Population 28,664 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Marion County
Household size in Marion County
| Period | Marion County | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.71 | 2.54 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.75 | 2.59 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.66 | 2.57 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.40 | 2.50 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.32 | −0.04 | −0.03 |
Marion County is a place of small households, averaging 2.40 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. Household size has dropped from 2.71 in 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. The biggest households, usually families with children, are concentrated in the southwest.
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 Marion County
| Period | Marion County | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 39.1 | 38.3 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 40.8 | 39.3 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 42.1 | 40.6 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 43.0 | 41.2 | 40.1 |
| Change | +3.9 | +2.9 | +2.3 |
Marion County skews older than the country: its median age is 43.0, against 40.1 nationally. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 39.1, as it has nationally. The youngest areas are in the southwest, the oldest in the east.
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 Marion County
| Period | Marion County | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 20.7% | 13.0% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 18.6% | 13.0% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 17.2% | 11.8% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 18.7% | 11.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | −2.0 pts | −1.3 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head nearly one in five households in Marion County (18.7%), well above the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share has fallen 2.0 points since 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Only one other South Carolina county has a higher share of single-parent households.
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 Marion County
Renters in Marion County
| Period | Marion County | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 33.5% | 30.1% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 32.8% | 31.4% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 34.0% | 30.6% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 37.4% | 28.1% | 34.8% |
| Change | +3.8 pts | −2.0 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting in Marion County is about as common as it is nationally: 37.4% of households rent, against 34.8%. Renters make up a bigger share here than in South Carolina as a whole (28.1%). Among homeowners, 69.0% have no mortgage at all, well above the national share of 39.8%. The renter share is up 3.8 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally.
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 Marion County
| Period | Marion County | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 18.7% | 14.2% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 20.6% | 14.2% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 22.3% | 13.3% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 16.6% | 11.8% | 9.6% |
| Change | −2.1 pts | −2.5 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is high in Marion County: 16.6% of homes are empty, 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. Vacancy has fallen 2.1 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country.
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 Marion County
| Period | Marion County | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1975 | 1984 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1978 | 1985 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1982 | 1987 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1981 | 1991 | 1980 |
| Change | +6 | +7 | +6 |
The typical home in Marion County was built around 1981, 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. The median year built has moved up from 1975 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the north, the oldest in the west.
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 Marion County
| Period | Marion County | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $519 | $780 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $573 | $859 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $577 | $984 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $685 | $1,294 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$166 | +$514 | +$606 |
Rent in Marion County runs $685 a month at the median, utilities included, well below the U.S. median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $166 a month since 2006–10, up 32%, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 32.1% of household income on rent, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Only one other South Carolina county has lower rents.
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 Marion County
Bachelor's degrees in Marion County
| Period | Marion County | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 13.2% | 25.2% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 15.1% | 26.5% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 13.5% | 28.9% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 14.9% | 32.6% | 35.6% |
| Change | +1.8 pts | +7.4 pts | +7.2 pts |
Fewer adults in Marion County have a four-year degree than in the country as a whole: 14.9%, against 35.6% nationally. The share with a degree has risen 1.8 points since 2006–10, a smaller shift than nationally. College graduates are most concentrated in the west and least in the south.
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 Marion County
| Period | Marion County | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 78.8% | 84.0% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 81.8% | 85.7% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 78.3% | 87.8% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 85.9% | 90.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +7.1 pts | +6.2 pts | +4.3 pts |
About one in seven adults in Marion County never finished high school, more than nationally: 85.9% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% across the U.S. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 7.1 points, 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 Marion County
| Period | Marion County | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.6% | 9.1% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 17.3% | 10.6% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 7.1% | 5.8% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 7.4% | 4.9% | 5.4% |
| Change | −5.2 pts | −4.2 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Marion County runs well above the national rate: 7.4% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4%. Unemployment is down 5.2 points from 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).
Marion 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marion County | 2.40 | 43.0 | 18.7% | 37.4% | 16.6% | 1981 | $685 | 14.9% | 85.9% | 7.4% |
| Florence County | 2.61 | 39.7 | 14.0% | 35.5% | 15.5% | 1986 | $986 | 24.4% | 87.6% | 5.7% |
| Columbus County | 2.47 | 43.1 | 11.4% | 28.9% | 14.9% | 1981 | $846 | 15.1% | 86.7% | 4.7% |
| Lee County | 2.40 | 43.6 | 14.0% | 29.5% | 16.4% | 1983 | $865 | 11.8% | 80.1% | 7.2% |
| Brunswick County | 2.24 | 53.2 | 8.2% | 15.4% | 20.4% | 2002 | $1,409 | 33.9% | 93.2% | 4.5% |
| Kershaw County | 2.55 | 42.2 | 11.0% | 18.0% | 10.4% | 1991 | $1,045 | 24.6% | 89.3% | 4.8% |
| New Hanover County | 2.25 | 41.6 | 8.0% | 38.6% | 10.9% | 1991 | $1,541 | 45.0% | 94.0% | 4.5% |
| Richland County | 2.40 | 37.1 | 14.3% | 39.7% | 10.9% | 1988 | $1,377 | 40.9% | 92.1% | 6.3% |
| Newberry County | 2.47 | 41.5 | 13.8% | 26.9% | 17.1% | 1978 | $912 | 22.8% | 84.9% | 5.2% |
| 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% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Washington County, IA · Alpena County, MI · Amherst County, VA · Anasco Municipio, PR · Anderson County, KY · Bandera County, TX · Wayne County, MS · Washington County, NE · Washington County, MO · Yell County, AR
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 Marion 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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