Population 62,558 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Darlington County
Household size in Darlington County
| Period | Darlington County | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.63 | 2.54 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.56 | 2.59 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.49 | 2.57 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.43 | 2.50 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.20 | −0.04 | −0.03 |
Households in Darlington County run small, averaging 2.43 people against 2.65 nationally, which usually means more singles and couples and fewer children. That is in line with the rest of South Carolina. Since 2006–10, household size has dropped from 2.63, a much bigger shift than nationally.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Darlington County
| Period | Darlington County | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 39.3 | 38.3 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 40.1 | 39.3 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 41.4 | 40.6 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 41.5 | 41.2 | 40.1 |
| Change | +2.2 | +2.9 | +2.3 |
At 41.5, the median age in Darlington County is close to the national median of 40.1, so its age mix looks much like the country's. The median age has climbed from 39.3 in 2006–10, in line with the national trend. The youngest areas are in the northwest, the oldest in the center.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Darlington County
| Period | Darlington County | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 14.2% | 13.0% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 15.3% | 13.0% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 15.5% | 11.8% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 15.9% | 11.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | +1.7 pts | −1.3 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head nearly one in six households in Darlington County (15.9%), well above the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share has risen 1.7 points since 2006–10, even as the national share fell. Darlington County has a higher share of single-parent households than the great majority of South Carolina counties.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Darlington County
Renters in Darlington County
| Period | Darlington County | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 26.0% | 30.1% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 30.9% | 31.4% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 30.5% | 30.6% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 29.1% | 28.1% | 34.8% |
| Change | +3.1 pts | −2.0 pts | +1.5 pts |
Most households in Darlington County own their homes; 29.1% rent, a little below the national share of 34.8%. Nearly six in ten owners (56.2%) have paid off their mortgages, well above the national share of 39.8%. The renter share is up 3.1 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Darlington County
| Period | Darlington County | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 15.1% | 14.2% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 13.1% | 14.2% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 14.7% | 13.3% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 13.8% | 11.8% | 9.6% |
| Change | −1.4 pts | −2.5 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacant homes make up 13.8% of the housing in Darlington County, far above the national rate of 9.6%. In resort and lake areas that usually means seasonal and vacation homes; elsewhere it can point to weak demand. Since 2006–10, vacancy has edged down 1.4 points, as it has nationally.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Darlington County
| Period | Darlington County | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1980 | 1984 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1979 | 1985 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1980 | 1987 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1983 | 1991 | 1980 |
| Change | +3 | +7 | +6 |
The typical home in Darlington County was built around 1983, about the same vintage as the country's housing overall (1980). Homes here are older than in South Carolina as a whole, where the median home dates to 1991.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Darlington County
| Period | Darlington County | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $567 | $780 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $623 | $859 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $693 | $984 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $946 | $1,294 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$379 | +$514 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Darlington County costs $946 a month with utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $379 a month since 2006–10, up 67%, faster than rents rose nationally. Rent takes 36.4% of the typical renter's income, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched. The priciest rents are in the northwest; the most affordable are in the south.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Darlington County
Bachelor's degrees in Darlington County
| Period | Darlington County | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 16.2% | 25.2% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 16.3% | 26.5% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 18.6% | 28.9% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 20.4% | 32.6% | 35.6% |
| Change | +4.2 pts | +7.4 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are relatively uncommon in Darlington County: 20.4% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's or higher, well below the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree has risen 4.2 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally. College graduates are most concentrated in the west and least in the north.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Darlington County
| Period | Darlington County | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 76.6% | 84.0% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 80.4% | 85.7% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 82.3% | 87.8% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 87.2% | 90.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +10.6 pts | +6.2 pts | +4.3 pts |
About one in eight adults in Darlington County never finished high school, a bit more than nationally: 87.2% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% across the U.S. The share with a diploma has risen 10.6 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Darlington County
| Period | Darlington County | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.7% | 9.1% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 16.9% | 10.6% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 8.8% | 5.8% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 6.3% | 4.9% | 5.4% |
| Change | −5.4 pts | −4.2 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been a little harder to find in Darlington County than nationally: unemployment was 6.3%, against 5.4%. Unemployment is down 5.4 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Darlington County compared with nearby counties
| County | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Darlington County | 2.43 | 41.5 | 15.9% | 29.1% | 13.8% | 1983 | $946 | 20.4% | 87.2% | 6.3% |
| Dillon County | 2.61 | 39.6 | 20.2% | 35.3% | 16.2% | 1984 | $714 | 13.9% | 81.5% | 9.2% |
| Kershaw County | 2.55 | 42.2 | 11.0% | 18.0% | 10.4% | 1991 | $1,045 | 24.6% | 89.3% | 4.8% |
| Fairfield County | 2.24 | 48.0 | 12.6% | 25.4% | 16.7% | 1985 | $1,092 | 15.3% | 85.1% | 6.7% |
| Columbus County | 2.47 | 43.1 | 11.4% | 28.9% | 14.9% | 1981 | $846 | 15.1% | 86.7% | 4.7% |
| Newberry County | 2.47 | 41.5 | 13.8% | 26.9% | 17.1% | 1978 | $912 | 22.8% | 84.9% | 5.2% |
| New Hanover County | 2.25 | 41.6 | 8.0% | 38.6% | 10.9% | 1991 | $1,541 | 45.0% | 94.0% | 4.5% |
| Greenwood County | 2.44 | 39.9 | 14.2% | 33.0% | 12.3% | 1976 | $941 | 24.3% | 88.7% | 5.9% |
| Pender County | 2.59 | 41.9 | 9.3% | 17.3% | 14.4% | 1999 | $1,457 | 31.8% | 91.0% | 4.5% |
| Abbeville County | 2.46 | 43.6 | 11.0% | 21.9% | 16.7% | 1980 | $826 | 19.8% | 88.1% | 3.5% |
| Hart County | 2.45 | 43.8 | 10.1% | 22.2% | 15.4% | 1987 | $918 | 20.6% | 85.3% | 3.6% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Apache County, AZ · Armstrong County, PA · Otsego County, NY · Maverick County, TX · McCracken County, KY · McKinley County, NM · McMinn County, TN · Mercer County, WV · Montcalm County, MI · Morgan County, IN
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Darlington County. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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