Kershaw County, South Carolina facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Kershaw County
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Old Kershaw County Courthouse in Camden
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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 | 1791 | ||
| Named for | Joseph Brevard Kershaw | ||
| Seat | Camden | ||
| Largest community | Camden | ||
| Area | |||
| • Total | 740.26 sq mi (1,917.3 km2) | ||
| • Land | 726.61 sq mi (1,881.9 km2) | ||
| • Water | 13.65 sq mi (35.4 km2) 1.84% | ||
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 65,403 | ||
| • Estimate
(2023)
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69,905 | ||
| • Density | 90.01/sq mi (34.75/km2) | ||
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern) | ||
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) | ||
| Congressional district | 5th | ||
Kershaw County is a county located in the U.S. state of South Carolina. As of the 2020 census, its population was 65,403. The county seat and largest community is Camden. The county was created in 1791 from parts of Claremont, Lancaster, Fairfield, and Richland counties. It is named for Col. Joseph Kershaw (1727–1791), an early settler and American Revolutionary War patriot.
Kershaw County is part of the Columbia, SC Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Contents
History
Kershaw County was named for Joseph Kershaw (1727-1791), an early settler. Originally part of Camden District, Kershaw County was formed in 1791 from parts of Claremont, Lancaster, Fairfield, and Richland counties. The county seat is Camden, the oldest inland city in South Carolina. This site was settled around 1732 by English traders and farmers who moved inland from Charleston.
During the American Revolutionary War, the British occupied Camden from June 1780 to May 1781. Fourteen battles took place in the area, including the Battle of Camden (August 16, 1780) and the Battle of Hobkirk's Hill (April 25, 1781).
Kershaw County has a rich military history, producing several notable soldiers. The county produced six men who served in the American Civil War as Confederate generals: Joseph Brevard Kershaw (1822-1894), James Chesnut (1815-1885), James Cantey (1818-1873), Zachariah C. Deas (1819-1882), John Bordenave Villepigue (1830-1862), and John Doby Kennedy (1840-1896). Confederate soldier, and hero at the Battle of Fredericksburg, Richard Rowland Kirkland was also from Kershaw County, and served under General Kershaw. Union troops under Gen. William T. Sherman burned parts of Camden in February 1865.
During World War I, two Kershaw County men were awarded the Medal of Honor in two separate actions while fighting in France in October 1918. The first was Richmond Hobson Hilton, awarded his medal for actions taking place on October 11, 1918, during which he lost an arm. The second was John Canty Villepigue on October 15, 1918, in an action that resulted in his death months later from injuries received. Villepigue was a descendant of General John Bordenave Villepigue mentioned above.
Statesman and financier Bernard M. Baruch (1870-1965) and labor leader Lane Kirkland were born in Kershaw County, as was Larry Doby, the first African-American baseball player in the American League. Former South Carolina Governor John C. West was from Kershaw County.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 740 square miles (1,900 km2), of which 727 square miles (1,880 km2) is land and 14 square miles (36 km2) (1.9%) is water.
Adjacent counties
- Lancaster County - north
- Chesterfield County - northeast
- Darlington County - east
- Lee County - southeast
- Sumter County - southeast
- Richland County - southwest
- Fairfield County - west
Demographics
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1800 | 7,340 | — | |
| 1810 | 9,867 | 34.4% | |
| 1820 | 12,432 | 26.0% | |
| 1830 | 13,545 | 9.0% | |
| 1840 | 12,281 | −9.3% | |
| 1850 | 14,473 | 17.8% | |
| 1860 | 13,086 | −9.6% | |
| 1870 | 11,754 | −10.2% | |
| 1880 | 21,538 | 83.2% | |
| 1890 | 22,361 | 3.8% | |
| 1900 | 24,696 | 10.4% | |
| 1910 | 27,094 | 9.7% | |
| 1920 | 29,398 | 8.5% | |
| 1930 | 32,070 | 9.1% | |
| 1940 | 32,913 | 2.6% | |
| 1950 | 32,287 | −1.9% | |
| 1960 | 33,585 | 4.0% | |
| 1970 | 34,727 | 3.4% | |
| 1980 | 39,015 | 12.3% | |
| 1990 | 43,599 | 11.7% | |
| 2000 | 52,647 | 20.8% | |
| 2010 | 61,697 | 17.2% | |
| 2020 | 65,403 | 6.0% | |
| 2023 (est.) | 69,905 | 13.3% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 1790–1960 1900–1990 1990–2000 2010 2020 |
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2020 census
| Race | Num. | Perc. |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 43,391 | 66.34% |
| Black or African American (non-Hispanic) | 15,083 | 23.06% |
| Native American | 146 | 0.22% |
| Asian | 417 | 0.64% |
| Pacific Islander | 29 | 0.04% |
| Other/Mixed | 2,871 | 4.39% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 3,466 | 5.3% |
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 65,403 people, 24,544 households, and 16,019 families residing in the county.
