Chester County, South Carolina facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Chester County
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Chester County Courthouse
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| Motto(s):
"Choose Chester County, For Business. For Life."
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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 | 1785 | |
| Named for | Chester, Pennsylvania | |
| Seat | Chester | |
| Largest community | Chester | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 586.16 sq mi (1,518.1 km2) | |
| • Land | 580.66 sq mi (1,503.9 km2) | |
| • Water | 5.50 sq mi (14.2 km2) 0.94% | |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 32,294 | |
| • Estimate
(2023)
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32,226 | |
| • Density | 55.62/sq mi (21.48/km2) | |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern) | |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) | |
| Congressional district | 5th | |
Chester County is a county located in the U.S. state of South Carolina. As of the 2020 census, its population was 32,294. Its county seat is Chester.
Chester County is included in the Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Contents
History
The county was founded in 1785 and was named after Chester, Pennsylvania. The largest community and county seat is Chester. The county is also included in the Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 586.16 square miles (1,518.1 km2), of which 580.66 square miles (1,503.9 km2) is land and 5.50 square miles (14.2 km2) (0.94%) is water.
National protected area
- Sumter National Forest (part)
State and local protected areas
- Chester State Park
- Landsford Canal Forest Legacy Area
- Landsford Canal State Park
- Woods Ferry Recreation Area
Major water bodies
- Broad River
- Catawba River
- Chester Reservoir
- Great Falls Lake
- Fishing Creek Lake
Adjacent counties
- York County – north
- Lancaster County – east
- Fairfield County – south
- Union County – west
Major highways
I-77
US 21
US 321
US 321 Bus.
SC 9
SC 9 Bus.
SC 49
SC 72
SC 97
SC 99
SC 121
SC 215
SC 223
SC 901
SC 909
Demographics
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1790 | 6,866 | — | |
| 1800 | 8,185 | 19.2% | |
| 1810 | 11,479 | 40.2% | |
| 1820 | 14,189 | 23.6% | |
| 1830 | 17,182 | 21.1% | |
| 1840 | 17,747 | 3.3% | |
| 1850 | 18,038 | 1.6% | |
| 1860 | 18,122 | 0.5% | |
| 1870 | 18,805 | 3.8% | |
| 1880 | 24,153 | 28.4% | |
| 1890 | 26,660 | 10.4% | |
| 1900 | 28,616 | 7.3% | |
| 1910 | 29,425 | 2.8% | |
| 1920 | 33,389 | 13.5% | |
| 1930 | 31,803 | −4.8% | |
| 1940 | 32,579 | 2.4% | |
| 1950 | 32,597 | 0.1% | |
| 1960 | 30,888 | −5.2% | |
| 1970 | 29,811 | −3.5% | |
| 1980 | 30,148 | 1.1% | |
| 1990 | 32,170 | 6.7% | |
| 2000 | 34,068 | 5.9% | |
| 2010 | 33,140 | −2.7% | |
| 2020 | 32,294 | −2.6% | |
| 2023 (est.) | 32,226 | −2.8% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 1790–1960 1900–1990 1990–2000 2010 2020 |
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2020 census
| Race | Num. | Perc. |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 18,591 | 57.57% |
| Black or African American (non-Hispanic) | 11,287 | 34.95% |
| Native American | 145 | 0.45% |
| Asian | 146 | 0.45% |
| Pacific Islander | 14 | 0.04% |
| Other/Mixed | 1,316 | 4.08% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 795 | 2.46% |
As of the 2020 census, there were 32,294 people, 12,653 households, and 8,042 families residing in the county.
2010 census
At the 2010 census, there were 33,140 people, 12,876 households, and 9,073 families living in the county. The population density was 57.1 inhabitants per square mile (22.0/km2). There were 14,701 housing units at an average density of 25.3 units per square mile (9.8 units/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 59.8% white, 37.4% black or African American, 0.4% American Indian, 0.3% Asian, 0.6% from other races, and 1.5% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 1.4% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 19.9% were American, 7.5% were Irish, 5.6% were English, and 5.1% were German.
Of the 12,876 households, 34.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.5% were married couples living together, 19.8% had a female householder with no husband present, 29.5% were non-families, and 25.9% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.56 and the average family size was 3.04. The median age was 40.3 years.
The median income for a household in the county was $32,743 and the median income for a family was $42,074. Males had a median income of $39,008 versus $27,701 for females. The per capita income for the county was $17,687. About 18.6% of families and 21.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 30.0% of those under age 18 and 18.0% of those age 65 or over.
Economy
Chester County's economy has an industrial and agricultural base with large areas used for timber production. There are several sawmills in the county and others near it. Forest land ownership is majority family landowners who manage their properties for a variety of uses. Agriculture is also a big segment of the economy with crops consisting of cotton, wheat, oats, rye, beef and dairy cattle, hay, corn, peaches, other vegetables, peanuts, soybeans, and pecans.
In 2022, the GDP of Chester County was $1.4 billion (about $43,999 per capita). In chained 2017 dollars, its real GDP was $1.1 billion (about $35,382 per capita). Throughout 2022 to 2024, the unemployment rate has fluctuated between 3.1% and 5.6%.
As of April 2024[update], some of the largest employers in the county include Chester County School District, E & J Gallo Winery, and Walmart.
| Industry | Employment Counts | Employment Percentage (%) | Average Annual Wage ($) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accommodation and Food Services | 570 | 6.2 | 19,136 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 126 | 1.4 | 35,048 |
| Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 111 | 1.2 | 50,908 |
| Construction | 685 | 7.5 | 63,908 |
| Finance and Insurance | 125 | 1.4 | 50,076 |
| Health Care and Social Assistance | 781 | 8.5 | 46,072 |
| Manufacturing | 3,449 | 37.5 | 64,584 |
| Other Services (except Public Administration) | 180 | 2.0 | 30,264 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 211 | 2.3 | 103,532 |
| Public Administration | 652 | 7.1 | 46,748 |
| Real Estate and Rental and Leasing | 16 | 0.2 | 41,704 |
| Retail Trade | 875 | 9.5 | 26,520 |
| Transportation and Warehousing | 369 | 4.0 | 53,300 |
| Utilities | 120 | 1.3 | 74,048 |
| Wholesale Trade | 921 | 10.0 | 67,392 |
| Total | 9,191 | 100.0% | 54,620 |
Media
- Chester Vision or CSN
- Chester News & Reporter
- WRBK, 90.3 FM, a noncommercial station that primarily features classic oldies
Communities
City
- Chester (county seat and largest community)
Towns
Census-designated places
- Eureka Mill
- Gayle Mill
Unincorporated communities
Notable people
- John Adair, (1757–1840), born in Chester County (although at the time it was believed to be part of Anson County, North Carolina), became a member of the United States House of Representatives and the United States Senate, and the 8th governor of Kentucky
- Thomas Griffin and Meeks Griffin, were wrongly executed in South Carolina by electric chair in 1915. They were framed in Chester County in 1913 and pardoned in 2009.
See also
In Spanish: Condado de Chester (Carolina del Sur) para niños
