Marlboro County, South Carolina Income Statistics
Marlboro 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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F
Marlboro County Well below averageAmong the 3 least wealthy counties in South Carolina
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Marlboro County | South Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $34,094 | $69,383 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $39,587 | $52,934 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 0.8% | 5.0% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 2.7% | 10.5% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 1.9% | 8.9% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Marlboro County is about 51% lower than in South Carolina. Income has been growing slower in Marlboro County (0.8%/yr) than in South Carolina (5.0%/yr).
About 3% of adults in Marlboro 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 Marlboro County, South Carolina grew by 31.9% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $34,094 in 2024. That's an average of about 0.8% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Marlboro County
| Metric | Marlboro County | South Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.602 | 0.547 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $46,206 | $62,655 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $41,699 | $49,387 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 9.8% | 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 Marlboro County, it is 0.602, 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.
Men's income is about 11% more than women's income in Marlboro County, South Carolina. Over a 35-year career, a 11% wage gap accumulates to roughly $157,745 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Marlboro County, South Carolina has narrowed from about 17% to 10% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 24% in 2011, and was narrowest at 7% in 2021. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $585 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Marlboro County | South Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 9.9% | 4.8% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 3.2% | 11.5% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 22 | 22 | 22 |
Approximately 975 people are unemployed in Marlboro County, South Carolina.
The average commute time in Marlboro County is 22 minutes, about the same as in South Carolina.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Marlboro County, South Carolina has fallen from 15.2% to 9.9% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 15.8% in 2013 and fell as low as 7.8% in 2022.
Marlboro County, SC Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Marlboro County, SC is the smallest of the 6 counties compared here, 25,963 residents against a local median of 42,335. The measure that sets Marlboro County, SC apart most is income growth: 0.8%/yr, 83% below the local median of 4.5%/yr. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
Median household income tells the same story from another angle: $34,094 against a local median of $46,591, 27% below it. Every measure here with a clear better direction points the same way, and it is the wrong way: Marlboro County, SC reads weaker than its neighbours on all of them. The counties themselves sit within 1.4%/yr of each other on income growth, a tighter band than the gap between any of them and Marlboro County, SC, which makes it a genuine outlier here rather than one end of a wide local spread. Marlboro County, SC has the 6th 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marlboro County, SC | 25,963 | $34,094 #6/6 | 0.8%/yr #6/6 | 9.9% #5/6 | 0.602 #6/6 |
| Scotland County, NC | 33,590 | $45,742 | 5.5%/yr | 10.9% | 0.584 |
| Dillon County, SC | 27,862 | $46,591 | 5.3%/yr | 8.9% | 0.560 |
| Darlington County, SC | 62,559 | $48,955 | 4.5%/yr | 6.6% | 0.569 |
| Richmond County, NC | 42,335 | $44,874 | 4.2%/yr | 9.7% | 0.540 |
| Chesterfield County, SC | 43,782 | $49,072 | 4.1%/yr | 7.5% | 0.537 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Marlboro County, South Carolina has an overall wealth index grade of F, making it somewhat worse than South Carolina, and worse than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Marlboro County, South Carolina.
How Rich Is Marlboro County, South Carolina?
Marlboro County has a wealth index grade of F. The wealth index grades areas from A+ (best) to F- by combining income levels, employment rates, and income inequality; an F grade means residents are well below the U.S. average. The median household income is $34,094, about 51% lower than the South Carolina average of $69,383.
How has median household income changed in Marlboro County, South Carolina?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Marlboro County, South Carolina rose 32%, from $25,855 to $34,094. Over the same years, income here lagged behind South Carolina as a whole: +32% against +59%.
What was the median household income in Marlboro County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Marlboro County, South Carolina was $36,844, up 8% from $34,242 in 2022. The South Carolina median that year was $66,973.
What was the median household income in Marlboro County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Marlboro County, South Carolina was $31,425. By 2024 it had risen 8% to $34,094.
How strong is the job market in Marlboro County, South Carolina?
Unemployment in Marlboro County, South Carolina is 9.9%, well above the South Carolina rate of 4.8%, so job seekers may face more competition than elsewhere.
What is the Gini coefficient in Marlboro County, South Carolina?
The Gini coefficient in Marlboro County is 0.602. 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 Marlboro County, South Carolina?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Marlboro County, South Carolina has narrowed from about 17% to 10% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 24% in 2011, and was narrowest at 7% in 2021. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $585 since 2009.
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