BARNWELL COUNTY
Date Formed:  1800
Land Area (square miles): 548
County Seat: Barnwell
Other Cities and Towns:
Blackville, Elko, Hilda, Kline, Snelling, Williston
Form of Government: Council
Council Members: 7
Method of Election Single Member
Term Length 4 years
Council of Government:  Lower Savannah
County History According to the South Carolina State Library Reference Room
Barnwell County and its county seat were named for Revolutionary War leader John Barnwell (1748-1800). The county was originally part of Orangeburg District, and in 1785 it was named Winton County. It was given its current name in 1800. Barnwell County has decreased in size over the years as new counties were created within its boundaries (Aiken in 1871, Bamberg in 1897, and Allendale in 1919). The South Carolina Railroad, which connected Charleston to Hamburg on the Savannah River, was built through this area, creating the towns of Blackville and Williston in the mid-nineteenth century. In more recent years the county was the home of several powerful state politicians, known collectively as the "Barnwell Ring." Included were state Senator Edgar A. Brown (1888-1975), Speaker of the House Solomon Blatt (1895-1986), and Governor Joseph E. Harley (1880-1942).
Population Trends Value Rank Value Rank
Population 1980: 19,868 37 Numeric Change 1980-2000: 3,610 32
Population 1990: 20,293 37 Avg. Ann. Growth Rate 1980-2000: 0.90% 26
Population 2000:  23,478 37 Percent Change 2005-2006: -0.1% 35
Population Estimate 2005: 23,289 38 Persons Per Square Mile 2006: 42.5 36
Population Estimate 2006: 23,265 38
Link to SC Office of Research and Statistics - Community Profile Demographic Data
Link to SC Office of Research and Statistics - Kids Count
Economic Data Value Rank Value Rank
Jobs 1980: 7,788 35 Personal Income 2005: $475,299 40
Jobs 1990: 7,933 36 Per Capita Pers. Income (PCPI) 2005: $20,409 42
Jobs 2000: 9,513 33 % of U.S. PCPI 2005: 59% 41
Avg. Annual Growth Rate 1980-2000:  1.11% 25 Average Wage Per Job 2005:  $27,716 32
Jobs 2004: 8,027 35 % of U.S. Avg. Wage Per Job 2005:  69% 32
Jobs 2005: 7,876 35 Avg. Unemployment 1996-2006:  7.9% 13
Numeric Change 2004-2005: -151 37 Unemployment Rate 2006 Ann. Avg: 10.2% 7
Tax Data Value Rank Value Rank
Assessed Property 2004: $47,393,955 40 Per Capita Assessed Property 2004: $2,019 43
County Base Millage Rate* 2006: 0.13 12 Additional Sales Tax (if applicable)
Value of One Mil 2006: $47,941 40 Local Option Sales Tax: 1.0%
Net Taxable Sales FY 2005: $150,494,781 35 Capital Projects Sales Tax:  
Admissions Taxes Collected FY 2005: $4,838 38 School District Sales Tax:  
Accomodations Taxes Collected FY 2005: $21,787 37 Transportation Sales Tax:  
* County Base Millage Rate reflects county mils only and does not include millages charged by other taxing entities (cities, schools, etc.)
Link to SC Employment Security Commission - Top Employers by County
Link to SC Office of Research and Statistics - Community Profile Demographic Data
Financial and Employment Data Value Rank Value Rank
Total Revenues FY 2004: $16,491,973 30 Per Capital Revenues: $702 9
Total Expenditures FY 2004: $13,042,136 34 Per Capita Expenditures: $556 13
General Fund Budget FY 2007: $11,244,391 35 Per Capita General Fund Budget: $479 13
Total Debt Outstanding FY 2006: $2,180,000 37 Per Capita Debt Outstanding: $93 37
Credit Ratings(s) FY 2006: Payroll FY 2007: $4,629,931 39
 Moodys:   Full-Time Employees FY 2007:  125 40
Standard & Poor:   Part-Time Employees FY 2007: 52 21
Fitch:   Full Time Emp/1,000 Cnty Residents:   5.32 30
Link to SC Office of Research and Statistics - Local Government Finance Report (Full document in Excel)
Sources:  County histories obtained from the South Carolina State Library Reference Room at http://www.state.sc.us/scsl/cnties.html. All other sources are listed in the appendix tables.
Updated 9/12/2007 16:25
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