HomeSouth CarolinaFlorence County
Florence County, South Carolina: commercial real estate data.
Florence County, South Carolina had an estimated 138,049 residents on July 1, 2024, up 0.7 percent since the 2020 census base of 137,046, across 800 square miles. County output reached $9.98 bn in 2024, 3,282 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 67 7(a) approvals worth $54.2 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Florence County
How many people live in Florence County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-2024137,117
- Households52,856
- Average household size2.59
- Median household income$58,305
- Median age39.4
- Median gross rent$954 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$177,900
- Home value to household income3.1 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income19.6 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher24.4 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree9.9 percent
- Adults 25 and over92,877
- Population under 1832,288
- Share under 1823.5 percent
- Population 65 and over24,807
- Share 65 and over18.1 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6480,022
- Civilian labor force63,248
- Unemployment rate5.6 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over60.3 percent
- Rank by population among South Carolina counties13th of 46
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included485th of 3,222
Florence County is the 13th largest of 46 South Carolina counties by population. A median home costs 3.1 times median household income, which is moderately unaffordable by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 23.5 percent against 18.1 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Florence County
Is Florence County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 2024138,049
- Census 2020 base population137,046
- Population change since the 2020 census base0.73 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 2024595
- Births, 20241,555
- Deaths, 20241,819
- Natural change, 2024-264
- Net domestic migration, 2024527
- Net international migration, 2024325
- Total net migration, 2024852
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 20241,882
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents1582nd of 3,144
The county has grown 0.73 percent 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.
Florence County
Where are people moving to Florence County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving3,102
- People arriving, from those returns5,888
- Tax returns filed by households leaving2,847
- Net household movement255
- Adjusted gross income arriving$154.9 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$-33.5 m
- Average income of an arriving household$49,937
- Average income of a leaving household$66,173
- Largest single originDarlington County (491 households)
- Largest single destinationDarlington County (470 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Darlington County | 491 | 1,000 | $21.4 m |
| Horry County | 150 | 271 | $7.5 m |
| Williamsburg County | 150 | 303 | $4.7 m |
| Marion County | 134 | 258 | $4.4 m |
| Richland County | 118 | 208 | $5.0 m |
| Dillon County | 88 | 168 | $3.3 m |
| Clarendon County | 77 | 145 | $3.1 m |
| Sumter County | 77 | 156 | $3.4 m |
Households arriving report $16,236 less average income than households leaving, which drains spending power even where headcount holds up. The largest single source of arrivals is Darlington 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.
Florence County
What is the Florence County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$9.98 bn
- County GDP, 2023$9.37 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20246.5 percent
- GDP change over five years34.0 percent
- Rank by GDP among the South Carolina areas BEA publishes12th of 46
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes439th of 3,127
- GDP per resident$72,793
Output grew 6.5 percent in the latest year and 34.0 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.
Florence County
Employment by industry in Florence County
- Covered employment, annual average68,848
- Establishments reporting3,740
- Average annual pay$52,861
- Average weekly wage$1,017
- Health care and social assistance, employment9,696
- Health care and social assistance, average annual pay$60,494
- Retail trade, employment8,523
- Retail trade, average annual pay$34,166
- Manufacturing, employment7,773
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$72,258
- Accommodation and food services, employment7,572
- Accommodation and food services, average annual pay$21,517
- Administrative and support and waste management services, employment4,178
- Transportation and warehousing, employment3,256
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 9,696 | 551 | $60,494 |
| Retail trade | 8,523 | 677 | $34,166 |
| Manufacturing | 7,773 | 147 | $72,258 |
| Accommodation and food services | 7,572 | 367 | $21,517 |
| Administrative and support and waste management services | 4,178 | 244 | $35,857 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 3,256 | 118 | $44,986 |
| Wholesale trade | 2,757 | 164 | $69,592 |
| Professional, scientific and technical services | 2,132 | 292 | $77,289 |
Health care and social assistance is the largest private sector at 9,696 jobs, 14.1 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Florence County
How many businesses are in Florence County?
- Establishments, all industries3,282
- Employment at those establishments67,074
- Annual payroll$3.45 bn
- Establishments per 1,000 residents23.9
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.
