Bamberg County, South Carolina facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Bamberg County
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St. Philip's Episcopal Church
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| Motto(s):
"Bamberg County Naturally"
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Location within the U.S. state of South Carolina
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 South Carolina's location within the U.S. |
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| Country |  United States |
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| State |  South Carolina |
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| Founded | 1897 | ||
| Named for | Francis Marion Bamberg | ||
| Seat | Bamberg | ||
| Largest community | Bamberg | ||
| Area | |||
| • Total | 395.57 sq mi (1,024.5 km2) | ||
| • Land | 393.37 sq mi (1,018.8 km2) | ||
| • Water | 2.20 sq mi (5.7 km2) 0.56% | ||
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 13,311 | ||
| • Estimate
(2023)
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12,974 | ||
| • Density | 33.84/sq mi (13.07/km2) | ||
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern) | ||
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) | ||
| Congressional district | 6th | ||
Bamberg County is a county located in the southwestern portion of U.S. state of South Carolina. As of the 2020 census, the population was 13,311, making the rural county the fourth-least populous of any in South Carolina. Its county seat is Bamberg.
Voorhees University (formerly Voorhees College), a historically black university, was established here in the late nineteenth century. It is affiliated with the Episcopal Church.
Contents
History
Part of an agricultural area since the antebellum years, this upland area was developed for the cultivation of short-staple cotton. As a result, African Americans have comprised a large portion of the workers and population for much of the county's history.
The rural county was created from the eastern portion of Barnwell County, under the new South Carolina Constitution adopted in 1895; it included an article prescribing the process to establish new counties. The referendum on creating Bamberg County was held on January 19, 1897. The name Bamberg was selected to honor General Francis Marion Bamberg. In 1919 and again in 1920, tiny portions of northwestern Colleton County were annexed to Bamberg County.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 395.57 square miles (1,024.5 km2), of which 393.37 square miles (1,018.8 km2) is land and 2.20 square miles (5.7 km2) (0.56%) is water. It is the fourth-smallest county in South Carolina by land area and third-smallest by total area.
State and local protected areas
- Cathedral Bay Heritage Preserve
- Rivers Bridge State Park
Major water bodies
- Edisto River
- Lemon Creek
- Little Salkehatchie River
- Salkehatchie River
Adjacent counties
- Orangeburg County – north
- Dorchester County – east
- Colleton County – southeast
- Hampton County – south
- Allendale County – southwest
- Barnwell County – west
Major highways
US 21
US 78
US 78 Conn.
US 301
US 321
US 601
SC 61
SC 64
SC 70
SC 217
SC 362
Major infrastructure
- Bamberg County Airport
- Denmark Station
Demographics
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1900 | 17,296 | — | |
| 1910 | 18,544 | 7.2% | |
| 1920 | 20,962 | 13.0% | |
| 1930 | 19,410 | −7.4% | |
| 1940 | 18,643 | −4.0% | |
| 1950 | 17,533 | −6.0% | |
| 1960 | 16,274 | −7.2% | |
| 1970 | 15,950 | −2.0% | |
| 1980 | 18,118 | 13.6% | |
| 1990 | 16,902 | −6.7% | |
| 2000 | 16,658 | −1.4% | |
| 2010 | 15,987 | −4.0% | |
| 2020 | 13,311 | −16.7% | |
| 2023 (est.) | 12,974 | −18.8% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 1790–1960 1900–1990 1990–2000 2010 2020 |
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2020 census
| Race | Num. | Perc. |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 5,010 | 37.64% |
| Black or African American (non-Hispanic) | 7,749 | 58.22% |
| Native American | 25 | 0.19% |
| Asian | 66 | 0.5% |
| Other/Mixed | 320 | 2.4% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 141 | 1.06% |
As of the 2020 census, there were 13,311 people, 5,334 households, and 3,355 families residing in the county.
2010 census
At the 2010 census, there were 15,987 people, 6,048 households, and 3,920 families living in the county. The population density was 40.6 inhabitants per square mile (15.7/km2). There were 7,716 housing units at an average density of 19.6 per square mile (7.6/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 61.5% black or African American, 36.1% white, 0.4% Asian, 0.3% American Indian, 0.7% from other races, and 1.0% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 1.6% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 5.1% were American, and 5.0% were German.
Of the 6,048 households, 31.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 38.3% were married couples living together, 21.6% had a female householder with no husband present, 35.2% were non-families, and 31.8% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.44 and the average family size was 3.07. The median age was 39.3 years.
The median income for a household in the county was $32,538 and the median income for a family was $41,625. Males had a median income of $33,893 versus $27,324 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,236. About 23.6% of families and 29.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 40.7% of those under age 18 and 27.0% of those age 65 or over.
Economy
In 2022, the GDP of Bamberg County was $380.2 million (about $28,565 per capita). In chained 2017 dollars, the real GDP was $305.5 million (about $22,954 per capita). From 2022 through 2024, the unemployment rate has fluctuated between 4-7%.
As of April 2024[update], some of the largest employers in the county include Denmark Technical College and Voorhees University.
| Industry | Employment Counts | Employment Percentage (%) | Average Annual Wage ($) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accommodation and Food Services | 222 | 6.4 | 17,836 |
| Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 172 | 4.9 | 38,584 |
| Construction | 54 | 1.5 | 33,696 |
| Educational Services | 683 | 19.6 | 44,356 |
| Finance and Insurance | 153 | 4.4 | 47,840 |
| Health Care and Social Assistance | 472 | 13.5 | 40,664 |
| Information | 11 | 0.3 | 137,540 |
| Manufacturing | 502 | 14.4 | 50,232 |
| Other Services (except Public Administration) | 52 | 1.5 | 23,400 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 114 | 3.3 | 59,852 |
| Public Administration | 271 | 7.8 | 42,328 |
| Real Estate and Rental and Leasing | 3 | 0.1 | 32,032 |
| Retail Trade | 432 | 12.4 | 26,676 |
| Transportation and Warehousing | 53 | 1.5 | 50,856 |
| Utilities | 125 | 3.6 | 84,968 |
| Wholesale Trade | 165 | 4.7 | 40,456 |
| Total | 3,484 | 100.0% | 42,215 |
Communities
Cities
Towns
Education
Institutions of tertiary education:
- Denmark Technical College
- Voorhees University.
Since 2022 all of the county is a part of the Bamberg County School District. Prior to 2022, Bamberg School District One and Bamberg School District Two included sections of the county.
See also
In Spanish: Condado de Bamberg para niños
