Fairfield County, South Carolina Income Statistics
Fairfield 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
Fairfield County Well below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Fairfield County | South Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $47,611 | $69,383 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $45,285 | $52,934 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 4.4% | 5.0% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 5.6% | 10.5% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 4.6% | 8.9% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Fairfield County is about 31% lower than in South Carolina. Income has been growing slower in Fairfield County (4.4%/yr) than in South Carolina (5.0%/yr).
About 6% of adults in Fairfield 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 Fairfield County, South Carolina grew by 45.2% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $47,611 in 2024. That's an average of about 4.4% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Fairfield County
| Metric | Fairfield County | South Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.529 | 0.547 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $53,502 | $62,655 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $40,668 | $49,387 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 24.0% | 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 Fairfield County, it is 0.529, lower than South Carolina's 0.547, so income is more evenly distributed here than there, and lower than the US's 0.552, so income is more evenly distributed here than there.
Men's income is about 32% more than women's income in Fairfield County, South Carolina. Over a 35-year career, a 32% wage gap accumulates to roughly $449,190 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Fairfield County, South Carolina has widened from about 19% to 24% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 34% in 2021. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $5,618 since 2009.
Sharply against the trend: the pay gap in Fairfield County widened by 4.9 points while South Carolina's narrowed by 2.3 points.
Employment
| Metric | Fairfield County | South Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 5.5% | 4.8% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 6.3% | 11.5% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 30 | 22 | 22 |
Approximately 527 people are unemployed in Fairfield County, South Carolina.
The average commute time in Fairfield County is 30 minutes, longer than the 22 minutes in South Carolina.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Fairfield County, South Carolina has fallen from 10.5% to 5.5% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 14.8% in 2014 and fell as low as 5.0% in 2020.
Fairfield County, SC Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Fairfield County, SC is the smallest of the 6 counties compared here, 20,550 residents against a local median of 104,481. Fairfield County, SC's median household income, at $47,611, runs 26% below the $64,219 typical of the counties around it. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
Income growth tells the same story from another angle: 4.4%/yr against a local median of 5.7%/yr, 23% below it. Every measure here with a clear better direction points the same way, and it is the wrong way: Fairfield County, SC reads weaker than its neighbours on all of them. The counties themselves spread $27,333 on median household income, so Fairfield County, SC sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Fairfield County, SC has the 6th highest median household income 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fairfield County, SC | 20,550 | $47,611 #6/6 | 4.4%/yr #4/6 | 5.5% #4/6 | 0.529 #3/6 |
| Chester County, SC | 32,186 | $53,740 | 5.8%/yr | 5.5% | 0.519 |
| Richland County, SC | 422,111 | $64,219 | 2.9%/yr | 6.2% | 0.559 |
| Newberry County, SC | 38,435 | $62,057 | 5.7%/yr | 4.4% | 0.539 |
| Lancaster County, SC | 104,481 | $81,073 | 7.1%/yr | 4.3% | 0.545 |
| Lexington County, SC | 304,957 | $77,064 | 4.1%/yr | 4.4% | 0.523 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Fairfield 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 Fairfield County, South Carolina.
How Rich Is Fairfield County, South Carolina?
Fairfield 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 $47,611, about 31% lower than the South Carolina average of $69,383.
How fast is household income rising in Fairfield County, South Carolina?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Fairfield County, South Carolina rose 45%, from $32,790 to $47,611. Over the same years, income here lagged behind South Carolina as a whole: +45% against +59%.
What was the median household income in Fairfield County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Fairfield County, South Carolina was $48,086, up 8% from $44,578 in 2022. The South Carolina median that year was $66,973.
What was the median household income in Fairfield County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Fairfield County, South Carolina was $43,261. By 2024 it had risen 10% to $47,611.
What is the Gini coefficient in Fairfield County, South Carolina?
The Gini coefficient in Fairfield County is 0.529. 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 Fairfield County, South Carolina?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Fairfield County, South Carolina has widened from about 19% to 24% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 34% in 2021. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $5,618 since 2009.
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