HomeSouth CarolinaLaurens County
Laurens County, South Carolina: commercial real estate data.
Laurens County, South Carolina had an estimated 70,545 residents on July 1, 2024, up 4.5 percent since the 2020 census base of 67,527, across 714 square miles. County output reached $2.91 bn in 2024, 985 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 47 7(a) approvals worth $19.4 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Laurens County
How many people live in Laurens County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202468,666
- Households26,959
- Average household size2.55
- Median household income$57,623
- Median age40.9
- Median gross rent$880 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$170,600
- Home value to household income3.0 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income18.3 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher17.6 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree5.7 percent
- Adults 25 and over47,915
- Population under 1814,980
- Share under 1821.8 percent
- Population 65 and over13,156
- Share 65 and over19.2 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6440,530
- Civilian labor force31,790
- Unemployment rate4.5 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over59.2 percent
- Rank by population among South Carolina counties20th of 46
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included799th of 3,222
Laurens County is the 20th largest of 46 South Carolina counties by population. A median home costs 3.0 times median household income, which is affordable by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 21.8 percent against 19.2 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Laurens County
Is Laurens County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 202470,545
- Census 2020 base population67,527
- Population change since the 2020 census base4.47 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 20241,335
- Births, 2024727
- Deaths, 2024958
- Natural change, 2024-231
- Net domestic migration, 20241,415
- Net international migration, 2024154
- Total net migration, 20241,569
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 20243,516
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents618th of 3,144
The county has grown 4.47 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.
Laurens County
Where are people moving to Laurens County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving1,907
- People arriving, from those returns3,723
- Tax returns filed by households leaving1,519
- Net household movement388
- Adjusted gross income arriving$92.9 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$30.6 m
- Average income of an arriving household$48,704
- Average income of a leaving household$40,997
- Largest single originGreenville County (716 households)
- Largest single destinationGreenville County (494 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Greenville County | 716 | 1,439 | $39.3 m |
| Spartanburg County | 196 | 398 | $7.6 m |
| Greenwood County | 115 | 239 | $4.5 m |
| Anderson County | 79 | 157 | $3.3 m |
| Newberry County | 50 | 101 | $1.2 m |
| Pickens County | 44 | 63 | $1.4 m |
| Richland County | 32 | 47 | $1.4 m |
Households arriving report $7,707 more average income than households leaving, so the migration is raising local spending power rather than just moving it around. The largest single source of arrivals is Greenville 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.
Laurens County
What is the Laurens County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$2.91 bn
- County GDP, 2023$2.78 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20244.9 percent
- GDP change over five years21.6 percent
- Rank by GDP among the South Carolina areas BEA publishes23rd of 46
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes1000th of 3,127
- GDP per resident$42,436
Output grew 4.9 percent in the latest year and 21.6 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.
Laurens County
Employment by industry in Laurens County
- Covered employment, annual average20,195
- Establishments reporting1,049
- Average annual pay$51,561
- Average weekly wage$992
- Manufacturing, employment7,000
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$63,659
- Health care and social assistance, employment1,746
- Health care and social assistance, average annual pay$52,148
- Retail trade, employment1,725
- Retail trade, average annual pay$30,463
- Accommodation and food services, employment1,239
- Accommodation and food services, average annual pay$18,036
- Transportation and warehousing, employment915
- Administrative and support and waste management services, employment794
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 7,000 | 87 | $63,659 |
| Health care and social assistance | 1,746 | 117 | $52,148 |
| Retail trade | 1,725 | 174 | $30,463 |
| Accommodation and food services | 1,239 | 90 | $18,036 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 915 | 21 | $60,774 |
| Administrative and support and waste management services | 794 | 68 | $27,325 |
| Construction | 656 | 87 | $60,451 |
| Educational services | 465 | 11 | $55,733 |
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 7,000 jobs, 34.7 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Laurens County
How many businesses are in Laurens County?
- Establishments, all industries985
- Employment at those establishments17,683
- Annual payroll$822.4 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents14.3
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.
