Native Americans	&&&&&&&&&&056714.&&&&&056,714	&&&&&&&&&&&&0397.&&&&&0397 sq mi (&&&&&&&&&&&01028.&&&&&01,028 km2)
Chester County	023	Chester	1785	Camden District	Chester, Pennsylvania	&&&&&&&&&&032226.&&&&&032,226	&&&&&&&&&&&&0586.&&&&&0586 sq mi (&&&&&&&&&&&01518.&&&&&01,518 km2)
Chesterfield County	025	Chesterfield	1798	Cheraws District	Philip Dormer Stanhope, 4th Earl of Chesterfield, an Enlightenment-era scholar, government official, and member of the British House of Lords	&&&&&&&&&&044031.&&&&&044,031	&&&&&&&&&&&&0806.&&&&&0806 sq mi (&&&&&&&&&&&02088.&&&&&02,088 km2)
Clarendon County	027	Manning	1855	Sumter County	Edward Hyde, 1st Earl of Clarendon, colonial proprietary landowner	&&&&&&&&&&031004.&&&&&031,004	&&&&&&&&&&&&0696.&&&&&0696 sq mi (&&&&&&&&&&&01803.&&&&&01,803 km2)
Colleton County	029	Walterboro	1800	Charleston County	John Colleton, colonial proprietary landowner	&&&&&&&&&&038874.&&&&&038,874	&&&&&&&&&&&01133.&&&&&01,133 sq mi (&&&&&&&&&&&02934.&&&&&02,934 km2)
Darlington County	031	Darlington	1785	Cheraws District	Unknown; possibly Darlington, England	&&&&&&&&&&062416.&&&&&062,416	&&&&&&&&&&&&0566.&&&&&0566 sq mi (&&&&&&&&&&&01466.&&&&&01,466 km2)
Dillon County	033	Dillon	1910	Marion County	James William "J.W." Dillon (1826-1913), founder of the Wilson Short Cut Railroad	&&&&&&&&&&027698.&&&&&027,698	&&&&&&&&&&&&0407.&&&&&0407 sq mi (&&&&&&&&&&&01054.&&&&&01,054 km2)
Dorchester County	035	St. George	1868	Berkeley County and Colleton County	Dorchester, Massachusetts	&&&&&&&&&0169833.&&&&&0169,833	&&&&&&&&&&&&0571.&&&&&0571 sq mi (&&&&&&&&&&&01479.&&&&&01,479 km2)
Edgefield County	037	Edgefield	1785	Ninety-Six District	Disputed; either its location on the edge of the state or Edgefield, Norfolk, England	&&&&&&&&&&027607.&&&&&027,607	&&&&&&&&&&&&0507.&&&&&0507 sq mi (&&&&&&&&&&&01313.&&&&&01,313 km2)
Fairfield County	039	Winnsboro	1785	Camden District	The county's fair fields, as described by colonial Governor Charles Cornwallis	&&&&&&&&&&020422.&&&&&020,422	&&&&&&&&&&&&0710.&&&&&0710 sq mi (&&&&&&&&&&&01839.&&&&&01,839 km2)
Florence County	041	Florence	1888	Clarendon County, Darlington County, Marion County, and Williamsburg County	Florence Harllee (1848-1927), daughter of Wilmington and Manchester Railroad founder W.W. Harllee	&&&&&&&&&0137214.&&&&&0137,214	&&&&&&&&&&&&0804.&&&&&0804 sq mi (&&&&&&&&&&&02082.&&&&&02,082 km2)
Georgetown County	043	Georgetown	1769	1769 Judicial District	George III of the United Kingdom	&&&&&&&&&&065731.&&&&&065,731	&&&&&&&&&&&01035.&&&&&01,035 sq mi (&&&&&&&&&&&02681.&&&&&02,681 km2)
Greenville County	045	Greenville	1786	Washington District	Nathanael Greene, Revolutionary War general	&&&&&&&&&0558036.&&&&&0558,036	&&&&&&&&&&&&0796.&&&&&0796 sq mi (&&&&&&&&&&&02062.&&&&&02,062 km2)
Greenwood County	047	Greenwood	1897	Abbeville County and Edgefield County	Greenwood Plantation, the home of John McGee, the county's largest landowner	&&&&&&&&&&069460.&&&&&069,460	&&&&&&&&&&&&0464.&&&&&0464 sq mi (&&&&&&&&&&&01202.&&&&&01,202 km2)
