Several South Carolina counties got more crowded in 2023, new Census data shows.
The U.S. Census Bureau recently released population growth data for all counties in every state in 2023. Approximately 60% of U.S. counties gained population in 2023, year-over-year. And the counties in the South saw faster growth than ones in the Northeast and Midwest.
The South experienced faster growth in 2023 than in 2022. Among its 1,422 counties, the average annual change was 0.56%, up from 0.31% the previous year. Approximately 67% of the counties in the South had population gains in 2023, up from 59% in 2022, the data shows.
But what about the counties just in South Carolina?
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Most of South Carolina’s 46 counties gained population in 2023, but 10 of them grew faster than the rest. Of those, Jasper County had the biggest population gains at 4.87% year-over-year. It was followed closely by Berkeley County at 4.19%. Horry County came in third with a 3.74% increase in 2023.
Duke Energy Carolinas says it will work with the City of Orangeburg’s Department of Public Utilities to attract businesses as it begins supplying DPU’s electricity.
Below are the 10 South Carolina counties that had the fastest growing populations between 2022 and 2023. To view population in counties in other states, click here.
10 fastest growing SC counties in 2023
| County | Pop. 2022 | Pop. 2023 | Percent change |
| Jasper |
31,986 |
33,544 |
4.87 |
| Berkeley |
244,952 |
255,217 |
4.19 |
| Horry |
383,147 |
397,478 |
3.74 |
| Lancaster |
104,724 |
108,215 |
3.33 |
| Spartanburg |
345,948 |
356,698 |
3.12 |
| Kershaw |
67,850 |
69,905 |
3.03 |
| Edgefield |
26,959 |
27,607 |
2.40 |
| Dorchester |
166,050 |
169,833 |
2.28 |
| McCormick |
9,741 |
9,941 |
2.05 |
| Geenville |
547,845 |
558,036 |
1.86 |
Population change for all 46 SC counties in 2023
| County | Pop. 2022 | Pop. 2023 | Percent change |
| Abbeville | 24,338 | 24,434 | 0.39 |
| Aiken | 174,228 | 177,130 | 1.66 |
| Allendale | 7,418 | 7,369 | -0.66 |
| Anderson | 209,652 | 213,076 | 1.63 |
| Bamberg | 12,950 | 12,974 | 0.18 |
| Barnwell | 20,471 | 20,447 | -0.12 |
| Beaufort | 196,147 | 198,979 | 1.44 |
| Berkeley | 244,952 | 255,217 | 4.19 |
| Calhoun | 14,197 | 14,186 | -0.08 |
| Charleston | 419,350 | 424,367 | 1.2 |
| Cherokee | 56,121 | 56,714 | 1.06 |
| Chester | 31,993 | 32,226 | 0.73 |
| Chesterfield | 43,741 | 44,031 | 0.66 |
| Clarendon | 30,927 | 31,004 | 0.25 |
| Colleton | 38,580 | 38,874 | 0.76 |
| Darlington | 62,436 | 62,416 | -0.03 |
| Dillon | 27,747 | 27,698 | -0.18 |
| Dorchester | 166,050 | 169,833 | 2.28 |
| Edgefield | 26,959 | 27,607 | 2.40 |
| Fairfield | 20,450 | 20,422 | -0.14 |
| Florence | 136,740 | 137,214 | 0.35 |
| Georgetown | 64,669 | 65,731 | 1.64 |
| Greenville | 547,845 | 558,036 | 1.86 |
| Greenwood | 69,223 | 69,460 | 0.34 |
| Hampton | 18,136 | 18,122 | -0.08 |
| Horry | 383,147 | 397,478 | 3.74 |
| Jasper | 31,986 | 33,544 | 4.87 |
| Kershaw | 67,850 | 69,905 | 3.03 |
| Lancaster | 104,724 | 108,215 | 3.33 |
| Laurens | 67,951 | 68,873 | 1.36 |
| Lee | 16,161 | 15,967 | -1.2 |
| Lexington | 305,105 | 309,528 | 1.45 |
| McCormick | 9,741 | 9,941 | 2.05 |
| Marion | 28,471 | 28,508 | 0.13 |
| Marlboro | 26,006 | 25,704 | -1.16 |
| Newberry | 38,315 | 38,825 | 1.33 |
| Oconee | 80,160 | 81,221 | 1.32 |
| Orangeburg | 83,101 | 82,820 | -0.34 |
| Pickens | 133,470 | 135,495 | 1.52 |
| Richland | 421,526 | 425,138 | 0.86 |
| Saluda | 18,984 | 19,123 | 0.73 |
| Spartanburg | 345,948 | 356,698 | 3.12 |
| Sumter | 103,936 | 104,165 | 0.22 |
| Union | 26,739 | 26,629 | -0.41 |
| Williamsburg | 30,113 | 29,891 | -0.74 |
| York | 294,201 | 298,320 | 1.40 |
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