Counties in South Carolina by child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure)

Allendale County had the highest child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure) of 46 counties in 2017, at 48.6%. Dorchester County had the lowest, at 13.9%. The median was 28.5% and the figure for South Carolina was 22.3%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Highest48.6Allendale County
Median28.546 counties
South Carolina22.3History

Map of counties, 2017

Abbeville County: 27.9 %Aiken County: 23.1 %Allendale County: 48.6 %Anderson County: 20.5 %Bamberg County: 36.2 %Barnwell County: 39.8 %Beaufort County: 18.3 %Berkeley County: 17.8 %Calhoun County: 26.6 %Charleston County: 20.4 %Cherokee County: 26.9 %Chester County: 30.1 %Chesterfield County: 32.6 %Clarendon County: 34.8 %Colleton County: 37.1 %Darlington County: 33 %Dillon County: 42.1 %Dorchester County: 13.9 %Edgefield County: 23.5 %Fairfield County: 31.1 %Florence County: 27.9 %Georgetown County: 31.5 %Greenville County: 17.5 %Greenwood County: 28.6 %Hampton County: 34.6 %Horry County: 28.4 %Jasper County: 33.7 %Kershaw County: 20.5 %Lancaster County: 19.1 %Laurens County: 29.3 %Lee County: 37 %Lexington County: 17.3 %McCormick County: 33.8 %Marion County: 39.4 %Marlboro County: 39.4 %Newberry County: 30.1 %Oconee County: 22.9 %Orangeburg County: 35.2 %Pickens County: 15.8 %Richland County: 20.1 %Saluda County: 27.2 %Spartanburg County: 19.7 %Sumter County: 28.7 %Union County: 27.8 %Williamsburg County: 40.8 %York County: 15.3 %
  • Under 19
  • 19 to 24
  • 24 to 29
  • 29 to 33
  • 33 to 37
  • 37 and over
%, 2017. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people under age 18 in poverty, nation, states and counties. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

All counties, 2017

Allendale County: 48.6 %Allendale County48.6Dillon County: 42.1 %Dillon County42.1Williamsburg County: 40.8 %Williamsburg County40.8Barnwell County: 39.8 %Barnwell County39.8Marion County: 39.4 %Marion County39.4Marlboro County: 39.4 %Marlboro County39.4Colleton County: 37.1 %Colleton County37.1Lee County: 37 %Lee County37Bamberg County: 36.2 %Bamberg County36.2Orangeburg County: 35.2 %Orangeburg County35.2Clarendon County: 34.8 %Clarendon County34.8Hampton County: 34.6 %Hampton County34.6McCormick County: 33.8 %McCormick County33.8Jasper County: 33.7 %Jasper County33.7Darlington County: 33 %Darlington County33Chesterfield County: 32.6 %Chesterfield County32.6Georgetown County: 31.5 %Georgetown County31.5Fairfield County: 31.1 %Fairfield County31.1Chester County: 30.1 %Chester County30.1Newberry County: 30.1 %Newberry County30.1Laurens County: 29.3 %Laurens County29.3Sumter County: 28.7 %Sumter County28.7Greenwood County: 28.6 %Greenwood County28.6Horry County: 28.4 %Horry County28.4Abbeville County: 27.9 %Abbeville County27.9Florence County: 27.9 %Florence County27.9Union County: 27.8 %Union County27.8Saluda County: 27.2 %Saluda County27.2Cherokee County: 26.9 %Cherokee County26.9Calhoun County: 26.6 %Calhoun County26.6Edgefield County: 23.5 %Edgefield County23.5Aiken County: 23.1 %Aiken County23.1Oconee County: 22.9 %Oconee County22.9Anderson County: 20.5 %Anderson County20.5Kershaw County: 20.5 %Kershaw County20.5Charleston County: 20.4 %Charleston County20.4Richland County: 20.1 %Richland County20.1Spartanburg County: 19.7 %Spartanburg County19.7Lancaster County: 19.1 %Lancaster County19.1Beaufort County: 18.3 %Beaufort County18.3Berkeley County: 17.8 %Berkeley County17.8Greenville County: 17.5 %Greenville County17.5Lexington County: 17.3 %Lexington County17.3Pickens County: 15.8 %Pickens County15.8York County: 15.3 %York County15.3Dorchester County: 13.9 %Dorchester County13.9Allendale County: 48.6 %Allendale County48.6Dillon County: 42.1 %Dillon County42.1Williamsburg County: 40.8 %Williamsburg County40.8Barnwell County: 39.8 %Barnwell County39.8Marion County: 39.4 %Marion County39.4Marlboro County: 39.4 %Marlboro County39.4Colleton County: 37.1 %Colleton County37.1Lee County: 37 %Lee County37Bamberg County: 36.2 %Bamberg County36.2Orangeburg County: 35.2 %Orangeburg County35.2Clarendon County: 34.8 %Clarendon County34.8Hampton County: 34.6 %Hampton County34.6McCormick County: 33.8 %McCormick County33.8Jasper County: 33.7 %Jasper County33.7Darlington County: 33 %Darlington County33Chesterfield County: 32.6 %Chesterfield County32.6Georgetown County: 31.5 %Georgetown County31.5Fairfield County: 31.1 %Fairfield County31.1Chester County: 30.1 %Chester County30.1Newberry County: 30.1 %Newberry County30.1Laurens County: 29.3 %Laurens County29.3Sumter County: 28.7 %Sumter County28.7Greenwood County: 28.6 %Greenwood County28.6Horry County: 28.4 %Horry County28.4Abbeville County: 27.9 %Abbeville County27.9Florence County: 27.9 %Florence County27.9Union County: 27.8 %Union County27.8Saluda County: 27.2 %Saluda County27.2Cherokee County: 26.9 %Cherokee County26.9Calhoun County: 26.6 %Calhoun County26.6Edgefield County: 23.5 %Edgefield County23.5Aiken County: 23.1 %Aiken County23.1Oconee County: 22.9 %Oconee County22.9Anderson County: 20.5 %Anderson County20.5Kershaw County: 20.5 %Kershaw County20.5Charleston County: 20.4 %Charleston County20.4Richland County: 20.1 %Richland County20.1Spartanburg County: 19.7 %Spartanburg County19.7Lancaster County: 19.1 %Lancaster County19.1Beaufort County: 18.3 %Beaufort County18.3Berkeley County: 17.8 %Berkeley County17.8Greenville County: 17.5 %Greenville County17.5Lexington County: 17.3 %Lexington County17.3Pickens County: 15.8 %Pickens County15.8York County: 15.3 %York County15.3Dorchester County: 13.9 %Dorchester County13.9
%. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people under age 18 in poverty, nation, states and counties. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2017 (%)Change on 2016
1Allendale County48.6-3.1 pts
2Dillon County42.1+3.9 pts
3Williamsburg County40.8-8 pts
4Barnwell County39.8+3.9 pts
5Marion County39.4-1.9 pts
5Marlboro County39.4-1.4 pts
7Colleton County37.1-1.6 pts
8Lee County37-3.6 pts
9Bamberg County36.2-6.5 pts
10Orangeburg County35.2-0.8 pts
11Clarendon County34.8-4.6 pts
12Hampton County34.6+2.5 pts
13McCormick County33.8+0.2 pts
14Jasper County33.7-1.2 pts
15Darlington County33+0.7 pts
16Chesterfield County32.6+1.5 pts
17Georgetown County31.5+1.5 pts
18Fairfield County31.1-1.2 pts
19Chester County30.1-0.2 pts
19Newberry County30.1+1.7 pts
21Laurens County29.3+1.5 pts
22Sumter County28.7-0.8 pts
23Greenwood County28.6-6.5 pts
24Horry County28.4+0.8 pts
25Abbeville County27.9+3.3 pts
25Florence County27.9+0.1 pts
27Union County27.8-6.4 pts
28Saluda County27.2-0.3 pts
29Cherokee County26.9-0.8 pts
30Calhoun County26.6+0.3 pts
31Edgefield County23.5-2.3 pts
32Aiken County23.1-3 pts
33Oconee County22.9-1.4 pts
34Anderson County20.5-1.6 pts
34Kershaw County20.5-1 pts
36Charleston County20.4-0.4 pts
37Richland County20.1-1.9 pts
38Spartanburg County19.7-4.6 pts
39Lancaster County19.1-1.4 pts
40Beaufort County18.3-0.9 pts
41Berkeley County17.8-0.6 pts
42Greenville County17.5+2.2 pts
43Lexington County17.3+0.6 pts
44Pickens County15.8-2.1 pts
45York County15.3+1.1 pts
46Dorchester County13.9-0.3 pts