Hampton County	049	Hampton	1878	Beaufort County	Wade Hampton III, lieutenant general and cavalry leader in the Confederate States Army and later governor of South Carolina and U.S. senator	&&&&&&&&&&018122.&&&&&018,122	&&&&&&&&&&&&0563.&&&&&0563 sq mi (&&&&&&&&&&&01458.&&&&&01,458 km2)
Horry County	051	Conway	1801	Georgetown County	Peter Horry, Revolutionary War general	&&&&&&&&&0397478.&&&&&0397,478	&&&&&&&&&&&01255.&&&&&01,255 sq mi (&&&&&&&&&&&03250.&&&&&03,250 km2)
Jasper County	053	Ridgeland	1912	Beaufort County and Hampton County	William Jasper, Revolutionary War sergeant	&&&&&&&&&&033544.&&&&&033,544	&&&&&&&&&&&&0702.&&&&&0702 sq mi (&&&&&&&&&&&01818.&&&&&01,818 km2)
Kershaw County	055	Camden	1798	Claremont County, Fairfield County, Lancaster County, and Richland	Joseph Kershaw, one of the county's pioneering settlers	&&&&&&&&&&069905.&&&&&069,905	&&&&&&&&&&&&0740.&&&&&0740 sq mi (&&&&&&&&&&&01917.&&&&&01,917 km2)
Lancaster County	057	Lancaster	1798	Camden District	Lancaster, England, and the House of Lancaster	&&&&&&&&&0108215.&&&&&0108,215	&&&&&&&&&&&&0555.&&&&&0555 sq mi (&&&&&&&&&&&01437.&&&&&01,437 km2)
Laurens County	059	Laurens	1785	Ninety-Six District	Henry Laurens, president of the Second Continental Congress and prisoner of war during the American Revolution	&&&&&&&&&&068873.&&&&&068,873	&&&&&&&&&&&&0724.&&&&&0724 sq mi (&&&&&&&&&&&01875.&&&&&01,875 km2)
Lee County	061	Bishopville	1902	Darlington County, Kershaw County, and Sumter County	Robert E. Lee, Confederate general during the Civil War	&&&&&&&&&&015967.&&&&&015,967	&&&&&&&&&&&&0411.&&&&&0411 sq mi (&&&&&&&&&&&01064.&&&&&01,064 km2)
Lexington County	063	Lexington	1804	Orangeburg County	Battle of Lexington, opening skirmish of the Revolutionary War	&&&&&&&&&0309528.&&&&&0309,528	&&&&&&&&&&&&0758.&&&&&0758 sq mi (&&&&&&&&&&&01963.&&&&&01,963 km2)
Marion County	067	Marion	1800	Georgetown County	Francis Marion, Revolutionary War general	&&&&&&&&&&028508.&&&&&028,508	&&&&&&&&&&&&0494.&&&&&0494 sq mi (&&&&&&&&&&&01279.&&&&&01,279 km2)
Marlboro County	069	Bennettsville	1785	Cheraws District	John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough, English general, diplomat, and confidant of monarchs	&&&&&&&&&&025704.&&&&&025,704	&&&&&&&&&&&&0486.&&&&&0486 sq mi (&&&&&&&&&&&01259.&&&&&01,259 km2)
McCormick County	065	McCormick	1914	Abbeville County, Edgefield County, and Greenwood County	Cyrus McCormick, inventor of the mechanical reaper and founder of International Harvester	&&&&&&&&&&&09941.&&&&&09,941	&&&&&&&&&&&&0394.&&&&&0394 sq mi (&&&&&&&&&&&01020.&&&&&01,020 km2)
Newberry County	071	Newberry	1785	Ninety-Six District	Disputed; possibly Newbury, Berkshire, England, or from early settlers' notion that the landscape was as "pretty as a new berry"	&&&&&&&&&&038825.&&&&&038,825	&&&&&&&&&&&&0647.&&&&&0647 sq mi (&&&&&&&&&&&01676.&&&&&01,676 km2)
Oconee County	073	Walhalla	1868	Pickens County	Oconee Native Americans	&&&&&&&&&&081221.&&&&&081,221	&&&&&&&&&&&&0674.&&&&&0674 sq mi (&&&&&&&&&&&01746.&&&&&01,746 km2)
