Lee County, SC

County

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2021 Population

16,730

2.41% 1-year decline

US Senator

Lindsey Graham

Republican Party

US Senator

Tim Scott

Republican Party

2021 Median Age

41.3

1.67% 1-year decrease

2021 Poverty Rate

22.8%

11.5% 1-year decrease

2021 Median Household Income

$36,195

10.2% 1-year growth

2021 Median Property Value

$85,500

8.23% 1-year growth

About

In 2021, Lee County, SC had a population of 16.7k people with a median age of 41.3 and a median household income of $36,195. Between 2020 and 2021 the population of Lee County, SC declined from 17,144 to 16,730, a −2.41% decrease and its median household income grew from $32,851 to $36,195, a 10.2% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Lee County, SC are Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (62.5%), White (Non-Hispanic) (32.5%), Two+ (Non-Hispanic) (2.38%), White (Hispanic) (1.23%), and Other (Hispanic) (0.652%).

None of the households in Lee County, SC reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

98.5% of the residents in Lee County, SC are U.S. citizens.

In 2021, the median property value in Lee County, SC was $85,500, and the homeownership rate was 74.8%.

Most people in Lee County, SC drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 28.4 minutes. The average car ownership in Lee County, SC was 2 cars per household.

Lee County, SC borders Darlington County, SC, Florence County, SC, Kershaw County, SC, and Sumter County, SC.

United States South Carolina

Population & Diversity

Lee County, SC is home to a population of 16.7k people, from which 98.5% are citizens. As of 2021, 1.72% of Lee County, SC residents were born outside of the country (287 people).

In 2021, there were 1.92 times more Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) residents (10.4k people) in Lee County, SC than any other race or ethnicity. There were 5.43k White (Non-Hispanic) and 399 Two+ (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Citizenship

98.5%

2021 Citizenship

99.4%

2020 Citizenship

As of 2021, 98.5% of Lee County, SC residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.4%. In 2020, the percentage of US citizens in Lee County, SC was 99.4%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Lee County, SC compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Lee County, SC

Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
10.4k ± 152
White (Non-Hispanic)
5.43k ± 20
Two+ (Non-Hispanic)
399 ± 141

2.56%

Hispanic Population

428 people

2.56% of the people in Lee County, SC are hispanic (428 people).

The following chart shows the 7 races represented in Lee County, SC as a share of the total population.

Foreign-Born Population

1.72%

2021 Foreign-Born Population

287 people

1.6%

2020 Foreign-Born Population

274 people

As of 2021, 1.72% of Lee County, SC residents (287 people) were born outside of the United States, which is lower than the national average of 13.6%. In 2020, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Lee County, SC was 1.6%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Lee County, SC compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
311 ± 97
Gulf War (1990s)
231 ± 95
Gulf War (2001-)
139 ± 88

Lee County, SC has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.35 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Lee County, SC employs 6.08k people. The largest industries in Lee County, SC are Manufacturing (1,060 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (897 people), and Retail Trade (877 people), and the highest paying industries are Utilities ($67,222), Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($55,899), and Wholesale Trade ($52,879).

Employment

Occupations

6.08k

2021 Value

± 586

3.03%

1 Year growth

± 12.8%

From 2020 to 2021, employment in Lee County, SC grew at a rate of 3.03%, from 5.91k employees to 6.08k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Lee County, SC, are Production Occupations (819 people), Sales & Related Occupations (694 people), and Office & Administrative Support Occupations (665 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Lee County, SC.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for false.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in South Carolina (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

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Industries

Employment by Industries

6.08k

2021 Value

± 586

3.03%

1 Year growth

± 12.8%

From 2020 to 2021, employment in Lee County, SC grew at a rate of 3.03%, from 5.91k employees to 6.08k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Lee County, SC, are Manufacturing (1,060 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (897 people), and Retail Trade (877 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Lee County, SC, though some of these residents may live in Lee County, SC and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$35,256

Median earning men ± $3,727

$24,256

Median earning women ± $3,379

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2021 are Wholesale Trade ($52,879), Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($50,089), and Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting, & Mining ($42,188).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2021 are Public Administration ($31,563), Manufacturing ($29,542), and Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($28,938).

Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for false.

Y-Axis

2.75%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 155M people employed in South Carolina. This represents a 2.75% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in South Carolina.

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Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments

63
Educational Services, Health Care & Social Assistance
51
Manufacturing
48
Finance & Insurance, and Real Estate, Rental & Leasing

The visualization shows the distribution of establishments by industry and by size according to the number of employees.

Domestic Trade

Domestic Production & Consumption

Domestic production and consumption consists of products and services shipped from South Carolina to other states, or from other states to South Carolina.

Top Domestic Production in Dollars

In 2020, the top outbound South Carolina product (by dollars) was Motorized vehicles with $39.9B, followed by Plastics/rubber ($29.5B) and Machinery ($26.9B).

The following chart shows the share of these products in relation to all outbound South Carolina products.

Domestic Trade Growth

Showing data for South Carolina.

$273B

2020 Value in South Carolina

$613B

Projected 2050 Value in South Carolina

124% growth

In 2020, total outbound South Carolina trade was $273B. This is expected to increase 124% to $613B by 2050.

The following chart shows how the domestic outbound South Carolina trade is projected to change in comparison to its neighboring states.

Interstate Trade

Interstate trade consists of products and services shipped from South Carolina to other states, or from other states to South Carolina.

Most Common Trade Partners

North Carolina
$28.9B
Georgia
$21.4B
Texas
$10.9B

In 2020, the top outbound South Carolina domestic partner for goods and services (by dollars) was North Carolina with $28.9B, followed by Georgia with $21.4B and Texas and $10.9B.

The following map shows the amount of trade that South Carolina shares with each state (excluding itself).

Civics

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in Lee County, SC went to Joseph R Biden Jr. with 63.2% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (35.7%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (0.842%).

Lindsey Graham and Tim Scott are the senators currently representing the state of South Carolina. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

South Carolina is currently represented by 7 members in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

Presidential Elections

Presidential Popular Vote Over Time

2020 Election Results

Joseph R Biden Jr. (63.2%)
Democratic Party
Donald J. Trump (35.7%)
Republican Party
Jo Jorgensen (0.842%)
Libertarian Party

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in Lee County, SC went to Joseph R Biden Jr. with 63.2% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (35.7%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (0.842%).

The following chart shows the popular vote results in Lee County, SC for each registered party from 1976 to 2020.

Senator Elections

US Senators from South Carolina

Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for South Carolina.

Lindsey Graham

Senator from South Carolina

Assumed office on January 3, 2003

Tim Scott

Senator from South Carolina

Assumed office on January 2, 2013
Appointed to the seat following the resignation of Jim DeMint.

Lindsey Graham and Tim Scott are the senators currently representing South Carolina.

In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

The following chart shows elected senators in South Carolina over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

US Representative Elections

US Representatives from South Carolina

South Carolina is currently represented by 7 members in the U.S. house.

Members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms, and the following chart shows the how the members for South Carolina have changed over time starting in 2008.

Education

Completions

Awarded Degrees over Time

The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

Working Population

Educational Pyramid

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for South Carolina.

Measure

In 2021, 0.829% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 0.722% of women were in the same situation.

This visualization shows the gender distribution of the population according to the academic level reached.

Educational Attainment

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for South Carolina.

Race

The most common educational levels obtained by the working population in 2021 were High School or Equivalent (1.18M), Some college (890k), and Bachelors Degree (688k).

This visualization illustrates the percentage distribution of the population according to the highest educational level reached. You can filter the data by race by using the selector above.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Lee County, SC was $85,500 in 2021, which is 0.349 times smaller than the national average of $244,900. Between 2020 and 2021 the median property value increased from $79,000 to $85,500, a 8.23% increase. The homeownership rate in Lee County, SC is 74.8%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 64.6%.

