Orangeburg County, South Carolina

History

The district was occupied for thousands of years by Indigenous peoples of the Southeastern Woodlands. By the time of European arrival, Eastern Siouan-speaking tribes, such as the Cheraw, Catawba, and Pedee, inhabited the Piedmont area above the fall line.

The Orangeburg Judicial District was chartered by European Americans in 1769 from a mostly unorganized upland area between the Congaree and Savannah rivers. A county, initially of the same name but later called Orange, was organized within the district but deorganized in 1791, after the American Revolutionary War.

The southwest portion bordering on the Savannah River, about half of Orangeburg District, was separated and organized as Barnwell District in 1800. In 1804 the northern third of the district was separated to form the new Lexington District, which gained another, smaller portion of Orangeburg District in 1832.

During the 19th century, the districts and counties were developed chiefly as cotton plantations for short-staple cotton. This development followed the invention of the cotton gin in the late 18th century, which made the processing of short-staple cotton profitable. The county became a center of labor by enslaved Black people on the plantations, who were transported from coastal areas and the Upper South to cultivate and process cotton. Those brought from the coastal areas were likely of the Gullah culture and language. The enslaved African Americans greatly outnumbered the white planters and non-slaveholding whites. Reflecting the patterns of 19th-century settlement, the area is still chiefly agricultural and has a majority African American population.

In 1868, under the revised state constitution during the Reconstruction era, South Carolina districts were organized as counties. Resident voters were enabled to elect their state representatives rather than having them chosen by the state legislature, as was done previously. Election of representatives by the state legislature had kept the districts dominated by the elite owners of major plantations in the Low Country and elsewhere. The changes in rules expanded participation in the franchise by more male residents. Emancipation of slaves after the war under newly ratified federal constitutional amendments resulted in freedmen voting. Using voter intimidation, white Democrats took control of the state legislature by the end of the century; they passed state electoral laws and a new constitution that essentially disfranchised most blacks, a situation that lasted until after the federal legislation of the 1965 Voting Rights Act.

A small western portion of Orangeburg County was annexed in 1871 to the newly formed Aiken County during the Reconstruction era.

In 1908 the northern portion of the County along the Congaree River was separated and included in the newly formed Calhoun County, with its seat at Saint Matthews. In 1910 a small western portion of Berkeley County, around Holly Hill and Eutawville, was annexed to Orangeburg County, thus bringing the county to its present size.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1127.89 sqmi, of which 1106.38 sqmi is land and 21.51 sqmi (1.91%) is water. It is the second-largest county in South Carolina by land area and fifth-largest by land area.

Orangeburg county is a fairly big county, covering 1,128 square miles, it is about 60 miles from the western part of the county to the eastern part of the county. Orangeburg county lies within 3 "regions" of South Carolina. The western part of the county lies in the "CSRA" (Central Savannah River Area). The middle part of Orangeburg county is included in the "Midlands" Region. The eastern and south eastern part of the county are located in the "Lowcountry" region of the state.

National protected areas

• Eutaw Springs Battleground Park

State and local protected areas

• Santee Cooper Wildlife Management Area
• Indian Bluff Recreation Park
• Santee State Park

Major water bodies

• Congaree River
• Cooper River
• Edisto River
• Four Hole Swamp
• Lake Marion
• North Fork Edisto River
• South Fork Edisto River

Adjacent counties

• Calhoun County – north
• Clarendon County – northeast
• Dorchester County – southeast
• Berkeley County – southeast
• Bamberg County – south
• Colleton County – south
• Aiken County – west
• Barnwell County – west
• Lexington County – northwest

Demographics

|align-fn=center 1790–1960 1900–1990 1990–2000 2010 2020

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, there were 84,223 people, 33,825 households, and 20,620 families residing in the county. The median age was 42.3 years, 21.0% of residents were under the age of 18, and 21.0% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 87.4 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 83.8 males.

Out of 46 counties in South Carolina, Orangeburg County is the most populous of the 8 counties that have an African American majority population.

34.5% of residents lived in urban areas, while 65.5% lived in rural areas.

Of the 33,825 households, 27.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them and 38.1% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. About 32.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

There were 41,197 housing units, of which 17.9% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 68.8% were owner-occupied and 31.2% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.7% and the rental vacancy rate was 11.2%.

Racial and ethnic composition

The 2020 census recorded the racial makeup of the county as 33.3% White, 60.6% Black or African American, 0.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1% Asian, 0.0% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 1.4% from some other race, and 3.0% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 2.3% of the population.

2010 census

At the 2010 census, there were 92,501 people, 35,788 households, and 23,580 families in the county.{{cite web |access-date = March 11, 2016 |archive-url = https://archive.today/20200213015803/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/DPDP1/0500000US45075 |archive-date = February 13, 2020 |url-status = dead |access-date = March 11, 2016 |archive-url = https://archive.today/20200213233901/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/GCTPH1.CY07/0500000US45075 |archive-date = February 13, 2020 |url-status = dead |access-date = March 11, 2016 |archive-url = https://archive.today/20200213022532/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/10_5YR/DP02/0500000US45075 |archive-date = February 13, 2020 |url-status = dead

Of the 35,788 households, 32.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 38.1% were married couples living together, 22.5% had a female householder with no husband present, 34.1% were non-families, and 29.0% of households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 3.06. The median age was 38.1 years.

