WILLIAMSBURG COUNTY
Date Formed:  1804
Land Area (square miles): 934
County Seat: Kingstree
Other Cities and Towns:
Andrews, Greeleyville, Hemingway, Lane, Stuckey
Form of Government: Council-Supervisor
Council Members: 8
Method of Election Single Member
Term Length 4 years
Council of Government:  Waccamaw
County History According to the South Carolina State Library Reference Room
Williamsburg County was probably named for King William III of England (1650-1702). Scotch-Irish and French Huguenot settlers began moving into this part of the lowcountry around 1732, and in 1736 the township of Williamsburg was laid out on the Black River in the vicinity of the settlement of Kingstree. This area was part of Prince Frederick Parish, which in turn was part of Georgetown District. In 1804 Williamsburg became a separate district, with the seat at Kingstree. A small part of Williamsburg later went to form Florence County in 1888. During the Revolutionary War many of General Francis Marion's men hailed from this area, including Major John James (1732-1791). The battles of Black Mingo (September 28-29, 1780), Mount Hope Swamp (March 1781), and Lower Bridge (March 1781) were all fought in Williamsburg County. In later years, the county has remained primarily an agricultural region. Nobel Prize-winning geneticist Joseph L. Goldstein grew up in the town of Kingstree. 
Population Trends Value Rank Value Rank
Population 1980: 38,226 25 Numeric Change 1980-2000: -1,009 44
Population 1990: 36,815 26 Avg. Ann. Growth Rate 1980-2000: -0.13% 43
Population 2000:  37,217 27 Percent Change 2005-2006: 2.3% 7
Population Estimate 2005: 35,272 28 Persons Per Square Mile 2006: 38.7 40
Population Estimate 2006: 36,105 28
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: 11,031 31 Personal Income 2005: $705,618 30
Jobs 1990: 12,409 29 Per Capita Pers. Income (PCPI) 2005: $20,005 45
Jobs 2000: 10,806 32 % of U.S. PCPI 2005: 58% 45
Avg. Annual Growth Rate 1980-2000:  -0.10% 44 Average Wage Per Job 2005:  $26,672 39
Jobs 2004: 10,605 31 % of U.S. Avg. Wage Per Job 2005:  66% 39
Jobs 2005: 11,047 29 Avg. Unemployment 1996-2006:  11.3% 2
Numeric Change 2004-2005: 442 13 Unemployment Rate 2006 Ann. Avg: 9.9% 8
Tax Data Value Rank Value Rank
Assessed Property 2004: $80,470,411 41 Per Capita Assessed Property 2004: $2,162 38
County Base Millage Rate* 2006: 0.1454 8 Additional Sales Tax (if applicable)
Value of One Mil 2006: $76,150 32 Local Option Sales Tax: 1%
Net Taxable Sales FY 2005: $183,615,942 31 Capital Projects Sales Tax:  
Admissions Taxes Collected FY 2005: $21,410 31 School District Sales Tax:  
Accomodations Taxes Collected FY 2005: ***  * 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: $21,134,967 26 Per Capital Revenues: $568 15
Total Expenditures FY 2004: $18,086,496 26 Per Capita Expenditures: $486 19
General Fund Budget FY 2007: $13,541,943 32 Per Capita General Fund Budget: $364 27
Total Debt Outstanding FY 2006: $3,625,000 34 Per Capita Debt Outstanding: $102 35
Credit Ratings(s) FY 2006: Payroll FY 2007: $8,244,596 26
 Moodys: Baa3 Full-Time Employees FY 2007:  268 24
Standard & Poor: BBB Part-Time Employees FY 2007: 82 12
Fitch:   Full Time Emp/1,000 Cnty Residents:   7.20 12
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 9/19/2007 15:37
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