Sumter County, South Carolina Income Statistics
Sumter 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
Sumter County Well below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Sumter County | South Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $56,802 | $69,383 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $46,438 | $52,934 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 4.2% | 5.0% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 7.5% | 10.5% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 5.2% | 8.9% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Sumter County is about 18% lower than in South Carolina. Income has been growing slower in Sumter County (4.2%/yr) than in South Carolina (5.0%/yr).
About 8% of adults in Sumter 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 Sumter County, South Carolina grew by 50.2% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $56,802 in 2024. That's an average of about 4.2% per year.
Sumter County has stayed well below the U.S. median household income in every year from 2009 to 2024 and has never reached it. It came closest in 2013, at 22% lower. The gap has widened from 26% in 2009 to 29% in 2024.
Income Distribution in Sumter County
How incomes are spread across brackets, compared with the U.S. Pick a range to count who falls in it.
Households by income, 2024
Income range calculator
About 10,508 households (25.6% of all households) have an income of $100,000 or more.
Across the U.S.: 40.2% of all households.
In 2024, 30.8% of households in Sumter County had an income under $35,000 and 10.9% had $150,000 or more. Across the U.S., those shares were 21.6% and 22.8%.
Compared with the U.S., Sumter County has a larger share of households earning $35,000 to $49,999 (13.9% vs 10.1%) and a smaller share earning $200,000 or more (5.2% vs 13.2%).
| Household income | Households | Share | U.S. share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under $10,000 | 3,211 | 7.8% | 5.1% |
| $10,000 to $14,999 | 2,613 | 6.4% | 3.5% |
| $15,000 to $24,999 | 3,468 | 8.4% | 6.4% |
| $25,000 to $34,999 | 3,351 | 8.2% | 6.7% |
| $35,000 to $49,999 | 5,721 | 13.9% | 10.1% |
| $50,000 to $74,999 | 7,678 | 18.7% | 15.5% |
| $75,000 to $99,999 | 4,533 | 11.0% | 12.6% |
| $100,000 to $149,999 | 6,011 | 14.6% | 17.4% |
| $150,000 to $199,999 | 2,344 | 5.7% | 9.5% |
| $200,000 or more | 2,153 | 5.2% | 13.2% |
Shares are of all 41,083 households, one per occupied home whatever its size. Households with zero or negative income are counted in the lowest bracket. Source: ACS 5-year estimates ending 2024 (table B19001).
Residents 15+ by personal income, 2024
Income range calculator
About 6,331 residents (7.5% of residents aged 15 and over) have a personal income of $100,000 or more.
Across the U.S.: 13.9% of residents aged 15 and over.
That is 8.7% of residents who have any income.
In 2024, 13.4% of Sumter County residents aged 15 and over reported no personal income, 34.2% had some income but less than $25,000, and 13.1% had $75,000 or more. Across the U.S., those shares were 12.8%, 28.7% and 22.0%.
Compared with the U.S., Sumter County has a larger share of residents earning $1 to $9,999 (13.4% vs 11.2%) and a smaller share earning $100,000 or more (7.5% vs 13.9%).
| Personal income | Residents | Share | U.S. share |
|---|---|---|---|
| No income | 11,273 | 13.4% | 12.8% |
| $1 to $9,999 | 11,265 | 13.4% | 11.2% |
| $10,000 to $14,999 | 7,206 | 8.6% | 7.0% |
| $15,000 to $24,999 | 10,319 | 12.3% | 10.5% |
| $25,000 to $34,999 | 9,032 | 10.7% | 9.5% |
| $35,000 to $49,999 | 12,326 | 14.6% | 12.6% |
| $50,000 to $74,999 | 11,667 | 13.9% | 14.3% |
| $75,000 to $99,999 | 4,733 | 5.6% | 8.2% |
| $100,000 or more | 6,331 | 7.5% | 13.9% |
Shares are of the 84,152 residents aged 15 and over, the only people the Census Bureau asks about income, and include those who reported none. A share of the whole population would count children as people without income, while a share of earners alone would hide the 13.4% with no income; the calculator adds that second share whenever your range leaves out people with no income. Source: ACS 5-year estimates ending 2024 (table B19325).
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Sumter County
| Metric | Sumter County | South Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.553 | 0.547 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $56,198 | $62,655 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $43,880 | $49,387 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 21.9% | 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 Sumter County, it is 0.553, higher than South Carolina's 0.547, so income is less evenly distributed here than 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 28% more than women's income in Sumter County, South Carolina. Over a 35-year career, a 28% wage gap accumulates to roughly $431,130 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
The income gap between men and women in Sumter County, South Carolina has stayed about the same since 2009, at around 22%. Over that period the gap was widest at 25% in 2021, and was narrowest at 19% in 2019. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $4,211 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Sumter County | South Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 6.3% | 4.8% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 4.5% | 11.5% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 18 | 22 | 22 |
Approximately 3,040 people are unemployed in Sumter County, South Carolina.
The average commute time in Sumter County is 18 minutes, shorter than the 22 minutes in South Carolina.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Sumter County, South Carolina has fallen from 12.3% to 6.3% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 13.4% in 2013.
Sumter County has stayed well above the U.S. unemployment rate in every year from 2011 to 2024 and has never dropped below it. The gap has narrowed from 3.6 points in 2011 to 1.0 point in 2024, the closest it has been.
Sumter County, SC Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Sumter County, SC is the 2nd largest of the 6 counties compared here, 104,715 residents against a local median of 30,986. Sumter 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 income growth, 9% below the local median at 4.2%/yr against 4.7%/yr. Sumter County, SC has the 4th 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sumter County, SC | 104,715 | $56,802 #4/6 | 4.2%/yr #4/6 | 6.3% #4/6 | 0.553 #4/6 |
| Lee County, SC | 16,166 | $44,784 | 4.7%/yr | 6.7% | 0.557 |
| Clarendon County, SC | 30,986 | $52,680 | 5.6%/yr | 6.8% | 0.550 |
| Calhoun County, SC | 14,182 | $58,414 | 4.0%/yr | 5.8% | 0.530 |
| Kershaw County, SC | 68,312 | $69,050 | 5.2%/yr | 4.7% | 0.532 |
| Richland County, SC | 422,111 | $64,219 | 2.9%/yr | 6.2% | 0.559 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Sumter County, South Carolina has an overall wealth index grade of D, making it about on par with South Carolina, and somewhat worse than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Sumter County, South Carolina.
How Rich Is Sumter County, South Carolina?
Sumter 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 $56,802, about 18% lower than the South Carolina average of $69,383.
Are incomes growing in Sumter County, South Carolina?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Sumter County, South Carolina rose 50%, from $37,818 to $56,802. Over the same years, income here lagged behind South Carolina as a whole: +50% against +59%.
What was the median household income in Sumter County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Sumter County, South Carolina was $55,655, up 4% from $53,548 in 2022. The South Carolina median that year was $66,973.
What was the median household income in Sumter County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Sumter County, South Carolina was $46,407. By 2024 it had risen 22% to $56,802.
Is it hard to find a job in Sumter County, South Carolina?
Unemployment in Sumter County, South Carolina is 6.3%, well above the South Carolina rate of 4.8%, so job seekers may face more competition than elsewhere.
What is the Gini coefficient in Sumter County, South Carolina?
The Gini coefficient in Sumter County is 0.553. 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 Sumter County, South Carolina?
The income gap between men and women in Sumter County, South Carolina has stayed about the same since 2009, at around 22%. Over that period the gap was widest at 25% in 2021, and was narrowest at 19% in 2019. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $4,211 since 2009.
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