Florence County
Building permits in Florence County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 2024666
- Declared construction value permitted$115.3 m
- Single family units authorized580
- Multifamily units authorized86
- Multifamily share of units12.9 percent
- Average declared value per unit$173,115
- Units authorized per 1,000 households12.6
Single-family homes are 87.1 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is predominantly single-family.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Florence County
SBA loans in Florence County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded67
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$54.2 m
- Average 7(a) approval$809,173
- Median 7(a) approval$261,000
- 10th percentile approval$15,000
- 90th percentile approval$1,967,200
- Largest single approval$5,000,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)573
- Jobs per approval8.6
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active30
- Distinct industries receiving approvals47
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer26.9 percent
- Loans on real estate terms18
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter43
- Franchise loans14
- Franchise share of approvals20.9 percent
- Leading industry by approval countHotels (except Casino Hotels) and Motels (7)
- Most active lenderWells Fargo Bank National Association (9)
- 504 approvals recorded18
- 504 gross approval dollars$9.9 m
- Average 504 approval$551,111
- Median 504 approval$534,500
- Distinct CDCs active3
- 504 jobs per approval15.1
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved27.3
- Most active CDCProvident Business Financial Services, Inc. (14)
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$64.1 m
The average approval of $809,173 sits well above the median of $261,000, pulled up by a few larger deals, so the median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here gets. Only 26.9 percent of approvals run on real estate terms, so SBA credit here is mostly working capital and equipment rather than property acquisition.
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.
Florence County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Florence County
Do SBA loans in Florence County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded12
- Paid in full10
- Charged off2
- Status: Exempt from disclosure40
- Status: Paid in full10
- Status: Charged off2
- Status: Cancelled12
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed3
Only 12 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.
Florence County
SBA lending by place in Florence County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending10
- Florence, approvals55
- Timmonsville, approvals2
- Lake City, approvals2
- Effingham, approvals2
- Hartsville, approvals1
- Johnsonville, approvals1
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Florence | 55 | $49,429,700 |
| Timmonsville | 2 | $175,000 |
| Lake City | 2 | $141,400 |
| Effingham | 2 | $44,500 |
| Hartsville | 1 | $2,800,000 |
| Johnsonville | 1 | $1,224,000 |
| Pamplico | 1 | $180,000 |
| Myrtle Beach | 1 | $150,000 |
| 2 other borrower cities | 2 | $70,000 |
Florence accounts for 55 approvals against 2 in Timmonsville. County level figures average over that gap, which is why a site decision is made at the submarket rather than the county.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Florence County
How large is Florence County?
- Land area800 sq mi
- Rank by land area among South Carolina counties10th of 46
- Width, east to west42.9 mi
- Height, north to south36.6 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary8
- Residents per square mile of land171
- Establishments per square mile4.10
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.
Florence County
Flood risk in Florence County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Florence County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 450076
- Community Rating System class of the county's own communityClass 9
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book10
- Of those, participating in the NFIP9
- NFIP participation rate90.0 percent
- Best Community Rating System class in the county A lower CRS class is a larger flood insurance premium discount.Class 6
- Communities carrying a CRS class2
- Radon levels in Florence 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 Florence County (community 450076), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries Community Rating System class 9, a flood insurance premium discount for policies written there. The EPA places Florence 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. The best Community Rating System class among the county's communities is 6, which carries a flood insurance premium discount for policies written in that community. 90.0 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 Florence 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 Florence County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-2024137,117
- Households52,856
- Average household size2.59
- Median household income$58,305
- Median age39.4
Common questions
Florence County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Florence County, South Carolina?
The Census Bureau estimates 138,049 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 137,117, in 52,856 households, ranking 13th of 46 South Carolina counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Florence County's population growing?
The population has grown 0.73 percent since the 2020 census base of 137,046, to 138,049 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 1,555 births against 1,819 deaths, with net migration of 852. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Florence County?
$58,305. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $177,900, which is 3.1 times income, and median gross rent is $954 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Florence County?
3,282 establishments, employing 67,074 people with an annual payroll of $3.45 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 Florence County?
Health care and social assistance is the largest private sector at 9,696 jobs, 14.1 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 68,848 jobs at an average annual pay of $52,861, or $1,017 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Florence County?
67 7(a) approvals totaling $54.2 m since FY2020, across 30 lenders, with a median approval of $261,000, plus 18 504 approvals worth $9.9 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Florence County?
666 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $115.3 m. Multifamily was 12.9 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Florence 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 Florence County come from?
The largest single origin is Darlington County, with 491 households. Arriving households report an average income of $49,937 against $66,173 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Florence 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 Florence 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.
Florence County
Cities and places in Florence.
10 Census places lie wholly or partly in Florence County. All 10 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Florence | city | 40,408 | 55 | Wholly in this county |
| Lake City | city | 5,988 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
| Timmonsville | town | 2,045 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
| Johnsonville | city | 1,251 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Pamplico | town | 1,134 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Quinby | town | 858 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Coward | town | 853 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Olanta | town | 806 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Scranton | town | 733 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Danwood | CDP | 392 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
A further 4 of the county's 67 SBA 7(a) approvals are to borrowers in cities that match no Census place in Florence County, the largest being Effingham (2), Hartsville (1), Myrtle Beach (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.