Colleton County, South Carolina Income Statistics
Colleton 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
Colleton County Well below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Colleton County | South Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $51,815 | $69,383 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $44,439 | $52,934 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 5.5% | 5.0% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 5.7% | 10.5% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 5.4% | 8.9% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Colleton County is about 25% lower than in South Carolina. Income has been growing faster in Colleton County (5.5%/yr) than in South Carolina (5.0%/yr).
About 6% of adults in Colleton 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 Colleton County, South Carolina grew by 52.1% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $51,815 in 2024. That's an average of about 5.5% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Colleton County
| Metric | Colleton County | South Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.555 | 0.547 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $53,746 | $62,655 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $47,617 | $49,387 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 11.4% | 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 Colleton County, it is 0.555, higher than South Carolina's 0.547, so income is less evenly distributed here than there, and about the same as the US's 0.552, so income here is about as evenly distributed as there.
Men's income is about 13% more than women's income in Colleton County, South Carolina. Over a 35-year career, a 13% wage gap accumulates to roughly $214,515 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Colleton County, South Carolina has narrowed from about 26% to 11% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 28% in 2014, and was narrowest at 7% in 2022. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $3,203 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Colleton County | South Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 9.8% | 4.8% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 6.3% | 11.5% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 30 | 22 | 22 |
Approximately 1,696 people are unemployed in Colleton County, South Carolina.
The average commute time in Colleton County is 30 minutes, longer than the 22 minutes in South Carolina.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Colleton County, South Carolina has fallen from 15.2% to 9.8% in 2024. Over that period the rate fell as low as 6.3% in 2021.
Colleton County, SC Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Colleton County, SC is the 3rd largest of the 6 counties compared here, 38,792 residents against a local median of 32,186. Where Colleton County, SC breaks from the counties next to it is unemployment, sitting 103% above the local median of 4.9% at 9.8%. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
Median household income tells the same story from another angle: $51,815 against a local median of $65,115, 20% below it. The picture is mixed rather than uniform: income growth runs ahead of the neighbourhood while unemployment runs behind it, so Colleton County, SC is trading one against the other rather than simply out-performing what surrounds it. The counties themselves spread 12.6% on unemployment, so Colleton County, SC sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Colleton County, SC has the 5th 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colleton County, SC | 38,792 | $51,815 #4/6 | 5.5%/yr #2/6 | 9.8% #5/6 | 0.555 #5/6 |
| Dorchester County, SC | 166,443 | $78,650 | 4.2%/yr | 4.9% | 0.533 |
| Beaufort County, SC | 195,246 | $88,120 | 5.1%/yr | 2.4% | 0.520 |
| Hampton County, SC | 18,254 | $44,538 | 3.9%/yr | 9.4% | 0.549 |
| Bamberg County, SC | 13,042 | $44,339 | 4.6%/yr | 15.0% | 0.568 |
| Jasper County, SC | 32,186 | $65,115 | 6.8%/yr | 4.5% | 0.543 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Colleton 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 Colleton County, South Carolina.
How Rich Is Colleton County, South Carolina?
Colleton 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 $51,815, about 25% lower than the South Carolina average of $69,383.
Are incomes growing in Colleton County, South Carolina?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Colleton County, South Carolina rose 52%, from $34,071 to $51,815. Over the same years, income here lagged behind South Carolina as a whole: +52% against +59%.
What was the median household income in Colleton County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Colleton County, South Carolina was $48,590, up 4% from $46,880 in 2022. The South Carolina median that year was $66,973.
What was the median household income in Colleton County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Colleton County, South Carolina was $36,193. By 2024 it had risen 43% to $51,815.
Is unemployment high in Colleton County, South Carolina?
Unemployment in Colleton County, South Carolina is 9.8%, well above the South Carolina rate of 4.8%, so job seekers may face more competition than elsewhere.
What is the Gini coefficient in Colleton County, South Carolina?
The Gini coefficient in Colleton County is 0.555. It measures income inequality on a scale from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns everything). That is almost the same as the US average of 0.552, so income is distributed about as equally as in the country overall.
How has the income gap between men and women changed in Colleton County, South Carolina?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Colleton County, South Carolina has narrowed from about 26% to 11% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 28% in 2014, and was narrowest at 7% in 2022. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $3,203 since 2009.
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