Other periods

About this ranking

People under 18 in families or living alone with income below the official US poverty thresholds, as a percentage of people under 18 whose poverty status can be determined. United States: Census Bureau Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE) for the nation, states and counties.

A model-based single-year estimate; the national figure is the one-year American Community Survey estimate. The Census Bureau advises comparing years from 2006 on only. Absolute thresholds set by the US government, so not comparable with the EU at_risk_of_poverty_rate. The rate for all ages is poverty_rate.

Every value in the ranking comes from the same publisher and the same period, so the counties are compared on one definition. Equal values share a rank.

How to cite

U.S. Census Bureau. Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people under age 18 in poverty, nation, states and counties. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2017/2017-state-and-county/est17all.txt. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Citation styles

The publisher is the author. Invokely is named only as the place the figures were read, where a style asks for it.

APA 7

U.S. Census Bureau. (2026). Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people under age 18 in poverty, nation, states and counties (Counties in South Carolina by child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure), 2017) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2017/2017-state-and-county/est17all.txt

MLA 9

Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people under age 18 in poverty, nation, states and counties, Counties in South Carolina by child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure), 2017. U.S. Census Bureau, 27 Jan. 2026, https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2017/2017-state-and-county/est17all.txt. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/south-carolina-counties?period=2017. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Census Bureau. 2026. Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people under age 18 in poverty, nation, states and counties. Counties in South Carolina by child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure), 2017. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2017/2017-state-and-county/est17all.txt. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/south-carolina-counties?period=2017.

Harvard

U.S. Census Bureau (2026) Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people under age 18 in poverty, nation, states and counties, Counties in South Carolina by child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure), 2017 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2017/2017-state-and-county/est17all.txt, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/south-carolina-counties?period=2017 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_in_south_carolina_2017,
  author = {{U.S. Census Bureau}},
  title = {{Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people under age 18 in poverty, nation, states and counties: Counties in South Carolina by child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure), 2017}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2017/2017-state-and-county/est17all.txt},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/south-carolina-counties?period=2017. Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people under age 18 in poverty, nation, states and counties. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2017/2017-state-and-county/est17all.txt. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - U.S. Census Bureau
TI  - Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people under age 18 in poverty, nation, states and counties: Counties in South Carolina by child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure), 2017
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/01/27
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2017/2017-state-and-county/est17all.txt
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/south-carolina-counties?period=2017
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/south-carolina-counties?period=2017.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people under age 18 in poverty, nation, states and counties. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2017/2017-state-and-county/est17all.txt. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  - 
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Questions

Which county has the highest child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure)?

Allendale County, with 48.6% in 2017, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure)?

Dorchester County, with 13.9% in 2017.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: U.S. Census Bureau, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people under age 18 in poverty, nation, states and counties. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure): other rankings

Counties in South Carolina: more rankings