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Marion County, South Carolina facts for kids

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Marion County
U.S. county
Mt. Olive Baptist Church
Official seal of Marion County
Seal
 Official logo of Marion County
Logo
Motto(s): 
"It's just right!"
Map of South Carolina highlighting Marion County
Location within the U.S. state of South Carolina
Map of the United States highlighting South Carolina
South Carolina's location within the U.S.
Country  United States
State  South Carolina
Founded 1798
Named for Francis Marion
Seat Marion
Largest community Marion
Area
 • Total 494.17 sq mi (1,279.9 km2)
 • Land 489.37 sq mi (1,267.5 km2)
 • Water 4.80 sq mi (12.4 km2)  0.97%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 29,183
 • Estimate 
(2023)
 28,508
 • Density 59.63/sq mi (23.02/km2)
Time zone UTC−5 (Eastern)
 • Summer (DST) UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district 7th

Marion County is a county located in the coastal plain of the U.S. state of South Carolina. As of the 2020 census, its population was 29,183. Its county seat is Marion. It is a majority-minority county.

History

Early European traders in the Carolinas settled along the Pee Dee River from the 17th century, including in an isolated area called Sandy Bluff. They did business with numerous tribes, including the Choctaw and Chickasaw to the South. Crossed by several rivers, the county was organized by European Americans in 1785 soon after the American Revolutionary War and was originally known as Liberty County. However, four years later it was renamed as Marion County, in honor of Brigadier General Francis Marion, the famous "Swamp Fox" and a hero of the American Revolutionary War. In 1910, a portion of the county was taken to be organized as adjacent Dillon County.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 494.17 square miles (1,279.9 km2), of which 489.37 square miles (1,267.5 km2) is land and 4.80 square miles (12.4 km2) (0.97%) is water.

National protected area

State and local protected areas

  • Little Pee Dee Heritage Preserve/Wildlife Management Area
  • Marsh Wildlife Management Area
  • Woodbury Wildlife Management Area

Major water bodies

Adjacent counties

Major highways

  • Future I-73
  • US 76
  • US 301
  • US 378
  • US 501

  • US 501 Bus.
  • SC 9
  • SC 38
  • SC 41

  • SC 41 Alt.
  • SC 57
  • SC 576
  • SC 908
  • SC 917

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop. %±
1800 6,914 —
1810 8,884 28.5%
1820 10,201 14.8%
1830 11,208 9.9%
1840 13,932 24.3%
1850 17,407 24.9%
1860 21,190 21.7%
1870 22,160 4.6%
1880 34,107 53.9%
1890 29,976 −12.1%
1900 35,181 17.4%
1910 20,596 −41.5%
1920 23,721 15.2%
1930 27,221 14.8%
1940 30,107 10.6%
1950 33,110 10.0%
1960 32,014 −3.3%
1970 30,270 −5.4%
1980 34,179 12.9%
1990 33,899 −0.8%
2000 35,466 4.6%
2010 33,062 −6.8%
2020 29,183 −11.7%
2023 (est.) 28,508 −13.8%
U.S. Decennial Census
1790–1960 1900–1990
1990–2000 2010 2020

2020 census

Marion County racial composition
Race Num. Perc.
White (non-Hispanic) 11,080 37.97%
Black or African American (non-Hispanic) 16,333 55.97%
Native American 109 0.37%
Asian 128 0.44%
Other/Mixed 823 2.82%
Hispanic or Latino 710 2.43%

As of the 2020 census, there were 29,183 people, 11,600 households, and 7,532 families residing in the county.

2010 census

At the 2010 census, there were 33,062 people, 13,058 households, and 8,881 families living in the county. The population density was 67.6 inhabitants per square mile (26.1/km2). There were 14,953 housing units at an average density of 30.6 per square mile (11.8/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 55.9% black or African American, 40.6% white, 0.5% Asian, 0.4% American Indian, 1.3% from other races, and 1.2% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 2.4% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 7.8% were American, 6.3% were English, and 5.2% were Irish.

Of the 13,058 households, 33.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 38.0% were married couples living together, 24.9% had a female householder with no husband present, 32.0% were non-families, and 28.5% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.52 and the average family size was 3.09. The median age was 39.9 years.

The median income for a household in the county was $30,629 and the median income for a family was $38,043. Males had a median income of $32,414 versus $24,929 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,653. About 21.4% of families and 25.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 36.8% of those under age 18 and 19.1% of those age 65 or over.

Economy

In 2022, the GDP was $728.2 million (about $25,545 per capita), and the real GDP was $610.4 million (about $21,413 per capita) in chained 2017 dollars.

As of April 2024, some of the largest employers in the county include Coca-Cola Consolidated, the city of Mullins, Domtar, Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company, and Walmart.

Employment and Wage Statistics by Industry in Marion County, South Carolina - Q3 2023
Industry Employment Counts Employment Percentage (%) Average Annual Wage ($)
Accommodation and Food Services 630 10.2 21,944
Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services 298 4.8 28,600
Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting 73 1.2 40,560
Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation 19 0.3 7,436
Construction 220 3.6 54,652
Finance and Insurance 317 5.2 58,968
Health Care and Social Assistance 1,681 27.3 51,064
Information 41 0.7 41,548
Management of Companies and Enterprises 26 0.4 57,200
Manufacturing 364 5.9 57,616
Other Services (except Public Administration) 56 0.9 28,028
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services 69 1.1 57,720
Public Administration 551 9.0 39,208
Real Estate and Rental and Leasing 57 0.9 48,776
Retail Trade 906 14.7 26,520
Transportation and Warehousing 674 11.0 47,788
Utilities 48 0.8 57,356
Wholesale Trade 120 2.0 52,156
Total 6,150 100.0% 42,496

Communities

Cities

Towns

Census-designated places

Other unincorporated communities

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Condado de Marion (Carolina del Sur) para niños

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