Barnwell County, South Carolina Income Statistics
Barnwell 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
Barnwell County Well below averageLess wealthy than 78% of counties in South Carolina
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Barnwell County | South Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $46,693 | $69,383 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $46,944 | $52,934 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 3.9% | 5.0% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 4.6% | 10.5% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 4.3% | 8.9% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Barnwell County is about 33% lower than in South Carolina. Income has been growing slower in Barnwell County (3.9%/yr) than in South Carolina (5.0%/yr).
About 5% of adults in Barnwell 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 Barnwell County, South Carolina grew by 30.6% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $46,693 in 2024. That's an average of about 3.9% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Barnwell County
| Metric | Barnwell County | South Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.544 | 0.547 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $61,476 | $62,655 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $42,552 | $49,387 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 30.8% | 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 Barnwell County, it is 0.544, about the same as South Carolina's 0.547, so income here is about as evenly distributed as there, and lower than the US's 0.552, so income is more evenly distributed here than there.
Men's income is about 44% more than women's income in Barnwell County, South Carolina. Over a 35-year career, a 44% wage gap accumulates to roughly $662,340 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Barnwell County, South Carolina has widened from about 19% to 31% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 36% in 2023, and was narrowest at 14% in 2010. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $11,456 since 2009.
Sharply against the trend: the pay gap in Barnwell County widened by 11.3 points while South Carolina's narrowed by 2.3 points.
Employment
| Metric | Barnwell County | South Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 7.0% | 4.8% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 4.2% | 11.5% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 23 | 22 | 22 |
Approximately 660 people are unemployed in Barnwell County, South Carolina.
The average commute time in Barnwell County is 23 minutes, longer than the 22 minutes in South Carolina.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Barnwell County, South Carolina has fallen from 15.0% to 7.0% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 18.2% in 2012 and fell as low as 5.7% in 2019.
Barnwell County, SC Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Barnwell County, SC is the 2nd largest of the 6 counties compared here, 20,521 residents against a local median of 14,130. The measure that sets Barnwell County, SC apart most is unemployment: 7.0%, 17% below the local median of 8.5%. That is the better end of the local range on this measure.
Income growth tells the same story from another angle: 3.9%/yr against a local median of 4.6%/yr, 15% below it. The picture is mixed rather than uniform: unemployment runs ahead of the neighbourhood while income growth runs behind it, so Barnwell County, SC is trading one against the other rather than simply out-performing what surrounds it. The counties themselves spread 10.4% on unemployment, so Barnwell County, SC sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Barnwell County, SC has the 3rd 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barnwell County, SC | 20,521 | $46,693 #3/6 | 3.9%/yr #6/6 | 7.0% #3/6 | 0.544 #1/6 |
| Allendale County, SC | 7,661 | $33,188 | 4.4%/yr | 8.5% | 0.632 |
| Aiken County, SC | 174,097 | $70,949 | 5.4%/yr | 6.0% | 0.547 |
| Bamberg County, SC | 13,042 | $44,339 | 4.6%/yr | 15.0% | 0.568 |
| Screven County, GA | 14,130 | $51,826 | 5.2%/yr | 4.6% | 0.575 |
| Hampton County, SC | 18,254 | $44,538 | 3.9%/yr | 9.4% | 0.549 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Barnwell 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 Barnwell County, South Carolina.
How Rich Is Barnwell County, South Carolina?
Barnwell 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 $46,693, about 33% lower than the South Carolina average of $69,383.
How fast is household income rising in Barnwell County, South Carolina?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Barnwell County, South Carolina rose 31%, from $35,747 to $46,693. Over the same years, income here lagged behind South Carolina as a whole: +31% against +59%.
What was the median household income in Barnwell County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Barnwell County, South Carolina was $42,669, down 1% from $42,928 in 2022. The South Carolina median that year was $66,973.
What was the median household income in Barnwell County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Barnwell County, South Carolina was $37,955. By 2024 it had risen 23% to $46,693.
How strong is the job market in Barnwell County, South Carolina?
Unemployment in Barnwell County, South Carolina is 7.0%, well above the South Carolina rate of 4.8%, so job seekers may face more competition than elsewhere.
What is the Gini coefficient in Barnwell County, South Carolina?
The Gini coefficient in Barnwell County is 0.544. It measures income inequality on a scale from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns everything). That is lower than the US average of 0.552, so income is distributed more equally than in the country overall.
How has the income gap between men and women changed in Barnwell County, South Carolina?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Barnwell County, South Carolina has widened from about 19% to 31% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 36% in 2023, and was narrowest at 14% in 2010. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $11,456 since 2009.
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