Population 68,314 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Kershaw County
Household size in Kershaw County
| Period | Kershaw County | Columbia area | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.57 | 2.51 | 2.54 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.58 | 2.55 | 2.59 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.60 | 2.55 | 2.57 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.55 | 2.46 | 2.50 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.02 | −0.05 | −0.04 | −0.03 |
The average household in Kershaw County has 2.55 people, a bit under the U.S. average of 2.65. Even so, the typical household here is bigger than in the wider Columbia area, where it has 2.46 people. Households are largest in the southwest and smallest in the center.
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 Kershaw County
| Period | Kershaw County | Columbia area | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 39.9 | 37.1 | 38.3 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 41.6 | 37.8 | 39.3 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 42.0 | 38.6 | 40.6 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 42.2 | 39.4 | 41.2 | 40.1 |
| Change | +2.3 | +2.3 | +2.9 | +2.3 |
Kershaw County skews a little older than the country: its median age is 42.2, against 40.1 nationally. The median age has climbed from 39.9 in 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Residents skew youngest in the south and oldest in the west.
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 Kershaw County
| Period | Kershaw County | Columbia area | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.8% | 13.2% | 13.0% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 12.1% | 13.4% | 13.0% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 11.2% | 12.9% | 11.8% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 11.0% | 12.9% | 11.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | −0.8 pts | −0.3 pts | −1.3 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head just over one in ten households in Kershaw County (11.0%), close to the national share of 11.6%. Single parents are less common here than in the Columbia area as a whole (12.9%). The single-parent share has edged down 0.8 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country.
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 Kershaw County
Renters in Kershaw County
| Period | Kershaw County | Columbia area | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 19.0% | 31.2% | 30.1% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 22.4% | 32.8% | 31.4% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 17.9% | 32.1% | 30.6% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 18.0% | 30.6% | 28.1% | 34.8% |
| Change | −1.1 pts | −0.6 pts | −2.0 pts | +1.5 pts |
Kershaw County is largely a place of homeowners: only 18.0% of households rent, far below the national share of 34.8%. Owner-heavy areas like this tend to see less turnover. Among homeowners, 42.3% have no mortgage at all, about the same as nationally. The renter share has edged down 1.1 points since 2006–10, even as the national share rose.
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 Kershaw County
| Period | Kershaw County | Columbia area | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.1% | 10.7% | 14.2% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 13.0% | 12.0% | 14.2% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 12.5% | 11.8% | 13.3% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 10.4% | 10.3% | 11.8% | 9.6% |
| Change | −0.7 pts | −0.4 pts | −2.5 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy in Kershaw County is close to the national rate: 10.4% of homes are empty, against 9.6%. Vacancy has edged down 0.7 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country. Kershaw County has a lower vacancy rate than the great majority of South Carolina counties.
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 Kershaw County
| Period | Kershaw County | Columbia area | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1986 | 1984 | 1984 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1987 | 1985 | 1985 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1987 | 1986 | 1987 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1991 | 1990 | 1991 | 1980 |
| Change | +5 | +6 | +7 | +6 |
Much of the housing in Kershaw County is relatively new: half of its homes were built after 1991, compared with 1980 for the U.S. as a whole. The median year built has moved up from 1986 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the south, the oldest in the center.
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 Kershaw County
| Period | Kershaw County | Columbia area | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $676 | $831 | $780 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $757 | $908 | $859 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $808 | $1,021 | $984 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,045 | $1,285 | $1,294 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$369 | +$453 | +$514 | +$606 |
The median renter in Kershaw County pays $1,045 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $369 a month since 2006–10, up 55%, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 32.2% of household income on rent, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. The priciest rents are in the south; the most affordable are in the center.
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 Kershaw County
Bachelor's degrees in Kershaw County
| Period | Kershaw County | Columbia area | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 18.3% | 31.5% | 25.2% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 20.1% | 31.8% | 26.5% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 20.8% | 34.1% | 28.9% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 24.6% | 35.9% | 32.6% | 35.6% |
| Change | +6.3 pts | +4.4 pts | +7.4 pts | +7.2 pts |
Fewer adults in Kershaw County have a four-year degree than in the country as a whole: 24.6%, against 35.6% nationally. The share with a degree has risen 6.3 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country. College graduates are most concentrated in the south and least in the northeast.
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 Kershaw County
| Period | Kershaw County | Columbia area | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 82.9% | 88.1% | 84.0% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 84.2% | 88.7% | 85.7% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 88.0% | 90.2% | 87.8% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 89.3% | 91.4% | 90.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +6.4 pts | +3.3 pts | +6.2 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Kershaw County is the same as the national rate: 89.3% of adults have a diploma or equivalent. The rate is lower than in the Columbia area as a whole (91.4%). The share with a diploma has risen 6.4 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country.
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 Kershaw County
| Period | Kershaw County | Columbia area | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.6% | 7.6% | 9.1% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 11.3% | 9.7% | 10.6% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.9% | 6.0% | 5.8% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.8% | 5.4% | 4.9% | 5.4% |
| Change | −3.8 pts | −2.2 pts | −4.2 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Kershaw County is close to the national rate: 4.8% of the labor force, against 5.4%. Unemployment has fallen 3.8 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current 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).
Kershaw 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kershaw County | 2.55 | 42.2 | 11.0% | 18.0% | 10.4% | 1991 | $1,045 | 24.6% | 89.3% | 4.8% |
| Lee County | 2.40 | 43.6 | 14.0% | 29.5% | 16.4% | 1983 | $865 | 11.8% | 80.1% | 7.2% |
| Fairfield County | 2.24 | 48.0 | 12.6% | 25.4% | 16.7% | 1985 | $1,092 | 15.3% | 85.1% | 6.7% |
| Darlington County | 2.43 | 41.5 | 15.9% | 29.1% | 13.8% | 1983 | $946 | 20.4% | 87.2% | 6.3% |
| Florence County | 2.61 | 39.7 | 14.0% | 35.5% | 15.5% | 1986 | $986 | 24.4% | 87.6% | 5.7% |
| Newberry County | 2.47 | 41.5 | 13.8% | 26.9% | 17.1% | 1978 | $912 | 22.8% | 84.9% | 5.2% |
| Dillon County | 2.61 | 39.6 | 20.2% | 35.3% | 16.2% | 1984 | $714 | 13.9% | 81.5% | 9.2% |
| Marion County | 2.40 | 43.0 | 18.7% | 37.4% | 16.6% | 1981 | $685 | 14.9% | 85.9% | 7.4% |
| Greenwood County | 2.44 | 39.9 | 14.2% | 33.0% | 12.3% | 1976 | $941 | 24.3% | 88.7% | 5.9% |
| Abbeville County | 2.46 | 43.6 | 11.0% | 21.9% | 16.7% | 1980 | $826 | 19.8% | 88.1% | 3.5% |
| Columbus County | 2.47 | 43.1 | 11.4% | 28.9% | 14.9% | 1981 | $846 | 15.1% | 86.7% | 4.7% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Adams County, IL · York County, VA · Windsor County, VT · Williamson County, IL · Wilkes County, NC · Whiteside County, IL · Wayne County, IN · Walton County, FL · Butler County, KS · Broomfield County, CO
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 Kershaw 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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