Orangeburg County	075	Orangeburg	1769	1769 Judicial District	Prince William V of Orange	&&&&&&&&&&082820.&&&&&082,820	&&&&&&&&&&&01128.&&&&&01,128 sq mi (&&&&&&&&&&&02922.&&&&&02,922 km2)
Pickens County	077	Pickens	1826	Pendleton District	Andrew Pickens, governor of South Carolina	&&&&&&&&&0135495.&&&&&0135,495	&&&&&&&&&&&&0513.&&&&&0513 sq mi (&&&&&&&&&&&01329.&&&&&01,329 km2)
Richland County	079	Columbia	1799	Camden District	The county's rich soil	&&&&&&&&&0425138.&&&&&0425,138	&&&&&&&&&&&&0772.&&&&&0772 sq mi (&&&&&&&&&&&01999.&&&&&01,999 km2)
Saluda County	081	Saluda	1896	Edgefield County	Saluda River	&&&&&&&&&&019123.&&&&&019,123	&&&&&&&&&&&&0462.&&&&&0462 sq mi (&&&&&&&&&&&01197.&&&&&01,197 km2)
Spartanburg County	083	Spartanburg	1785	Ninety-Six District	"Spartan Regiment" of the state militia, which was the key force for victory in the Revolutionary War Battle of Cowpens	&&&&&&&&&0356698.&&&&&0356,698	&&&&&&&&&&&&0820.&&&&&0820 sq mi (&&&&&&&&&&&02124.&&&&&02,124 km2)
Sumter County	085	Sumter	1798	Claremont County, Clarendon County, and Salem County	Thomas Sumter, Revolutionary War general and U.S. senator from South Carolina	&&&&&&&&&0104165.&&&&&0104,165	&&&&&&&&&&&&0682.&&&&&0682 sq mi (&&&&&&&&&&&01766.&&&&&01,766 km2)
Union County	087	Union	1798	Ninety-Six District	Union Church, the first Christian place of worship in the area	&&&&&&&&&&026629.&&&&&026,629	&&&&&&&&&&&&0515.&&&&&0515 sq mi (&&&&&&&&&&&01334.&&&&&01,334 km2)
Williamsburg County	089	Kingstree	1802	Georgetown District	King William III of England	&&&&&&&&&&029891.&&&&&029,891	&&&&&&&&&&&&0937.&&&&&0937 sq mi (&&&&&&&&&&&02427.&&&&&02,427 km2)
York County	091	York	1798	Camden District	York County, Pennsylvania	&&&&&&&&&0298320.&&&&&0298,320	&&&&&&&&&&&&0696.&&&&&0696 sq mi (&&&&&&&&&&&01803.&&&&&01,803 km2)

Defunct parishes, counties and districts

Parishes

Until the late 19th century, the South Carolina Lowcountry was divided into parishes which in turn were subdivided several "districts"; these civil parishes were based on and generally coincident (even well after disestablishment) with Anglican ecclesiastical parishes.

Counties

• Carteret County
• Craven County
• Granville County
• Orange County
• Lewisburg County (1785–1791)
• Winton County, present-day Barnwell County
• Liberty County, present-day Marion County
• Winyah County, former name of Georgetown County
• Claremont County
• Salem County

Districts

• Cheraw District, created in 1769
• Camden District, created in 1769
• Ninety-Six District, created in 1769
• Pinckney District (1791–1798)
• Washington District (1785–1798)
• Pendleton District, created in 1789 from Cherokee lands

Proposed counties

• Birch County, proposed in 2013 (portions of Lexington and Richland counties)

See also

In Spanish: Anexo:Condados de Carolina del Sur para niños

• List of municipalities in South Carolina
• List of census-designated places in South Carolina
• List of ghost towns in South Carolina
• List of former United States counties