Greenwood County, South Carolina facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Greenwood County
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Greenwood County Courthouse
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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 | Greenwood Plantation | |
| Seat | Greenwood | |
| Largest community | Greenwood | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 463.81 sq mi (1,201.3 km2) | |
| • Land | 455.60 sq mi (1,180.0 km2) | |
| • Water | 8.21 sq mi (21.3 km2) 1.77% | |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 69,351 | |
| • Estimate
(2023)
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69,460 | |
| • Density | 152.22/sq mi (58.77/km2) | |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern) | |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) | |
| Congressional district | 3rd | |
Greenwood County is a county located in the U.S. state of South Carolina. As of the 2020 census, its population was 69,351. Its county seat is Greenwood.
Among the 22 counties located in the Piedmont of the state, Greenwood County is the largest county within the Greenwood, SC Micropolitan Statistical Area.
History
Greenwood County was formed in 1897 from portions of Abbeville and Edgefield counties, which had originally been part of the old Ninety-Six District. It was named for its county seat, Greenwood. This had been named around 1824 after a plantation owned by John McGehee, an early resident. The area was developed largely for cotton plantations and was dependent on slave labor. It has continued to be agricultural in the 21st century.
Greenwood County was the site of the November 1898 Phoenix Election riot.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 463 square miles (1,200 km2), of which 455 square miles (1,180 km2) is land and 8.2 square miles (21 km2) (1.8%) is water. Greenwood County is in the Savannah River basin and the Saluda River basin.
Adjacent counties
- Laurens County - north
- Newberry County - northeast
- Edgefield County - southeast
- Saluda County - southeast
- McCormick County - southwest
- Abbeville County - west
Major highways
US 25
US 178
US 178 Bus.
US 221
SC 10
SC 34
SC 72
SC 702
SC 246
SC 248
SC 252
National protected areas
- Ninety Six National Historic Site
- Sumter National Forest (part)
Demographics
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1900 | 28,343 | — | |
| 1910 | 34,225 | 20.8% | |
| 1920 | 35,791 | 4.6% | |
| 1930 | 36,078 | 0.8% | |
| 1940 | 40,083 | 11.1% | |
| 1950 | 41,628 | 3.9% | |
| 1960 | 44,346 | 6.5% | |
| 1970 | 49,686 | 12.0% | |
| 1980 | 57,847 | 16.4% | |
| 1990 | 59,567 | 3.0% | |
| 2000 | 66,271 | 11.3% | |
| 2010 | 69,661 | 5.1% | |
| 2020 | 69,351 | −0.4% | |
| 2023 (est.) | 69,460 | −0.3% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 1790–1960 1900–1990 1990–2000 2010 2020 |
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2020 census
| Race | Num. | Perc. |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 40,625 | 58.58% |
| Black or African American (non-Hispanic) | 20,820 | 30.02% |
| Native American | 102 | 0.15% |
| Asian | 678 | 0.98% |
| Pacific Islander | 41 | 0.06% |
| Other/Mixed | 2,336 | 3.37% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 4,749 | 6.85% |
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 69,351 people, 28,544 households, and 17,855 families residing in the county.
2010 census
As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 69,661 people, 27,547 households, and 18,438 families living in the county. The population density was 153.2 inhabitants per square mile (59.2/km2). There were 31,054 housing units at an average density of 68.3 per square mile (26.4/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 62.9% white, 31.4% black or African American, 0.8% Asian, 0.3% American Indian, 3.5% from other races, and 1.2% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 5.4% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 31.4% were of African descent, 17.8% identified as American, 8.7% as of English descent, 8.2% as ethnic Irish, and 8.0% as German.
Of the 27,547 households, 32.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.4% were married couples living together, 17.5% had a female householder with no husband present, 33.1% were non-families, and 27.9% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.43 and the average family size was 2.96. The median age was 37.9 years.
The median income for a household in the county was $38,797 and the median income for a family was $49,785. Males had a median income of $36,806 versus $29,327 for females. The per capita income for the county was $21,728. About 12.8% of families and 17.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 27.3% of those under age 18 and 9.7% of those age 65 or over.
Economy
Greenwood County has developed a modern and diverse economic base. Fujifilm has its North American headquarters here for research and development, plus manufacturing and distribution. The Greenwood Genetic Center conducts nationally recognized genetics research. Approximately 26% of the local workforce is dedicated to manufacturing.
In 2015, the median household income in Greenwood County, SC was $37,060, a 2.82% increase from the previous year. Also in 2015, 28,506 residents in Greenwood County, SC were employed, a 1.03% growth over 2014. The most common employment sectors for residents of Greenwood County are Manufacturing, Healthcare & Social Assistance, and Retail trade.
