Lancaster County, South Carolina Income Statistics
Lancaster 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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C
Lancaster County Below averageWealthier than 84% of counties in South Carolina
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Lancaster County | South Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $81,073 | $69,383 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $58,486 | $52,934 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 7.1% | 5.0% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 13.5% | 10.5% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 11.0% | 8.9% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Lancaster County is about 17% higher than in South Carolina. Income has been growing faster in Lancaster County (7.1%/yr) than in South Carolina (5.0%/yr).
About 13% of adults in Lancaster County earn six figures ($100,000 or more) a year, higher than the South Carolina average of 11%.
Median Household Income 2009–2024 Trend
Median Household Income Over Time
Median household income in Lancaster County, South Carolina grew by 110.4% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $81,073 in 2024. That's an average of about 7.1% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Lancaster County
| Metric | Lancaster County | South Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.545 | 0.547 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $72,267 | $62,655 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $51,950 | $49,387 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 28.1% | 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 Lancaster County, it is 0.545, 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 39% more than women's income in Lancaster County, South Carolina. Over a 35-year career, a 39% wage gap accumulates to roughly $711,095 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Lancaster County, South Carolina has widened from about 22% to 28% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 32% in 2011, and was narrowest at 20% in 2021. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $11,949 since 2009.
Sharply against the trend: the pay gap in Lancaster County widened by 6.3 points while South Carolina's narrowed by 2.3 points.
Employment
| Metric | Lancaster County | South Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 4.3% | 4.8% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 19.5% | 11.5% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 27 | 22 | 22 |
Approximately 2,116 people are unemployed in Lancaster County, South Carolina.
The average commute time in Lancaster County is 27 minutes, longer than the 22 minutes in South Carolina.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Lancaster County, South Carolina has fallen from 12.7% to 4.3% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 13.8% in 2012.
Lancaster County, SC Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Lancaster County, SC is the 2nd largest of the 6 counties compared here, 104,481 residents against a local median of 43,782. Lancaster County, SC's median household income, at $81,073, runs 51% above the $53,740 typical of the counties around it. That is the better end of the local range on this measure.
Income growth tells the same story from another angle: 7.1%/yr against a local median of 5.2%/yr, 35% above it. Every measure here with a clear better direction points the same way, so Lancaster County, SC is not trading one advantage for another, it reads stronger than its neighbours across the board. The counties themselves spread $56,816 on median household income, so Lancaster County, SC sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Lancaster County, SC has the 2nd 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lancaster County, SC | 104,481 | $81,073 #2/6 | 7.1%/yr #1/6 | 4.3% #2/6 | 0.545 #5/6 |
| Union County, NC | 250,888 | $104,427 | 5.6%/yr | 4.2% | 0.554 |
| Kershaw County, SC | 68,312 | $69,050 | 5.2%/yr | 4.7% | 0.532 |
| Chester County, SC | 32,186 | $53,740 | 5.8%/yr | 5.5% | 0.519 |
| Fairfield County, SC | 20,550 | $47,611 | 4.4%/yr | 5.5% | 0.529 |
| Chesterfield County, SC | 43,782 | $49,072 | 4.1%/yr | 7.5% | 0.537 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Lancaster County, South Carolina has an overall wealth index grade of C, making it somewhat better than South Carolina, and about on par with the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Lancaster County, South Carolina.
How Rich Is Lancaster County, South Carolina?
Lancaster County has a wealth index grade of C. The wealth index grades areas from A+ (best) to F- by combining income levels, employment rates, and income inequality; a C grade means residents are close to the U.S. average. The median household income is $81,073, about 17% higher than the South Carolina average of $69,383.
How has median household income changed in Lancaster County, South Carolina?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Lancaster County, South Carolina rose 110%, from $38,530 to $81,073. Over the same years, income here outpaced South Carolina as a whole: +110% against +59%.
What was the median household income in Lancaster County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Lancaster County, South Carolina was $74,694, up 2% from $73,094 in 2022. The South Carolina median that year was $66,973.
What was the median household income in Lancaster County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Lancaster County, South Carolina was $66,182. By 2024 it had risen 23% to $81,073.
What is the Gini coefficient in Lancaster County, South Carolina?
The Gini coefficient in Lancaster County is 0.545. 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 Lancaster County, South Carolina?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Lancaster County, South Carolina has widened from about 22% to 28% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 32% in 2011, and was narrowest at 20% in 2021. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $11,949 since 2009.
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