Kershaw County, South Carolina


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, an early settler and American Revolutionary War patriot. Kershaw County is part of the Columbia, SC Metropolitan Statistical Area.
WWW kershaw.sc.gov𝕏 kershawcountysc

History

Kershaw County was named for Col. Joseph Kershaw, an early settler considered as "the father of Camden". 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. Welsh Baptists moved the area in large numbers in the 1740s and 1750s. At the time, in England and Wales Protestants who were not from the established Anglican church were politically disadvantaged in various ways, however, in South Carolina they could still practice freely Baptists from Abergavenny, Trap, Carmarthenshire, Llanbedr, Crickhowell, Vale of Grwyney, Abertillery, Griffithstown and Brecon arrived in what has since become Kershaw County between 1740 and 1760, primarily arriving as large family units. They were joined by a similar migration of English Baptists who came from Long Sutton, Lincolnshire, Boston, Lincolnshire, Coningsby, Grantham, as well as Christchurch, Dorset and Lymington. From about 1800 until about 1867, the county was known as Kershaw District.
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 in 1780 and the Battle of Hobkirk's Hill in 1781.
After the state seceded from the Union, six men from Kershaw served in the American Civil War as Confederate generals: James Cantey, James Chesnut, John Doby Kennedy, Joseph Brevard Kershaw, and John Bordenave Villepigue, Zachariah C. Deas. Richard Rowland Kirkland, a Confederate soldier, was also from Kershaw County. He served under General Kershaw. In the last months of the war, Union troops under Gen. William T. Sherman burned parts of Camden in February 1865, in their March to the Sea.
Under the 1868 South Carolina Constitution, the Kershaw District became home rule Kershaw County with the state representatives also being county commissioners. During the Reconstruction era, some freedmen and other men of color were elected to various political offices. Among them was Henry Cardozo, who had been pastor of Old Bethel Methodist Church in Charleston, South Carolina. He served in the state senate as a Republican from Kershaw County, from 1870 to 1874. was an American clergyman, politician, and educator. When Francis Lewis Cardozo was elected in South Carolina as Secretary of State in 1868, he was the first African American to hold a statewide office in the United States.
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, recognized for actions taking place on October 11, 1918, during which he lost an arm. The second was John Canty Villepigue on October 15, 1918; he was wounded so severely in the action for which he was recognized that he died several months later from his injuries. Villepigue was a descendant of General John B. Villepigue noted above.
Statesman and financier Bernard M. Baruch, labor leader Lane Kirkland, and baseball player Larry Doby, the first African-American player in the American League, were each born in Kershaw County. Former South Carolina Governor John C. West was also from Kershaw County.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of, of which is land and is water. Kershaw County is one of three counties that compromises Lake Wateree, in which the lake is compromised with the Wateree River, which flows through Kershaw County.

Earthquakes

Between December 2021 and December 2022, southeastern Kershaw County experienced over 80 earthquakes, 11 of which exceeded a 2.5 magnitude. 6 of the quakes exceeded a 3.0 magnitude, the largest of which registering at a 3.6.

National protected areas

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Demographics

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, there were 65,403 people, 25,957 households, and 16,019 families residing in the county. The median age was 42.3 years, with 22.8% of residents under the age of 18 and 19.3% aged 65 or older; there were 93.0 males for every 100 females and 90.0 males for every 100 females age 18 or over.
Of the 25,957 households in the county, 31.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them and 28.3% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. About 26.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.
There were 28,874 housing units, of which 10.1% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 79.1% were owner-occupied and 20.9% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.4% and the rental vacancy rate was 7.6%.
The racial makeup of the county was 67.4% White, 23.3% Black or African American, 0.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% Asian, 0.0% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 2.6% from some other race, and 5.6% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 5.3% of the population.
47.2% of residents lived in urban areas, while 52.8% lived in rural areas.

2010 census

At the 2010 census, there were 61,697 people, 23,928 households, and 17,114 families living in the county. The population density was. There were 27,478 housing units at an average density of. 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.

2000 census

At the 2000 census, there were 52,647 people, 20,188 households, and 14,918 families living in the county. The population density was. There were 22,683 housing units at an average density of. The racial makeup of the county was 71.61% White, 26.29% Black or African American, 0.29% Native American, 0.31% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.62% from other races, and 0.84% from two or more races. 1.68% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 20,188 households, out of which 33.70% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.80% were married couples living together, 13.60% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.10% were non-families. 22.60% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.58 and the average family size was 3.02.
In the county, the population was spread out, with 26.10% under the age of 18, 7.60% from 18 to 24, 28.80% from 25 to 44, 24.50% from 45 to 64, and 12.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.00 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $38,804, and the median income for a family was $44,836. Males had a median income of $32,246 versus $22,714 for females. The per capita income for the county was $18,360. About 9.70% of families and 12.80% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.90% of those under age 18 and 14.10% of those age 65 or over.

Economy

In 2022, the GDP was $2.7 billion, and the real GDP was $2.2 billion in chained 2017 dollars.
, some of the largest employers in the county include Food Lion, Hengst Automotive, Lowe's, Target, and Walmart.
IndustryEmployment CountsEmployment Percentage Average Annual Wage
Accommodation and Food Services1,6629.919,708
Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services1,1657.034,424
Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting4102.456,524
Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation1891.120,332
Construction1,0766.452,052
Finance and Insurance4993.058,812
Health Care and Social Assistance2,49714.952,676
Information720.463,804
Management of Companies and Enterprises340.2105,612
Manufacturing2,39214.360,216
Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction1180.7111,020
Other Services 4762.828,912
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services5333.267,392
Public Administration1,0586.344,928
Real Estate and Rental and Leasing980.641,236
Retail Trade3,65321.834,112
Transportation and Warehousing5153.166,664
Utilities1370.859,332
Wholesale Trade1570.968,952
Total16,741100.0%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.

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Other unincorporated communities