Date Formed:

1785

Land Area (square miles):

561

County Seat:

Darlington

Other Cities and Towns:

Hartsville, Lamar, Society Hill

Form of Government:

Council-Administrator

Council Members:

Method of Election

Single Member

Term Length

4 years

Council of Government:

Pee Dee

County History According to the South Carolina State Library Reference Room

The origin of the name of this county is uncertain, but it may have been named for Darlington, England. The county was formed in 1785, with the county seat at Darlington, and until 1800 it was a part of the Cheraw District. Parts of Darlington County were removed to form Florence County in 1888 and Lee County in 1902. This area was settled in the mid-eighteenth century by Welsh, Scotch-Irish, and English farmers, who grew cotton primarily. In more recent years the county has been best known for the stock car races which take place at the Darlington Raceway. David Rogerson Williams (1776-1830), South Carolina Governor and scientific experimenter, was a native of Darlington; he is remembered for introducing the mule to Southern agriculture. Other prominent Darlington residents were industrialists James Lide Coker (1837-1918) and David R. Coker (1870-1938) and novelists Annie Greene Nelson (1902-1993) and Elizabeth Boatwright Coker (1909-1993).

Population Trends

Value

Rank

Value

Rank

Population 1980:

62,717

Numeric Change 1980-2000:

4,677

Population 1990:

61,851

Avg. Ann. Growth Rate 1980-2000:

0.37%

Population 2000:

67,394

Percent Change 2005-2006:

0.3%

Population Estimate 2005:

67,369

Persons Per Square Mile 2006:

120.4

Population Estimate 2006:

67,551

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:

22,669

Personal Income 2005:

$1,734,412

Jobs 1990:

23,775

Per Capita Pers. Income (PCPI) 2005:

$25,745

Jobs 2000:

24,938

% of U.S. PCPI 2005:

75%

Avg. Annual Growth Rate 1980-2000:

0.50%

Average Wage Per Job 2005:

$34,207

Jobs 2004:

23,261

% of U.S. Avg. Wage Per Job 2005:

85%

Jobs 2005:

23,328

Avg. Unemployment 1996-2006:

7.1%

Numeric Change 2004-2005:

Unemployment Rate 2006 Ann. Avg:

7.7%

Tax Data

Value

Rank

Value

Rank

Assessed Property 2004:

$201,233,693

Per Capita Assessed Property 2004:

$2,986

County Base Millage Rate* 2006:

0.07772

Additional Sales Tax (if applicable)

Value of One Mil 2006:

$192,302

Local Option Sales Tax:

1.0%

Net Taxable Sales FY 2005:

$369,263,794

Capital Projects Sales Tax:

Admissions Taxes Collected FY 2005:

$330,082

School District Sales Tax:

1.0%

Accomodations Taxes Collected FY 2005:

$70,322

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:

$23,848,974

Per Capital Revenues:

$354

Total Expenditures FY 2004:

$24,126,666

Per Capita Expenditures:

$358

General Fund Budget FY 2007:

$32,935,000

Per Capita General Fund Budget:

$489

Total Debt Outstanding FY 2006:

$5,599,249

Per Capita Debt Outstanding:

$83

Credit Ratings(s) FY 2006:

Payroll FY 2007:

$11,632,000

Moodys:

Full-Time Employees FY 2007:

342

Standard & Poor:

A-

Part-Time Employees FY 2007:

Fitch:

Full Time Emp/1,000 Cnty Residents:

5.07

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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