County Information

SC county mapThere are 46 counties in South Carolina ranging in population from 8,039 (Allendale County) to 525,534 (Greenville County).

Counties operate under four forms of government: council (six counties); council-supervisor (four counties); council-administrator (34 counties); and council-manager (two counties). Under the council form, the council has responsibility for policymaking and administration. Under the council-supervisor form, administrative responsibility resides in an elected supervisor who serves as chair of council, but only votes in case of a tie. In both the council-administrator and council-manager forms, administrative responsibility rests with a professional administrator/manager who reports to the council. In the council-manager form, the auditor and treasurer may be appointed by the council rather than elected.

County council members are elected to two- or four-year terms, either at large or by single member districts. All county elections are partisan. Constitutional officers elected to four-year terms are the clerk of court, coroner and sheriff. Statutory officers elected countywide to four-year terms are the auditor, treasurer and probate judge. Some counties also elect a register of deeds.

All counties operate on a July 1–June 30 fiscal year.

County Directory Pages

County 2020 Census Population Land Area County Seat Website
Abbeville County 24,295 508 Abbeville https://abbevillecountysc.com/
Aiken County 168,808 1,073 Aiken http://www.aikencountysc.gov
Allendale County 8,039 408 Allendale https://www.allendalecounty.com
Anderson County 203,718 718 Anderson https://www.andersoncountysc.org
Bamberg County 13,311 393 Bamberg https://www.bambergcounty.sc.gov
Barnwell County 20,589 548 Barnwell https://www.barnwellcountysc.us
Beaufort County 187,117 587 Beaufort https://www.beaufortcountysc.gov
Berkeley County 229,861 1,098 Moncks Corner https://www.berkeleycountysc.gov
Calhoun County 14,119 380 St. Matthews https://calhouncounty.sc.gov
Charleston County 408,235 919 Charleston https://www.charlestoncounty.org
Cherokee County 56,216 393 Gaffney https://www.cherokeecountysc.gov
Chester County 32,294 581 Chester https://www.chestercountysc.gov
Chesterfield County 43,273 799 Chesterfield http://www.chesterfieldcountysc.com/
Clarendon County 31,144 607 Manning http://www.clarendoncountygov.org/
Colleton County 38,604 1,056 Walterboro http://www.colletoncounty.org
Darlington County 62,905 561 Darlington http://www.darcosc.com
Dillon County 28,292 405 Dillon https://www.dilloncountysc.org/
Dorchester County 161,540 575 St. George https://www.dorchestercountysc.gov/
Edgefield County 25,657 502 Edgefield https://edgefieldcounty.sc.gov/
Fairfield County 20,948 687 Winnsboro https://www.fairfieldsc.com/
Florence County 137,059 800 Florence http://www.florenceco.org/
Georgetown County 63,404 815 Georgetown http://www.georgetowncountysc.org/
Greenville County 525,534 790 Greenville https://www.greenvillecounty.org/Default.aspx
Greenwood County 69,351 456 Greenwood https://www.greenwoodcounty-sc.gov/
Hampton County 18,561 560 Hampton http://www.hamptoncountysc.org
Horry County 351,029 1,134 Conway https://www.horrycounty.org
Jasper County 28,791 656 Ridgeland https://www.jaspercountysc.gov/
Kershaw County 65,403 726 Camden https://www.kershaw.sc.gov/
Lancaster County 96,016 549 Lancaster https://www.mylancastersc.org/
Laurens County 67,539 715 Laurens https://laurenscounty.us/
Lee County 16,531 410 Bishopville https://www.leecountysc.org/
Lexington County 293,991 699 Lexington https://lex-co.sc.gov/
Marion County 29,183 489 Marion https://www.marionsc.org/
Marlboro County 26,667 480 Bennettsville https://marlborocounty.sc.gov/
McCormick County 9,526 360 McCormick http://www.mccormickcountysc.org
Newberry County 37,719 631 Newberry https://www.newberrycounty.net/
Oconee County 78,607 625 Walhalla https://oconeesc.com/
Orangeburg County 84,223 1,106 Orangeburg https://www.orangeburgcounty.org/
Pickens County 131,404 497 Pickens https://www.co.pickens.sc.us/
Richland County 416,147 756 Columbia http://www.richlandcountysc.gov/
Saluda County 18,862 452 Saluda https://saludacounty.sc.gov/
Spartanburg County 327,997 811 Spartanburg https://www.spartanburgcounty.org/
Sumter County 105,556 665 Sumter http://www.sumtercountysc.org
Union County 27,244 514 Union https://www.countyofunion.org
Williamsburg County 31,026 934 Kingstree https://www.williamsburgcounty.sc.gov/
York County 282,090 682 York https://www.yorkcountygov.com/