Allendale County, South Carolina facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Allendale County
|
||
|---|---|---|
Allendale County Courthouse
|
||
|
||
Location within the U.S. state of South Carolina
|
||
 South Carolina's location within the U.S. |
||
| Country |  United States |
|
| State |  South Carolina |
|
| Founded | 1919 | |
| Named for | Paul H. Allen | |
| Seat | Allendale | |
| Largest community | Allendale | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 412.42 sq mi (1,068.2 km2) | |
| • Land | 408.10 sq mi (1,057.0 km2) | |
| • Water | 4.32 sq mi (11.2 km2) 1.05% | |
| Population
(2020)
|
||
| • Total | 8,039 | |
| • Estimate
(2023)
|
7,369 | |
| • Density | 19.70/sq mi (7.61/km2) | |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern) | |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) | |
| Congressional district | 6th | |
Allendale County is a county located in the U.S. state of South Carolina. As of the 2020 census, the population was 8,039, making it the least populous county in South Carolina. Its county seat is Allendale.
Contents
History
Allendale County was formed in 1919 from southwestern portions of Barnwell County, along the Savannah River, and part of Hampton County, just to its south. It is the location of the Topper Site, an archeological excavation providing possible evidence of a pre-Clovis culture dating back 50,000 years. The site is near a source of chert on private land in Martin owned by Clariant Corporation, a Swiss chemical company with a plant there. The site, named after John Topper, a nt who discovered it, has been under excavation by archeologists from the University of South Carolina for about one month a year since 1999, after an initial exploratory dig in the mid-1980s.
Allendale County was born out of a desire for convenience. Having a new county circumvented the need to travel to the courthouse in Barnwell or Hampton. The original Allendale County Courthouse burned down in May 1998, with reconstruction begun in August 2002. During the Civil Rights movement, the Courthouse almost became a site for a sit-in protest after African-American citizens charged officials with deliberately delaying the voter registration of black residents.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 412.42 square miles (1,068.2 km2), of which 408.10 square miles (1,057.0 km2) is land and 4.32 square miles (11.2 km2) (1.05%) is water. The Savannah River forms the county's western border with Georgia.
Allendale is 62 miles (100 km) from Augusta, Georgia; 73 miles (117 km) from Savannah, Georgia; 87 miles (140 km) from Columbia; and 90 miles (140 km) from Charleston. Before interstate highways were built, Allendale had several motels, primarily serving travelers in-between Northeastern states and Florida. Traffic that formerly traveled US 301 through Allendale now uses Interstate 95.
Major water bodies
- Coosawhatchie River
- Salkehatchie River
- Savannah River
Adjacent counties
- Bamberg County – northeast
- Colleton County – east
- Hampton County – southeast
- Screven County, Georgia – southwest
- Burke County, Georgia – west
- Barnwell County – northwest
Major highways
US 278
US 301
US 321
SC 3
SC 47
SC 125
SC 300
SC 641
Major infrastructure
- Savannah River Site (part)
Demographics
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1920 | 16,098 | — | |
| 1930 | 13,294 | −17.4% | |
| 1940 | 13,040 | −1.9% | |
| 1950 | 11,773 | −9.7% | |
| 1960 | 11,362 | −3.5% | |
| 1970 | 9,692 | −14.7% | |
| 1980 | 10,700 | 10.4% | |
| 1990 | 11,722 | 9.6% | |
| 2000 | 11,211 | −4.4% | |
| 2010 | 10,419 | −7.1% | |
| 2020 | 8,039 | −22.8% | |
| 2023 (est.) | 7,369 | −29.3% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 1790–1960 1900–1990 1990–2000 2010 2020 |
|||
2020 census
| Race | Num. | Perc. |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 1,985 | 24.69% |
| Black or African American (non-Hispanic) | 5,646 | 70.23% |
| Native American | 45 | 0.56% |
| Asian | 17 | 0.21% |
| Pacific Islander | 1 | 0.01% |
| Other/Mixed | 151 | 1.88% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 194 | 2.41% |
As of the 2020 census, there were 8,039 people, 3,281 households, and 1,389 families residing in the county. The median age was 51.4 for women and 44.5 for men. About 23.7% of households had children living with them. Renters make up 35.6% of households. Available housing was more than the number of households, totaling 4,040 housing units, all of which are classified as rural. The median household size was 2 (with a mean of 2.2).