The median household income was $32,849 and the median family income was $40,332. Males had a median income of $35,934 versus $28,508 for females. The per capita income for the county was $17,579. About 21.1% of families and 25.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 32.9% of those under age 18 and 19.1% of those age 65 or over.{{cite web |access-date = March 11, 2016 |archive-url = https://archive.today/20200213031950/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/10_5YR/DP03/0500000US45075 |archive-date = February 13, 2020 |url-status = dead

2000 census

At the 2000 census, there were 91,582 people, 34,118 households, and 23,882 families in the county. The population density was 83 /mi2. There were 39,304 housing units at an average density of 36 /mi2. The racial makeup of the county was 60.86% Black or African American, 37.17% White, 0.46% Native American, 0.43% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.36% from other races, and 0.70% from two or more races. 0.96% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. Of the 34,118 households 32.00% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.10% were married couples living together, 20.30% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.00% were non-families. 26.00% of households were one person and 10.30% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.58 and the average family size was 3.11.

The age distribution was 26.00% under the age of 18, 11.90% from 18 to 24, 26.10% from 25 to 44, 22.80% from 45 to 64, and 13.20% 65 or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 87.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 81.60 males.

The median household income was $29,567 and the median family income was $36,165. Males had a median income of $29,331 versus $20,956 for females. The per capita income for the county was $15,057. About 17.00% of families and 21.40% of the population were below the poverty line, including 27.20% of those under age 18 and 22.30% of those age 65 or over.

Government and politics

Orangeburg is a solidly Democratic county in presidential elections; it has not voted Republican since 1972.

Economy

Orangeburg County is one of the largest agricultural producing counties in South Carolina, with fertile, slightly rolling land. Major crops are cotton, soybeans, corn, turf grass and watermelons.

File:Grain elevator 1283.JPG|Grain elevator in the county File:Soybean 1292.JPG|Soybeans ready for harvest, with center pivot irrigation setup File:Cotton modules 1287.JPG|Harvested cotton in modules ready for pickup In 2022, the GDP was $3.4 billion (about $40,510 per capita), and the real GDP was $2.8 billion (about $33,219 per capita) in chained 2017 dollars.

, some of the largest employers in the county include Claflin University, GPM Investments, Husqvarna Group, Love's, Medical University of South Carolina, Orangeburg–Calhoun Technical College, South Carolina State University, Okonite, and Walmart.

Transportation

Major highways

Railroads

At least four railroad lines run through Orangeburg County; a former Southern Railway Line, and three CSX lines, the westernmost which was formerly a Seaboard Air Line Railroad line running along US 321.

Major infrastructure

• North Air Force Auxiliary Field
• Orangeburg Municipal Airport

Communities

City

• Orangeburg (county seat and largest community)

Towns

• Bowman
• Branchville
• Cope
• Cordova
• Elloree
• Eutawville
• Holly Hill
• Livingston
• Neeses
• North
• Norway
• Rowesville
• Santee
• Springfield
• Vance
• Woodford

Census-designated places

• Brookdale
• Edisto
• Wilkinson Heights

State-recognized tribes

Orangeburg County is home to two state-recognized tribes.

• The Beaver Creek Indian Tribe, headquartered in Salley, is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization and state-recognized tribe, with members primarily located in Aiken County. The tribe was awarded this status by the South Carolina Commission for Minority Affairs on January 27, 2006. The tribe primarily claims descent from a family who settled in Long Cane Creek (McCormick County) from Virginia in 1760 with its South Carolina progenitor Lazarus Chavis born in Edgefield County. The entity is not presently federally recognized by the Bureau of Indian Affairs
• The Santee Indian Organization, headquartered in Holly Hill, is a nonprofit organization and state-recognized tribe. The tribe was awarded this status by the South Carolina Commission of Minority Affairs on March 15, 2006. The Santee Indian Organization claims descent from the historic Santee people, not to be confused with the similarly named Santee Dakota people. The tribe is not federally recognized.

References

References

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3. (August 23, 2022). "2020 County Gazetteer Files – South Carolina". United States Census Bureau.
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5. "County Population Totals and Components of Change: 2020-2024". United States Census Bureau.
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9. (April 2, 2001). "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000". United States Census Bureau.
10. "QuickFacts: Orangeburg County, South Carolina". United States Census Bureau.
11. (2021). "2020 Decennial Census Demographic Profile (DP1)".
12. (2023). "2020 Decennial Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics (DHC)".
13. "P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Orangeburg County, South Carolina".
14. "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Orangeburg County, South Carolina".
15. "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Orangeburg County, South Carolina".
16. included in the Asian category in the 1980 Census
17. included in the Asian category in the 1990 Census
18. not an option in the 1980 Census
19. not an option in the 1990 Census
20. (2021). "2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)".
21. "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau.
22. "U.S. Census website". [[United States Census Bureau]].
23. Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections".
24. U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. (2001-01-01). "Gross Domestic Product: All Industries in Orangeburg County, SC".
25. U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. (2001-01-01). "Real Gross Domestic Product: All Industries in Orangeburg County, SC".
26. (April 19, 2024). "Orangeburg County". S.C. Department of Employment & Workforce - Business Intelligence Department.
27. "South Carolina - Railroads".
28. (January 28, 2006). "Three S.C. Indian tribes win recognition". Newspapers.com.
29. (January 6, 2023). "Indian Entities Recognized by and Eligible To Receive Services From the United States Bureau of Indian Affairs". Federal Register.
30. (August 2025). "South Carolina's Recognized Native American Indian Entities {{!}} Commission for Minority Affairs".
31. "2005-2006 Bill 4797: Santee Indian Organization".