Bamberg County, South Carolina Income Statistics
Bamberg County Wealth Score
The wealth index reflects the overall economic prosperity and financial well-being of a county's residents based on income levels, employment rates, and income inequality metrics.
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D
Bamberg County Well below averageLess wealthy than 89% of counties in South Carolina
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Bamberg County | South Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $44,339 | $69,383 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $43,094 | $52,934 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 4.6% | 5.0% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 2.8% | 10.5% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 1.2% | 8.9% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Bamberg County is about 36% lower than in South Carolina. Income has been growing slower in Bamberg County (4.6%/yr) than in South Carolina (5.0%/yr).
About 3% of adults in Bamberg County earn six figures ($100,000 or more) a year, lower than the South Carolina average of 11%.
Median Household Income 2009–2024 Trend
Median Household Income Over Time
Median household income in Bamberg County, South Carolina grew by 43.7% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $44,339 in 2024. That's an average of about 4.6% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Bamberg County
| Metric | Bamberg County | South Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.568 | 0.547 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $46,367 | $62,655 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $42,850 | $49,387 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 7.6% | 21.2% | 18.4% |
The Gini coefficient measures how evenly income is shared between richer and poorer households, from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns nearly everything). The lower the number, the more equally income is distributed. In Bamberg County, it is 0.568, higher than South Carolina's 0.547, so income is less evenly distributed here than there, and higher than the US's 0.552, so income is less evenly distributed here than there.
Men's income is about 8% more than women's income in Bamberg County, South Carolina. Over a 35-year career, a 8% wage gap accumulates to roughly $123,095 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Bamberg County, South Carolina has narrowed from about 17% to 8% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 38% in 2014. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $1,991 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Bamberg County | South Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 15.0% | 4.8% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 7.2% | 11.5% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 22 | 22 | 22 |
Approximately 880 people are unemployed in Bamberg County, South Carolina.
The average commute time in Bamberg County is 22 minutes, about the same as in South Carolina.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Bamberg County, South Carolina has risen from 9.4% to 15.0% in 2024. Over that period the rate fell as low as 4.4% in 2019.
Bamberg County, SC Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Bamberg County, SC is the 5th largest of the 6 counties compared here, 13,042 residents against a local median of 18,254. The measure that sets Bamberg County, SC apart most is unemployment: 15.0%, 80% above the local median of 8.3%. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
Income growth tells the same story from another angle: 4.6%/yr against a local median of 3.9%/yr, 17% above it. The picture is mixed rather than uniform: income growth runs ahead of the neighbourhood while unemployment runs behind it, so Bamberg County, SC is trading one against the other rather than simply out-performing what surrounds it. The counties themselves sit within 3.6% of each other on unemployment, a tighter band than the gap between any of them and Bamberg County, SC, which makes it a genuine outlier here rather than one end of a wide local spread. Bamberg County, SC has the 6th lowest unemployment of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Income growthAverage yearly change in median household income since 2016. Each year is measured in its own dollars, so this is growth before inflation. | Unemployment | Income inequalityGini coefficient: 0 would mean every household earns the same, 1 that a single household earns everything. The lower the number, the more equally income is shared here. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bamberg County, SC | 13,042 | $44,339 #5/6 | 4.6%/yr #1/6 | 15.0% #6/6 | 0.568 #5/6 |
| Orangeburg County, SC | 83,253 | $45,561 | 3.5%/yr | 8.3% | 0.565 |
| Allendale County, SC | 7,661 | $33,188 | 4.4%/yr | 8.5% | 0.632 |
| Barnwell County, SC | 20,521 | $46,693 | 3.9%/yr | 7.0% | 0.544 |
| Hampton County, SC | 18,254 | $44,538 | 3.9%/yr | 9.4% | 0.549 |
| Calhoun County, SC | 14,182 | $58,414 | 4.0%/yr | 5.8% | 0.530 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Bamberg County, South Carolina has an overall wealth index grade of D, making it somewhat worse than South Carolina, and somewhat worse than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Bamberg County, South Carolina.
How Rich Is Bamberg County, South Carolina?
Bamberg County has a wealth index grade of D. The wealth index grades areas from A+ (best) to F- by combining income levels, employment rates, and income inequality; a D grade means residents are somewhat worse off than the U.S. average. The median household income is $44,339, about 36% lower than the South Carolina average of $69,383.
How has median household income changed in Bamberg County, South Carolina?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Bamberg County, South Carolina rose 44%, from $30,862 to $44,339. Over the same years, income here lagged behind South Carolina as a whole: +44% against +59%.
What was the median household income in Bamberg County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Bamberg County, South Carolina was $42,397, down 3% from $43,919 in 2022. The South Carolina median that year was $66,973.
What was the median household income in Bamberg County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Bamberg County, South Carolina was $42,121. By 2024 it had risen 5% to $44,339.
How strong is the job market in Bamberg County, South Carolina?
Unemployment in Bamberg County, South Carolina is 15.0%, well above the South Carolina rate of 4.8%, so job seekers may face more competition than elsewhere.
What is the Gini coefficient in Bamberg County, South Carolina?
The Gini coefficient in Bamberg County is 0.568. It measures income inequality on a scale from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns everything). That is higher than the US average of 0.552, so income is distributed less equally than in the country overall.
How has the income gap between men and women changed in Bamberg County, South Carolina?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Bamberg County, South Carolina has narrowed from about 17% to 8% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 38% in 2014. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $1,991 since 2009.
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