ORANGEBURG COUNTY

Revised 7/1/2008

Date Formed:

1769

Land Area (square miles):

1,106

County Seat:

Orangeburg

Other Cities and Towns:

Bowman, Branchville, Cope, Cordova, Elloree, Eutawville, Holly Hill, Livingston, Neeses, North, Norway, Rowesville, Santee, Springfield, Vance, Woodford

Form of Government:

Council-Administrator

Council Members:

Method of Election

Single Member

Term Length

2 years

Council of Government:

Lower Savannah

County History

Orangeburg County was named for William IV (1711-1751), Prince of Orange, the son-in-law of King George II. Orangeburg District was established in 1769, and from 1785 to 1791 it included four counties: Lexington, Orange, Winton, and Lewisburg. The district was reduced in size when Barnwell (1800) and Lexington (1804) districts were formed; parts of Orangeburg also went to form Aiken (1871) and Calhoun (1908) counties. Swiss and German farmers moved into this region around 1735, and English settlers from the lowcountry followed. The battle of Eutaw Springs was fought there during the Revolutionary War on September 8, 1781; it was the last major battle of the war in South Carolina. Large plantations using slave labor were established in Orangeburg in the nineteenth century, and the county became a major producer of cotton. Railroads arrived in the area early; Branchville became the first railroad junction in the state in 1840. Union troops under General Sherman passed through Orangeburg in February 1865. Orangeburg County was the birthplace of historian Alexander S. Salley (1871-1961) and singer Eartha Kitt.

Population Trends

Value

Rank

Value

Rank

Population 1980:

82,276

Numeric Change 1980-2000:

9,306

Population 1990:

84,803

Numeric Change 2000-2007:

-1,630

Population 2000:

91,582

Avg. Ann. Growth Rate 1980-2000:

0.56%

Population Estimate 2006:

89,804

Avg. Ann. Growth Rate 2000-2007:

-0.25%

Population Estimate 2007:

89,952

Percent Change 2006-2007:

0.16%

Persons Per Square Mile 2007:

81.3

Economic Data

Value

Rank

Value

Rank

Jobs 1980:

29,397

Personal Income (PI) 2006:

$2,292,512

Jobs 1990:

34,910

Avg. Ann. Growth Rate (PI) 1969-2006:

7.5%

Jobs 2000:

38,862

Per Capita Personal Income 2006:

$25,528

Jobs 2005:

35,546

% of U.S. PCPI 2006:

70%

Jobs 2006:

35,918

Average Wage Per Job 2006:

$29,831

Numeric Change Jobs 2005-2006:

372

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

71%

Avg. Annual Growth Rate 1980-2000:

1.61%

Unemployment Rate 2007:

8.5%

Avg. Annual Growth Rate 2000-2006:

0.16%

Avg. Unemployment 1998-2007:

8.8%

Tax Data

Value

Rank

Value

Rank

Assessed Property 2005:

$268,664,771

Per Capita Assessed Property 2005:

$2,934

County Base Millage Rate 2007:

0.1261

Additional Sales Tax (if applicable)

Value of One Mil 2007:

$228,748

Local Option Sales Tax:

Millage Cap FY09:

3.0%

Capital Projects Sales Tax:

1.0%

Net Taxable Sales FY06:

$781,946,826

School District Sales Tax:

Admissions Tax Collected FY06:

$154,981

Transportation Sales Tax:

Accommodations Tax Collected FY06:

$528,522

Financial & Employment Data

Value

Rank

Value

Rank

Total Revenues FY06:

$59,524,713

Per Capita Revenues:

$650

Total Expenditures FY06:

$57,622,930

Per Capita Expenditures:

$629

General Fund Budget FY08:

$13,326,008

Per Capita General Fund Budget:

$146

Total Debt Outstanding FY07:

$76,838,773

Per Capita Debt Outstanding:

$825

Payroll FY 2008:

$5,559,025

Credit Rating(s) FY07

Full-Time Employees FY08:

538

Moody's:

Part-Time Employees FY08

179

Standard & Poor:

BBB+