Marion County, South Carolina Income Statistics
Marion 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
Marion County Well below averageLess wealthy than 87% of counties in South Carolina
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Marion County | South Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $36,420 | $69,383 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $41,860 | $52,934 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 2.4% | 5.0% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 2.5% | 10.5% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 2.7% | 8.9% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Marion County is about 48% lower than in South Carolina. Income has been growing slower in Marion County (2.4%/yr) than in South Carolina (5.0%/yr).
About 3% of adults in Marion 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 Marion County, South Carolina grew by 22.9% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $36,420 in 2024. That's an average of about 2.4% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Marion County
| Metric | Marion County | South Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.552 | 0.547 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $47,653 | $62,655 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $41,714 | $49,387 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 12.5% | 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 Marion County, it is 0.552, about the same as South Carolina's 0.547, so income here is about as evenly distributed as 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 14% more than women's income in Marion County, South Carolina. Over a 35-year career, a 14% wage gap accumulates to roughly $207,865 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Marion County, South Carolina has narrowed from about 20% to 12% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 29% in 2013, and was narrowest at 9% in 2017. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $67 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Marion County | South Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 7.2% | 4.8% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 5.2% | 11.5% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 28 | 22 | 22 |
Approximately 813 people are unemployed in Marion County, South Carolina.
The average commute time in Marion County is 28 minutes, longer than the 22 minutes in South Carolina.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Marion County, South Carolina has fallen from 13.0% to 7.2% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 16.5% in 2014 and fell as low as 5.9% in 2023.
Marion County, SC Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Marion County, SC is typical in size for this group, 28,664 residents against a local median of 30,282, so the measures below are close to a like for like comparison. Where Marion County, SC breaks from the counties next to it is income growth, sitting 54% below the local median of 5.1%/yr at 2.4%/yr. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
Unemployment tells the same story from another angle: 7.2% against a local median of 5.6%, 30% above it. Every measure here with a clear better direction points the same way, and it is the wrong way: Marion County, SC reads weaker than its neighbours on all of them. The counties themselves spread 5.3%/yr on income growth, so Marion County, SC sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Marion County, SC has the 5th highest income growth 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marion County, SC | 28,664 | $36,420 #5/6 | 2.4%/yr #5/6 | 7.2% #4/6 | 0.552 #2/6 |
| Dillon County, SC | 27,862 | $46,591 | 5.3%/yr | 8.9% | 0.560 |
| Florence County, SC | 137,115 | $58,597 | 3.9%/yr | 5.6% | 0.564 |
| Horry County, SC | 382,931 | $66,773 | 5.1%/yr | 4.9% | 0.531 |
| Williamsburg County, SC | 30,282 | $45,868 | 6.1%/yr | 4.0% | 0.568 |
| Marlboro County, SC | 25,963 | $34,094 | 0.8%/yr | 9.9% | 0.602 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Marion 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 Marion County, South Carolina.
How Rich Is Marion County, South Carolina?
Marion 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 $36,420, about 48% lower than the South Carolina average of $69,383.
Are incomes growing in Marion County, South Carolina?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Marion County, South Carolina rose 23%, from $29,636 to $36,420. Over the same years, income here lagged behind South Carolina as a whole: +23% against +59%.
What was the median household income in Marion County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Marion County, South Carolina was $34,529, down 4% from $36,114 in 2022. The South Carolina median that year was $66,973.
What was the median household income in Marion County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Marion County, South Carolina was $31,046. By 2024 it had risen 17% to $36,420.
Is it hard to find a job in Marion County, South Carolina?
Unemployment in Marion County, South Carolina is 7.2%, well above the South Carolina rate of 4.8%, so job seekers may face more competition than elsewhere.
What is the Gini coefficient in Marion County, South Carolina?
The Gini coefficient in Marion County is 0.552. 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 Marion County, South Carolina?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Marion County, South Carolina has narrowed from about 20% to 12% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 29% in 2013, and was narrowest at 9% in 2017. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $67 since 2009.
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