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 2020, at 45.1%. York County had the lowest, at 10.5%. The median was 23.9% and the figure for South Carolina was 18.7%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Highest45.1Allendale County
Lowest10.5York County
Median23.946 counties
South Carolina18.7History

All counties, 2020

Allendale County: 45.1 %Allendale County45.1Williamsburg County: 34.5 %Williamsburg County34.5Bamberg County: 34.2 %Bamberg County34.2Marlboro County: 33.9 %Marlboro County33.9Barnwell County: 33.7 %Barnwell County33.7Marion County: 32.5 %Marion County32.5McCormick County: 32.3 %McCormick County32.3Jasper County: 31.9 %Jasper County31.9Dillon County: 31.8 %Dillon County31.8Lee County: 31.6 %Lee County31.6Hampton County: 29.7 %Hampton County29.7Orangeburg County: 29.7 %Orangeburg County29.7Colleton County: 29.1 %Colleton County29.1Sumter County: 27.6 %Sumter County27.6Chester County: 27.5 %Chester County27.5Darlington County: 27.5 %Darlington County27.5Clarendon County: 27 %Clarendon County27Georgetown County: 26.8 %Georgetown County26.8Fairfield County: 26 %Fairfield County26Saluda County: 25.2 %Saluda County25.2Chesterfield County: 24.7 %Chesterfield County24.7Union County: 24.3 %Union County24.3Laurens County: 24 %Laurens County24Greenwood County: 23.8 %Greenwood County23.8Newberry County: 23.7 %Newberry County23.7Calhoun County: 22.3 %Calhoun County22.3Edgefield County: 21.6 %Edgefield County21.6Richland County: 21.4 %Richland County21.4Cherokee County: 20.9 %Cherokee County20.9Florence County: 20.8 %Florence County20.8Abbeville County: 20.6 %Abbeville County20.6Horry County: 19.5 %Horry County19.5Kershaw County: 19.4 %Kershaw County19.4Anderson County: 18.7 %Anderson County18.7Oconee County: 18.5 %Oconee County18.5Aiken County: 18.2 %Aiken County18.2Dorchester County: 17.9 %Dorchester County17.9Spartanburg County: 17.8 %Spartanburg County17.8Greenville County: 15.8 %Greenville County15.8Berkeley County: 15.5 %Berkeley County15.5Charleston County: 15 %Charleston County15Beaufort County: 14.8 %Beaufort County14.8Pickens County: 14.5 %Pickens County14.5Lancaster County: 14.2 %Lancaster County14.2Lexington County: 11.7 %Lexington County11.7York County: 10.5 %York County10.5
%. 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

RankCounties2020 (%)Change on 2019
1Allendale County45.1-1.8 pts
2Williamsburg County34.5-3.2 pts
3Bamberg County34.2+0.3 pts
4Marlboro County33.9+3.2 pts
5Barnwell County33.7-4.8 pts
6Marion County32.5-8.5 pts
7McCormick County32.3-0.3 pts
8Jasper County31.9+3.1 pts
9Dillon County31.8-3.4 pts
10Lee County31.6-3.2 pts
11Hampton County29.7-2.5 pts
11Orangeburg County29.7-13.1 pts
13Colleton County29.1-4.3 pts
14Sumter County27.6+1.8 pts
15Chester County27.5+1.8 pts
15Darlington County27.5-3.8 pts
17Clarendon County27-14.8 pts
18Georgetown County26.8-4.3 pts
19Fairfield County26-3.2 pts
20Saluda County25.2+1.4 pts
21Chesterfield County24.7-4 pts
22Union County24.3-7.2 pts
23Laurens County24-1.5 pts
24Greenwood County23.8-1.5 pts
25Newberry County23.7+1.3 pts
26Calhoun County22.3-5.7 pts
27Edgefield County21.6+0.9 pts
28Richland County21.4+0.3 pts
29Cherokee County20.9-1.7 pts
30Florence County20.8-3.1 pts
31Abbeville County20.6-1 pts
32Horry County19.5-1.5 pts
33Kershaw County19.4-3.5 pts
34Anderson County18.7-0.1 pts
35Oconee County18.5-1.4 pts
36Aiken County18.2-1.1 pts
37Dorchester County17.9+5.3 pts
38Spartanburg County17.8-0.4 pts
39Greenville County15.8+1 pts
40Berkeley County15.5+0.7 pts
41Charleston County15-1.1 pts
42Beaufort County14.8-3.6 pts
43Pickens County14.5-1 pts
44Lancaster County14.2-1.1 pts
45Lexington County11.7-5.6 pts
46York County10.5-0.1 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/2020/2020-state-and-county/est20all.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), 2020) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2020/2020-state-and-county/est20all.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), 2020. U.S. Census Bureau, 27 Jan. 2026, https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2020/2020-state-and-county/est20all.txt. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/south-carolina-counties?period=2020. 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), 2020. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2020/2020-state-and-county/est20all.txt. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/south-carolina-counties?period=2020.

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), 2020 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2020/2020-state-and-county/est20all.txt, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/south-carolina-counties?period=2020 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_in_south_carolina_2020,
  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), 2020}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2020/2020-state-and-county/est20all.txt},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/south-carolina-counties?period=2020. 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/2020/2020-state-and-county/est20all.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), 2020
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/01/27
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2020/2020-state-and-county/est20all.txt
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/south-carolina-counties?period=2020
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/south-carolina-counties?period=2020.
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/2020/2020-state-and-county/est20all.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 45.1% in 2020, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

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

York County, with 10.5% in 2020.

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