Date Formed:

1908

Land Area (square miles):

380

County Seat:

St. Matthews

Other Cities and Towns:

Cameron

Form of Government:

Council

Council Members:

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

Calhoun County was named for John C. Calhoun (1782-1850), who served as U.S. Vice President, Secretary of War, Secretary of State, and Senator. The county seat, the town of St. Matthews, was settled around 1841 in an area that was known for its cotton plantations. The county itself was formed in 1908 from parts of Orangeburg and Lexington counties. During the Revolutionary War a famous incident took place at Fort Motte in present day Calhoun County. Rebecca Motte (1738-1815), a local plantation owner, helped the Revolutionary troops drive the British out of her plantation house; she reportedly provided the soldiers with a burning arrow to destroy her own dwelling. Another famous resident of the area was Pulitzer Prize-winning writer Julia Peterkin (1880-1961), who lived at Lang Syne Plantation.

Population Trends

Value

Rank

Value

Rank

Population 1980:

12,206

Numeric Change 1980-2000:

2,979

Population 1990:

12,753

Avg. Ann. Growth Rate 1980-2000:

1.22%

Population 2000:

15,185

Percent Change 2005-2006:

-0.3%

Population Estimate 2006:

14,821

Persons Per Square Mile 2006:

38.9

Population Estimate 2007:

14,777

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:

5,053

Personal Income 2006:

$456,640

Jobs 1990:

3,989

Per Capita Pers. Income (PCPI) 2006:

$30,810

Jobs 2000:

4,467

% of U.S. PCPI 2006:

84%

Avg. Annual Growth Rate 1980-2000:

-0.58%

Average Wage Per Job 2006:

$33,915

Jobs 2005:

4,867

% of U.S. Avg. Wage Per Job 2006:

81%

Jobs 2006:

4,813

Avg. Unemployment 1998-2007:

6.2%

Numeric Change 2005-2006:

-54

Unemployment Rate 2007 Ann. Avg:

6.3%

Tax Data

Value

Rank

Value

Rank

Assessed Property 2006:

$74,285,238

Per Capita Assessed Property 2005:

$4,892

County Base Millage Rate* 2007:

0.106

Additional Sales Tax (if applicable)

Value of One Mil 2007:

$55,748

Local Option Sales Tax:

1.0%

Net Taxable Sales FY 2006:

$52,809,096

Capital Projects Sales Tax:

Admissions Taxes Collected FY 2006:

***

School District Sales Tax:

Accomodations Taxes Collected FY 2006:

***

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 2006:

$12,098,960

Per Capital Revenues:

$797

Total Expenditures FY 2006:

$10,234,673

Per Capita Expenditures:

$674

General Fund Budget FY 2008:

$9,759,032

Per Capita General Fund Budget:

$643

Total Debt Outstanding FY 2007:

$1,719,131

Per Capita Debt Outstanding:

$111

Credit Ratings(s) FY 2007:

Payroll FY 2008:

$4,263,791

Moodys:

Full-Time Employees FY 2008:

115

Standard & Poor:

Part-Time Employees FY 2008:

Fitch:

Full Time Emp/1,000 Cnty Residents:

7.57

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

5/6/2008 16:45