Laurens County
Building permits in Laurens County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 2024621
- Declared construction value permitted$103.0 m
- Single family units authorized621
- Multifamily units authorized0
- Multifamily share of units0.0 percent
- Average declared value per unit$165,862
- Units authorized per 1,000 households23.0
Single-family homes are 100.0 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is predominantly single-family.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Laurens County
SBA loans in Laurens County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded47
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$19.4 m
- Average 7(a) approval$412,111
- Median 7(a) approval$100,000
- 10th percentile approval$18,000
- 90th percentile approval$1,104,320
- Largest single approval$3,114,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)278
- Jobs per approval5.9
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active16
- Distinct industries receiving approvals34
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer25.5 percent
- Loans on real estate terms12
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter32
- Franchise loans7
- Franchise share of approvals14.9 percent
- Leading industry by approval countPlumbing, Heating, and Air-Conditioning Contractors (5)
- Most active lenderTD Bank, National Association (24)
- 504 approvals recorded7
- 504 gross approval dollars$12.7 m
- Average 504 approval$1,820,571
- Median 504 approval$317,000
- Distinct CDCs active3
- 504 jobs per approval24.3
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved13.3
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$32.1 m
The average approval of $412,111 sits well above the median of $100,000, pulled up by a few larger deals, so the median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here gets. Only 25.5 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.
Laurens County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Laurens County
Do SBA loans in Laurens County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded16
- Paid in full14
- Charged off2
- Status: Paid in full14
- Status: Cancelled10
- Status: Exempt from disclosure21
- Status: Charged off2
Only 16 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.
Laurens County
SBA lending by place in Laurens County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending7
- Laurens, approvals21
- Clinton, approvals11
- Fountain Inn, approvals6
- Gray Court, approvals6
- Waterloo, approvals1
- Woodruff, approvals1
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Laurens | 21 | $8,185,400 |
| Clinton | 11 | $5,905,900 |
| Fountain Inn | 6 | $3,734,000 |
| Gray Court | 6 | $1,145,900 |
| Waterloo | 1 | $350,000 |
| Woodruff | 1 | $25,000 |
| Mountville | 1 | $23,000 |
Laurens accounts for 21 approvals against 11 in Clinton. 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.
Laurens County
How large is Laurens County?
- Land area714 sq mi
- Rank by land area among South Carolina counties16th of 46
- Width, east to west38.2 mi
- Height, north to south40.2 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary6
- Residents per square mile of land96
- Establishments per square mile1.38
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.
Laurens County
Flood risk in Laurens County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Laurens County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 450122
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book7
- Of those, participating in the NFIP7
- NFIP participation rate100.0 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
- Radon levels in Laurens County, EPA zone predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/LZone 2
The county's own community in the status book, unincorporated Laurens County (community 450122), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places Laurens County in radon zone 2, a predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 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 Laurens 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 Laurens County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202468,666
- Households26,959
- Average household size2.55
- Median household income$57,623
- Median age40.9
Common questions
Laurens County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Laurens County, South Carolina?
The Census Bureau estimates 70,545 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 68,666, in 26,959 households, ranking 20th of 46 South Carolina counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Laurens County's population growing?
The population has grown 4.47 percent since the 2020 census base of 67,527, to 70,545 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 727 births against 958 deaths, with net migration of 1,569. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Laurens County?
$57,623. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $170,600, which is 3.0 times income, and median gross rent is $880 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Laurens County?
985 establishments, employing 17,683 people with an annual payroll of $822.4 m. These are establishments physically operating in the county, not listings. Source: US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
What is employment by industry in Laurens County?
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 7,000 jobs, 34.7 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 20,195 jobs at an average annual pay of $51,561, or $992 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Laurens County?
47 7(a) approvals totaling $19.4 m since FY2020, across 16 lenders, with a median approval of $100,000, plus 7 504 approvals worth $12.7 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Laurens County?
621 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $103.0 m. Multifamily was 0.0 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Laurens County?
Zone 2, a predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/L. Source: US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Where do people moving to Laurens County come from?
The largest single origin is Greenville County, with 716 households. Arriving households report an average income of $48,704 against $40,997 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Laurens 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 Laurens 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.
Laurens County
Cities and places in Laurens.
10 Census places lie wholly or partly in Laurens 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fountain Inn | city | 12,020 | 6 | 20.5 percent here, 79.5 percent Greenville County |
| Laurens | city | 9,336 | 21 | Wholly in this county |
| Clinton | city | 7,676 | 11 | Wholly in this county |
| Watts Mills | CDP | 1,942 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Joanna | CDP | 1,306 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Gray Court | town | 783 | 6 | Wholly in this county |
| Cross Hill | town | 514 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Waterloo | town | 212 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Mountville | CDP | 136 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Princeton | CDP | 19 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
A further 1 of the county's 47 SBA 7(a) approvals are to borrowers in cities that match no Census place in Laurens County, the largest being Woodruff (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.