Lee County, South Carolina Income Statistics
Lee 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
Lee County Well below averageAmong the 5 least wealthy counties in South Carolina
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Lee County | South Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $44,784 | $69,383 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $38,703 | $52,934 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 4.7% | 5.0% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 2.8% | 10.5% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 0.8% | 8.9% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Lee County is about 35% lower than in South Carolina. Income has been growing slower in Lee County (4.7%/yr) than in South Carolina (5.0%/yr).
About 3% of adults in Lee 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 Lee County, South Carolina grew by 80.3% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $44,784 in 2024. That's an average of about 4.7% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Lee County
| Metric | Lee County | South Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.557 | 0.547 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $39,173 | $62,655 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $39,410 | $49,387 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | -0.6% | 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 Lee County, it is 0.557, 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.
Women's income is about 1% more than men's income in Lee County, South Carolina.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Lee County, South Carolina has narrowed from about 20% to -1% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 27% in 2013. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $7,027 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Lee County | South Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 6.7% | 4.8% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 2.9% | 11.5% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 26 | 22 | 22 |
Approximately 417 people are unemployed in Lee County, South Carolina.
The average commute time in Lee County is 26 minutes, longer than the 22 minutes in South Carolina.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Lee County, South Carolina has fallen from 17.3% to 6.7% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 17.8% in 2014 and fell as low as 5.7% in 2023.
Lee County, SC Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Lee County, SC is the smallest of the 6 counties compared here, 16,166 residents against a local median of 62,559. Lee County, SC sits close to the middle of its own neighbourhood. No measure below is more than 15% off the local median, so the choice between these counties turns on things this data does not capture.
The largest of those small differences is median household income, 15% below the local median at $44,784 against $52,680. Lee 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lee County, SC | 16,166 | $44,784 #6/6 | 4.7%/yr #3/6 | 6.7% #4/6 | 0.557 #5/6 |
| Sumter County, SC | 104,715 | $56,802 | 4.2%/yr | 6.3% | 0.553 |
| Darlington County, SC | 62,559 | $48,955 | 4.5%/yr | 6.6% | 0.569 |
| Kershaw County, SC | 68,312 | $69,050 | 5.2%/yr | 4.7% | 0.532 |
| Chesterfield County, SC | 43,782 | $49,072 | 4.1%/yr | 7.5% | 0.537 |
| Clarendon County, SC | 30,986 | $52,680 | 5.6%/yr | 6.8% | 0.550 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Lee 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 Lee County, South Carolina.
How Rich Is Lee County, South Carolina?
Lee 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 $44,784, about 35% lower than the South Carolina average of $69,383.
Are incomes growing in Lee County, South Carolina?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Lee County, South Carolina rose 80%, from $24,832 to $44,784. Over the same years, income here outpaced South Carolina as a whole: +80% against +59%.
What was the median household income in Lee County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Lee County, South Carolina was $43,988, up 12% from $39,285 in 2022. The South Carolina median that year was $66,973.
What was the median household income in Lee County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Lee County, South Carolina was $32,094. By 2024 it had risen 40% to $44,784.
Is it hard to find a job in Lee County, South Carolina?
Unemployment in Lee County, South Carolina is 6.7%, well above the South Carolina rate of 4.8%, so job seekers may face more competition than elsewhere.
What is the Gini coefficient in Lee County, South Carolina?
The Gini coefficient in Lee County is 0.557. 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 Lee County, South Carolina?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Lee County, South Carolina has narrowed from about 20% to -1% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 27% in 2013. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $7,027 since 2009.
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