2010 census
At the 2010 census, there were 10,419 people, 3,706 households, and 2,333 families living in the county. The population density was 25.5 inhabitants per square mile (9.8/km2). There were 4,486 housing units at an average density of 11.0 per square mile (4.2/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 73.6% black or African American, 23.7% white, 0.4% Asian, 0.2% American Indian, 1.3% from other races, and 0.8% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 2.3% of the population. In terms of ancestry, and 5.6% were American.
Of the 3,706 households, 32.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 31.5% were married couples living together, 26.9% had a female householder with no husband present, 37.0% were non-families, and 33.7% of households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.45 and the average family size was 3.14. The median age was 38.8 years.
The median household income was $20,081 and the median family income was $25,146. Males had a median income of $30,440 versus $28,889 for females. The per capita income for the county was $14,190. About 35.7% of families and 42.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 53.8% of those under age 18 and 27.4% of those age 65 or over.
Economy
Allendale is primarily an agricultural rural county. Its primary products are cotton, soybeans, watermelon and cantaloupe. Timbering is also important, primarily for paper pulp.
In 2022, Allendale's GDP was $317.5 million (approx. $39,491 per capita). In chained 2017 dollars, its real GDP was $240.4 million (approx. $29,902 per capita). From 2021 through 2024, its unemployment rate has fluctuated between 4-8%.
As of April 2024[update], some of the largest employers in the county include Atlantic Power Corporation, AZ Electronic Materials, Georgia-Pacific, South Carolina Department of Corrections (SCDC), and the University of South Carolina.
| Industry | Employment Counts | Employment Percentage (%) | Average Annual Wage ($) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accommodation and Food Services | 46 | 2.0 | 15,808 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 13 | 0.6 | 28,600 |
| Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 117 | 5.0 | 46,124 |
| Construction | 20 | 0.9 | 30,472 |
| Educational Services | 280 | 12.0 | 50,336 |
| Finance and Insurance | 30 | 1.3 | 38,740 |
| Health Care and Social Assistance | 360 | 15.4 | 43,264 |
| Manufacturing | 782 | 33.5 | 85,228 |
| Other Services (except Public Administration) | 4 | 0.2 | 18,200 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 32 | 1.4 | 51,064 |
| Public Administration | 382 | 16.4 | 49,868 |
| Retail Trade | 140 | 6.0 | 19,708 |
| Transportation and Warehousing | 58 | 2.5 | 53,300 |
| Wholesale Trade | 68 | 2.9 | 58,708 |
| Total | 2,332 | 100.0% | 57,969 |
Education
Colleges and universities
- USC-Salkahatchie (a two-year campus): Robert McNair, Democratic Governor of South Carolina from 1965 to 1971, moved to Allendale County as an adult because his wife was from there. Because of McNair's influence, USC Salk is located in the town of Allendale.
- Denmark Tech: Part of the state Technical College System, Denmark Tech serves the county from its location in Bamberg County, 25 miles (40 km) from Allendale.
The county is also the site of WEBA, Channel 14, a broadcast outlet of the South Carolina Educational Television Network. Ranking 45th in population among the state's 46 counties, it is the smallest county to have either a state-supported college or an ETV station.
High schools
Allendale County School District includes one high school: Allendale-Fairfax High School. The former C. V. Bing High School served African-American students during the time of segregation.
Media
Allendale County is a news desert. The last local news publications, The Citizen-Leader and The Allendale Sun, stopped printing in 2014 and 2015, respectively.
Communities
Towns
Unincorporated communities
- Appleton
- Martin
See also
In Spanish: Condado de Allendale para niños
