HomeSouth CarolinaDarlington County
Darlington County, South Carolina: commercial real estate data.
Darlington County, South Carolina had an estimated 62,425 residents on July 1, 2024, down 0.8 percent since the 2020 census base of 62,897, across 561 square miles. County output reached $3.42 bn in 2024, 1,121 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 13 7(a) approvals worth $18.4 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Darlington County
How many people live in Darlington County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202462,558
- Households25,561
- Average household size2.45
- Median household income$48,581
- Median age41.3
- Median gross rent$896 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$158,200
- Home value to household income3.3 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income22.1 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher19.9 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree8.1 percent
- Adults 25 and over43,166
- Population under 1813,894
- Share under 1822.2 percent
- Population 65 and over12,424
- Share 65 and over19.9 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6436,240
- Civilian labor force28,299
- Unemployment rate6.7 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over58.2 percent
- Rank by population among South Carolina counties23rd of 46
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included869th of 3,222
Darlington County is the 23rd largest of 46 South Carolina counties by population. A median home costs 3.3 times median household income, which is moderately unaffordable by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 22.2 percent against 19.9 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Darlington County
Is Darlington County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 202462,425
- Census 2020 base population62,897
- Population change since the 2020 census base-0.75 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 202457
- Births, 2024727
- Deaths, 2024990
- Natural change, 2024-263
- Net domestic migration, 2024269
- Net international migration, 202451
- Total net migration, 2024320
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024710
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents2108th of 3,144
The county has lost 0.75 percent of its population since the 2020 census base. Deaths exceeded births in 2024 and the population still grew, so all of the growth came from people moving in. A market held up by migration is more sensitive to a change in relative cost than one growing from household formation.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Darlington County
Where are people moving to Darlington County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving1,455
- People arriving, from those returns2,771
- Tax returns filed by households leaving1,359
- Net household movement96
- Adjusted gross income arriving$69.0 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$-3.5 m
- Average income of an arriving household$47,454
- Average income of a leaving household$53,400
- Largest single originFlorence County (470 households)
- Largest single destinationFlorence County (491 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Florence County | 470 | 909 | $21.4 m |
| Chesterfield County | 90 | 169 | $4.8 m |
| Richland County | 53 | 86 | $2.5 m |
| Horry County | 52 | 104 | $2.2 m |
| Lee County | 38 | 75 | $896,000 |
| Lexington County | 31 | 54 | $2.5 m |
| Marlboro County | 27 | 78 | $1.1 m |
| Kershaw County | 25 | 42 | $890,000 |
Households arriving report $5,946 less average income than households leaving, which drains spending power even where headcount holds up. The largest single source of arrivals is Florence County, which is the catchment a retail or multifamily study should look at first.
US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Darlington County
What is the Darlington County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$3.42 bn
- County GDP, 2023$3.41 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20240.3 percent
- GDP change over five years25.9 percent
- Rank by GDP among the South Carolina areas BEA publishes22nd of 46
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes903rd of 3,127
- GDP per resident$54,601
Output grew 0.3 percent in the latest year and 25.9 percent over five, which is the trend line a lender will read behind any single year figure.
US Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional, table CAGDP2, CAGDP2, through 2024.
Darlington County
Employment by industry in Darlington County
- Covered employment, annual average20,044
- Establishments reporting1,246
- Average annual pay$57,913
- Average weekly wage$1,114
- Manufacturing, employment3,770
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$94,414
- Health care and social assistance, employment2,385
- Health care and social assistance, average annual pay$51,910
- Retail trade, employment2,252
- Retail trade, average annual pay$32,297
- Accommodation and food services, employment1,471
- Accommodation and food services, average annual pay$18,669
- Construction, employment1,470
- Transportation and warehousing, employment942
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 3,770 | 68 | $94,414 |
| Health care and social assistance | 2,385 | 139 | $51,910 |
| Retail trade | 2,252 | 221 | $32,297 |
| Accommodation and food services | 1,471 | 112 | $18,669 |
| Construction | 1,470 | 79 | $58,950 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 942 | 43 | $49,084 |
| Administrative and support and waste management services | 749 | 70 | $54,193 |
| Educational services | 473 | 17 | $38,067 |
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 3,770 jobs, 18.8 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Darlington County
How many businesses are in Darlington County?
- Establishments, all industries1,121
- Employment at those establishments16,871
- Annual payroll$1.01 bn
- Establishments per 1,000 residents17.9
These are counts of establishments physically operating in the county, not listings, so they are the supply side a feasibility study measures demand against. County Business Patterns counts private establishments with paid employees in March 2023, while the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages above counts every unemployment-insured employer, public ones included, as a 2024 annual average, so the two establishment and employment counts differ.