The overall cost of living index in Greenwood County, SC, is 83, which is 13% lower than the South Carolina average and 17% lower than the national average. The cost of living index is created from the following categories: goods/services (33%), groceries (13%), health care (5%), housing (30%), transportation (9%) and utilities (10%). The cost of everyday goods and services can be a good indicator of the general cost of goods in a given city. In this case, the cost of such goods and services in Greenwood is 7% lower than the South Carolina average and 6% lower than the national average.
Major employers in Greenwood County include Self Regional Healthcare, Greenwood County School Districts, Eaton Corporation, FujiFilm Manufacturing, U.S.A.; Carolina Pride, Capsugel, Lander University, Piedmont Technical College, Cardinal Health, Ascend Performance Materials, and VELUX.
Major existing industry clusters include Life Sciences, Food Processing, Advance Materials, and Wood Products.
The per capita personal income in Greenwood County, SC as of 2015 was $33,723. The Unemployment rate in Greenwood County, SC was 4.0% as of Sept 2017. The median household income in Greenwood County was $42,240 as of 2015. In 2022, the GDP was $4.2 billion (about $59,778 per capita), and the real GDP was $3.4 billion (about $48,574 per capita) in chained 2017 dollars.
| Industry | Employment Counts | Employment Percentage (%) | Average Annual Wage ($) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accommodation and Food Services | 2,635 | 9.7 | 18,200 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 849 | 3.1 | 43,576 |
| Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 94 | 0.3 | 59,488 |
| Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | 241 | 0.9 | 17,576 |
| Construction | 1,079 | 4.0 | 55,900 |
| Educational Services | 2,520 | 9.3 | 49,504 |
| Finance and Insurance | 509 | 1.9 | 64,168 |
| Health Care and Social Assistance | 5,988 | 22.1 | 65,208 |
| Information | 128 | 0.5 | 48,152 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | 108 | 0.4 | 93,236 |
| Manufacturing | 5,365 | 19.8 | 63,232 |
| Other Services (except Public Administration) | 507 | 1.9 | 38,688 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 495 | 1.8 | 61,048 |
| Public Administration | 1,212 | 4.5 | 46,644 |
| Real Estate and Rental and Leasing | 274 | 1.0 | 38,844 |
| Retail Trade | 3,458 | 12.8 | 30,056 |
| Transportation and Warehousing | 501 | 1.9 | 47,372 |
| Utilities | 248 | 0.9 | 72,644 |
| Wholesale Trade | 839 | 3.1 | 76,648 |
| Total | 27,050 | 100.0% | 51,218 |
Education
Greenwood County has three school districts: Greenwood School District 50 (Greenwood Metro), Greenwood School District 51 (Ware Shoals), and Greenwood School District 52 (Ninety Six).
School districts
- Greenwood School District 50 serves families in the Greenwood metro area. This school system consists of 8 elementary schools, 3 middle schools, 2 high schools, a career center, and an adult education center. The current superintendent of District 50 is Dr. Steve Glenn.
- Greenwood School District 51 serves families in the town of Ware Shoals, as well as students from surrounding areas of Greenwood, Abbeville, and Laurens counties. Two of the three schools are located in the town limits of Ware Shoals (Greenwood County) while the other school is located in Laurens County.
- Greenwood School District 52 serves families in the town of Ninety Six and surrounding areas of Greenwood County.
Elementary schools
- Benjamin E. Mays Elementary School (K4–5)
- Hodges Elementary School (K–5)
- Lakeview Elementary School (K4–5)
- Mathews Elementary School (K4–5)
- Merrywood Elementary School (K4–5)
- Ninety Six Elementary School (3–5)
- Ninety Six Primary School (K4–2)
- Pinecrest Elementary School (K4–5)
- Rice Elementary School (K4–5)
- Ware Shoals Elementary School (4–6)
- Ware Shoals Primary School (PreK–3)
- Woodfields Elementary School (K4–5)
Middle schools
- Brewer Middle School (6–8)
- Edgewood Middle School (6–8)
- Northside Middle School (6–8)
- Westview Middle School (6–8)
High schools
- Emerald High School (9–12)
- Greenwood High School (9–12)
- Ninety Six High School (9–12)
- Ware Shoals High School (7–12)
Higher education
- Lander University (4-Year State Supported Liberal Arts University)
- Piedmont Technical College
Alternate education centers
- G. Frank Russell Technology Center (9–12)
- Genesis Education Center (7–12) and Adult Education
Communities
City
- Greenwood (county seat)
Towns
- Hodges
- Ninety Six
- Troy
- Ware Shoals (partly in Abbeville and Laurens Counties)
Census-designated places
Unincorporated communities
- Callison
- Kirksey
- Pittsburg
See also
In Spanish: Condado de Greenwood (Carolina del Sur) para niños
