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 has 46 counties. This is the most allowed by state law. These counties vary a lot in size and population.

For example, Calhoun County is the smallest, covering 392 square miles (1,015 square kilometers). Charleston County is the largest, at 1,358 square miles (3,517 square kilometers).

When it comes to people, Allendale County has the fewest residents, with only 7,369. But Greenville County is the most populated, with 558,036 people. Even though Charleston is the state's biggest city, it is in Charleston County, not Greenville County.

History of South Carolina Counties

How Counties Started

Long ago, when South Carolina was a colony, the land near the coast was split into areas called parishes. These were like church areas. There were also some counties that helped with laws and elections. As more people moved inland, new areas called judicial districts and more counties were made.

This system kept going after the Revolutionary War. In 1800, all counties were renamed as districts. Then, in 1868, these districts were changed back to counties. You can find old maps from the South Carolina Department of Archives and History that show how these areas looked, starting from 1682.

Changes in County Government

For a long time, county governments in South Carolina were not very strong. The state's 1895 Constitution did not really plan for local governments. This meant counties were mostly controlled by the state. Each county's group of lawmakers in the General Assembly also acted as its county council. The state senator from each county had the most power.

From the 1700s until 1973, counties in South Carolina did only a few things. They mainly handled law enforcement and built roads.

Modern County Powers

Things started to change in 1964. A U.S. Supreme Court case called Reynolds v. Sims said that voting districts had to be fair, based on "one person, one vote." This meant that legislative districts could cross county lines.

However, it took until 1973 for the state constitution to be updated. This update gave counties some home rule, meaning they could make more of their own decisions. In 1975, the Home Rule Act was passed. This law created elected councils in every county.

Later, in 1989, all counties were given even more power. They could now make rules and laws to keep people safe, healthy, and orderly. These local rules just had to agree with state laws. But counties and cities in South Carolina still cannot create new taxes without the state's permission.

County rules can apply inside city limits if the city and county agree. Areas outside of cities are managed by the county's plans for land use.

County Abbreviations

Alphabetical List of Counties

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)

Former Parishes, Counties, and Districts

Over time, some of South Carolina's local divisions have changed or no longer exist. Here are some of them:

Parishes

Before the late 1800s, the coastal part of South Carolina was divided into parishes. These were based on the areas of the Church of England.

Counties

• Carteret County
• Craven County
• Granville County
• Orange County
• Lewisburg County (1785–1791)
• Winton County, which is now Barnwell County
• Liberty County, which is now Marion County
• Winyah County, the old name for 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, suggested in 2013 (would have included parts 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