US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Darlington County
Building permits in Darlington County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 2024195
- Declared construction value permitted$33.5 m
- Single family units authorized181
- Multifamily units authorized14
- Multifamily share of units7.2 percent
- Average declared value per unit$171,846
- Units authorized per 1,000 households7.6
Single-family homes are 92.8 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is predominantly single-family.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Darlington County
SBA loans in Darlington County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded13
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$18.4 m
- Average 7(a) approval$1,414,269
- Median 7(a) approval$500,000
- Largest single approval$5,000,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)75
- Jobs per approval5.8
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active9
- Distinct industries receiving approvals11
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer30.8 percent
- Loans on real estate terms4
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter8
- Franchise loans4
- Franchise share of approvals30.8 percent
- Most active lenderLive Oak Banking Company (4)
- 504 approvals recorded3
- 504 gross approval dollars$1.9 m
- Average 504 approval$621,000
- Median 504 approval$597,000
- Distinct CDCs active3
- 504 jobs per approval23.7
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved38.1
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$20.2 m
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30. US Small Business Administration, 504 FOIA release, FY2010 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Darlington County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Darlington County
Do SBA loans in Darlington County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded2
- Paid in full2
- Charged off0
- Status: Paid in full2
- Status: Exempt from disclosure10
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed1
Only 2 loans have reached a final outcome, fewer than the 30 a charge-off rate needs, so no rate is published.
Compare against the national and state SBA charge-off rates, computed the same way over resolved loans only.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Darlington County
SBA lending by place in Darlington County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending3
- Hartsville, approvals11
- Darlington, approvals1
- Timmonsville, approvals1
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Hartsville | 11 | $17,103,000 |
| Darlington | 1 | $845,000 |
| Timmonsville | 1 | $437,500 |
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Darlington County
How large is Darlington County?
- Land area561 sq mi
- Rank by land area among South Carolina counties28th of 46
- Width, east to west36 mi
- Height, north to south30.8 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary5
- Residents per square mile of land112
- Establishments per square mile2.00
US Census Bureau county boundary geometry, TIGER, adjacency computed from shared boundary vertices, TIGER county boundaries. US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year. US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Darlington County
Flood risk in Darlington County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Darlington County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 450060
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book5
- Of those, participating in the NFIP5
- NFIP participation rate100.0 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
- Radon levels in Darlington County, EPA zone predicted average indoor radon screening level less than 2 pCi/LZone 3
The county's own community in the status book, unincorporated Darlington County (community 450060), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places Darlington County in radon zone 3, a predicted average indoor radon screening level less than 2 pCi/L. The zone is a screening prediction for the county and does not substitute for a test at an address. 100.0 percent of the county's listed communities participate in the National Flood Insurance Program, per Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26.
Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26. US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Coverage
What this page does not hold.
Traffic counts, zoning and the flood zone at an address are not on this page; they resolve at the address in the platform. How this page was built →
Feasibility studies
When a Darlington County site needs a document a lender will accept.
The same data layer behind this page is the one the studies are written from. A study for a Darlington County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202462,558
- Households25,561
- Average household size2.45
- Median household income$48,581
- Median age41.3
Common questions
Darlington County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Darlington County, South Carolina?
The Census Bureau estimates 62,425 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 62,558, in 25,561 households, ranking 23rd of 46 South Carolina counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Darlington County's population growing?
The population has fallen 0.75 percent since the 2020 census base of 62,897, to 62,425 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 727 births against 990 deaths, with net migration of 320. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Darlington County?
$48,581. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $158,200, which is 3.3 times income, and median gross rent is $896 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Darlington County?
1,121 establishments, employing 16,871 people with an annual payroll of $1.01 bn. These are establishments physically operating in the county, not listings. Source: US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
What is employment by industry in Darlington County?
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 3,770 jobs, 18.8 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 20,044 jobs at an average annual pay of $57,913, or $1,114 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Darlington County?
13 7(a) approvals totaling $18.4 m since FY2020, across 9 lenders, with a median approval of $500,000, plus 3 504 approvals worth $1.9 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Darlington County?
195 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $33.5 m. Multifamily was 7.2 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Darlington County?
Zone 3, a predicted average indoor radon screening level less than 2 pCi/L. Source: US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Where do people moving to Darlington County come from?
The largest single origin is Florence County, with 470 households. Arriving households report an average income of $47,454 against $53,400 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Darlington County on this page?
No. Annual average daily traffic resolves in the platform rather than in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here. It is a gap we know about rather than a figure we estimated.
Is zoning published for Darlington County?
No. Nothing on this page presents parcel level zoning, and where a statutory framework applies it is marked as the statewide frame, to be confirmed locally.
Darlington County
Cities and places in Darlington.
8 Census places lie wholly or partly in Darlington County. All 8 carry enough published place level data for a page of their own and are linked.
| Place | Type | Population | SBA 7(a) approvals, projects in this county | Lies in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hartsville | city | 7,419 | 11 | Wholly in this county |
| Darlington | city | 6,120 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| North Hartsville | CDP | 3,304 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Lamar | town | 1,196 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Dovesville | CDP | 1,120 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Pine Ridge | CDP | 637 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Society Hill | town | 388 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Lydia | CDP | 190 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
A further 1 of the county's 13 SBA 7(a) approvals are to borrowers in cities that match no Census place in Darlington County, the largest being Timmonsville (1). Those are postal cities, unincorporated areas and cities outside the county, so no place row claims them; they are counted in the county total above.