2010 census
As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 61,697 people, 23,928 households, and 17,114 families living in the county. The population density was 84.9 inhabitants per square mile (32.8/km2). There were 27,478 housing units at an average density of 37.8 per square mile (14.6/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 71.3% white, 24.6% black or African American, 0.5% Asian, 0.3% American Indian, 1.7% from other races, and 1.6% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 3.7% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 28.1% were American, 7.8% were English, 7.7% were Irish, and 6.3% were German.
Of the 23,928 households, 34.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.6% were married couples living together, 15.1% had a female householder with no husband present, 28.5% were non-families, and 24.5% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.56 and the average family size was 3.02. The median age was 40.2 years.
The median income for a household in the county was $44,064 and the median income for a family was $53,053. Males had a median income of $40,794 versus $30,553 for females. The per capita income for the county was $21,777. About 12.1% of families and 15.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.6% of those under age 18 and 11.5% of those age 65 or over.
Economy
In 2022, the GDP was $2.7 billion (about $38,411 per capita), and the real GDP was $2.2 billion (about $31,215 per capita) in chained 2017 dollars.
As of April 2024[update], some of the largest employers in the county include Food Lion, Hengst Automotive, Lowe's, Target, and Walmart.
| Industry | Employment Counts | Employment Percentage (%) | Average Annual Wage ($) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accommodation and Food Services | 1,662 | 9.9 | 19,708 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 1,165 | 7.0 | 34,424 |
| Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 410 | 2.4 | 56,524 |
| Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | 189 | 1.1 | 20,332 |
| Construction | 1,076 | 6.4 | 52,052 |
| Finance and Insurance | 499 | 3.0 | 58,812 |
| Health Care and Social Assistance | 2,497 | 14.9 | 52,676 |
| Information | 72 | 0.4 | 63,804 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | 34 | 0.2 | 105,612 |
| Manufacturing | 2,392 | 14.3 | 60,216 |
| Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction | 118 | 0.7 | 111,020 |
| Other Services (except Public Administration) | 476 | 2.8 | 28,912 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 533 | 3.2 | 67,392 |
| Public Administration | 1,058 | 6.3 | 44,928 |
| Real Estate and Rental and Leasing | 98 | 0.6 | 41,236 |
| Retail Trade | 3,653 | 21.8 | 34,112 |
| Transportation and Warehousing | 515 | 3.1 | 66,664 |
| Utilities | 137 | 0.8 | 59,332 |
| Wholesale Trade | 157 | 0.9 | 68,952 |
| Total | 16,741 | 100.0% | 45,472 |
Education
The Kershaw County School District serves as the governing body for all public schools in Kershaw County.
Central Carolina Technical College has two branches located in Camden.
Kershaw County is home to Camden Military Academy, the official state military academy of South Carolina. The Montessori School of Camden is a public charter located in Camden.
High schools
- Camden High School
- Lugoff-Elgin High School
- North Central High School
- Woolard Technology Center
Middle schools
- Camden Middle School
- Lugoff-Elgin Middle School
- North Central Middle School
- Leslie M. Stover Middle School
- Montessori School of Camden
Elementary schools
- Camden Elementary School
- Lugoff Elementary School
- Wateree Elementary School
- Blaney Elementary School
- Doby's Mill Elementary School
- North Central Elementary School
- Midway Elementary School
- Pine Tree Hill Elementary School
- Jackson Elementary School
- Montessori School of Camden
Communities
City
- Camden (county seat)
Towns
Census-designated places
Unincorporated communities
Gallery
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Original Kershaw County Courthouse in 1978
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Joseph Brevard Kershaw
See also
In Spanish: Condado de Kershaw para niños