People in Lee County, SC have an average commute time of 28.4 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Lee County, SC is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Median household income in Lee County, SC is $36,195. In 2021, the tract with the highest Median Household Income in Lee County, SC was Census Tract 9201 with a value of $41,776, followed by Census Tract 9206 and Census Tract 9203.02, with respective values of $29,332 and $27,857.

Property

$85,500

Median Property Value 2021

±$11,104

$4,728

Median Property Taxes

±$438

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Lee County, SC the largest share of households pay taxes in the < $800 range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Lee County, SC compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

Rent vs Own

74.8%

Homeownership

2021

67.6%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2021

In 2021, 74.8% of the housing units in Lee County, SC were occupied by their owner. This percentage declined from the previous year's rate of 77.2%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Lee County, SC compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Equity

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.

Race/Ethnicity

Highest Median Household Income (Total)

Census Tract 9201
Census Tract 9206
Census Tract 9203.02

In 2021, the tract with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Lee County, SC was Census Tract 9201 with a value of $41,776, followed by Census Tract 9206 and Census Tract 9203.02, with respective values of $29,332 and $27,857.

The following map shows all of the tracts in Lee County, SC colored by their Median Household Income (Total).

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$36,195

Median Household Income

± $5,386

6.32k

Number of Households

± 549

In 2021, the median household income of the 6.32k households in Lee County, SC grew to $36,195 from the previous year's value of $32,851.

The following chart displays the households in Lee County, SC distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the < $10k range.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Lee County, SC is from South Carolina.

0.463

2021 Wage GINI in South Carolina

0.462

2020 Wage GINI in South Carolina

In 2021, the income inequality in South Carolina was 0.463 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.122% growth from 2020 to 2021, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat less even. The GINI for South Carolina was lower than than the national average of 0.478. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in South Carolina in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in South Carolina across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2021

Drove Alone (87.7%)
Carpooled (8.48%)
Worked At Home (2.02%)

In 2021, 87.7% of workers in Lee County, SC drove alone to work, followed by those who carpooled to work (8.48%) and those who worked at home (2.02%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

Commute Time

28.4 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Lee County, SC have a longer commute time (28.4 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.8 minutes). Additionally, 3.39% of the workforce in Lee County, SC have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Lee County, SC compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Lee County, SC distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Lee County, SC have 2 cars.

Poverty

Poverty & Diversity

22.8% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Lee County, SC (3.5k out of 15.4k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.6%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 55 - 64, followed by Females 18 - 24 and then Females 25 - 34.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Lee County, SC is Black, followed by White and Two Or More.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals
Florida
4,915 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798. New York has the second highest (5,087), followed by Florida (4,915).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

Health

88.7% of the population of Lee County, SC has health coverage, with 34.4% on employee plans, 25.1% on Medicaid, 13.4% on Medicare, 13.9% on non-group plans, and 1.99% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Lee County, SC see 5609 patients per year on average, which represents a 1.84% decrease from the previous year (5714 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 8350 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 879 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 47.8% were men and 52.2% were women.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

5,609 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Lee County, SC

Primary care physicians in Lee County, SC see an average of 5,609 patients per year. This represents a 1.84% decrease from the previous year (5,714 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Lee County, SC in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

Health Care Diversity

In 2021, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 22.5% under 18 years, 19.8% between 18 and 34 years, 38% between 35 and 64 years, and 19.7% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 47.8% were men and 52.2% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

Uninsured People

11.3%

Uninsured

34.4%

Employer Coverage

25.1%

Medicaid

13.4%

Medicare

13.9%

Non-Group

1.99%

Military or VA

Between 2020 and 2021, the percent of uninsured citizens in Lee County, SC grew by 7.73% from 10.4% to 11.3%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Lee County, SC changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.

Health Indicators

Health Outcomes

Indicator

In 2022, the number of deaths among residents under age 18 per 100,000 population was 103 in Lee County, SC.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Lee County, SC.

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Health Behaviors

Indicator

In 2022, the percentage of the adult population (age 18 and older) that reports a body mass index (BMI) greater than or equal to 30 kg/m2 (age-adjusted) was 41.6% in Lee County, SC.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Lee County, SC.

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