Date Formed:

1791

Land Area (square miles):

726

County Seat:

Camden

Other Cities and Towns:

Bethune, Elgin

Form of Government:

Council-Administrator

Council Members:

Method of Election

Single Member/ Chair at Large

Term Length

4 years

Council of Government:

Santee Lynches

County History According to the South Carolina State Library Reference Room

Kershaw County was named for Joseph Kershaw (1727-1791), an early settler. 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, which is the oldest inland city in South Carolina. This site was settled around 1732 by English traders and farmers who moved inland from Charleston. During the Revolutionary War the British occupied Camden from June 1780 to May 1781. Fourteen battles took place in the area, including the Battle of Camden (August 16, 1780) and the Battle of Hobkirk Hill (April 25, 1781). Kershaw County later produced six Confederate generals: Joseph Brevard Kershaw (1822-1894), James Chesnut (1815-1885), James Cantey (1818-1873), Zack Cantey Deas (1819-1882), John Bordenave Villepigue (1830-1862), and John Doby Kennedy (1840-1896). Union troops under General Sherman burned parts of Camden in February 1865. Statesman and financier Bernard M. Baruch (1870-1965) and labor leader Lane Kirkland were born in Kershaw County.

Population Trends

Value

Rank

Value

Rank

Population 1980:

39,015

Numeric Change 1980-2000:

13,632

Population 1990:

43,599

Avg. Ann. Growth Rate 1980-2000:

1.74%

Population 2000:

52,647

Percent Change 2005-2006:

2.0%

Population Estimate 2005:

56,341

Persons Per Square Mile 2006:

79.2

Population Estimate 2006:

57,490

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:

16,191

Personal Income 2005:

$1,611,091

Jobs 1990:

18,058

Per Capita Pers. Income (PCPI) 2005:

$28,595

Jobs 2000:

19,556

% of U.S. PCPI 2005:

83%

Avg. Annual Growth Rate 1980-2000:

1.04%

Average Wage Per Job 2005:

$30,077

Jobs 2004:

20,176

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

75%

Jobs 2005:

19,972

Avg. Unemployment 1996-2006:

5.5%

Numeric Change 2004-2005:

-204

Unemployment Rate 2006 Ann. Avg:

6.3%

Tax Data

Value

Rank

Value

Rank

Assessed Property 2004:

$177,963,416

Per Capita Assessed Property 2004:

$3,380

County Base Millage Rate* 2006:

0.2114

Additional Sales Tax (if applicable)

Value of One Mil 2006:

$185,800

Local Option Sales Tax:

Net Taxable Sales FY 2005:

$412,401,397

Capital Projects Sales Tax:

Admissions Taxes Collected FY 2005:

$33,562

School District Sales Tax:

Accomodations Taxes Collected FY 2005:

$114,032

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:

$17,911,918

Per Capital Revenues:

$340

Total Expenditures FY 2004:

$14,466,077

Per Capita Expenditures:

$275

General Fund Budget FY 2007:

$17,358,460

Per Capita General Fund Budget:

$330

Total Debt Outstanding FY 2006:

$9,618,467

Per Capita Debt Outstanding:

$170

Credit Ratings(s) FY 2006:

Payroll FY 2007:

$8,502,519

Moodys:

Full-Time Employees FY 2007:

261

Standard & Poor:

Part-Time Employees FY 2007:

Fitch:

A+

Full Time Emp/1,000 Cnty Residents:

4.96

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

Back to County Profile Directory Page