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 2021, at 47.2%. York County had the lowest, at 12.4%. The median was 25.2% and the figure for South Carolina was 19.7%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Highest47.2Allendale County
Lowest12.4York County
Median25.246 counties
South Carolina19.7History

Map of counties, 2021

Abbeville County: 21.2 %Aiken County: 22.7 %Allendale County: 47.2 %Anderson County: 21.7 %Bamberg County: 34.4 %Barnwell County: 32.5 %Beaufort County: 19.4 %Berkeley County: 14.2 %Calhoun County: 26.3 %Charleston County: 18.5 %Cherokee County: 28.7 %Chester County: 26.2 %Chesterfield County: 27 %Clarendon County: 28 %Colleton County: 30.6 %Darlington County: 28.6 %Dillon County: 39.6 %Dorchester County: 14 %Edgefield County: 22.8 %Fairfield County: 30.5 %Florence County: 23.3 %Georgetown County: 25.3 %Greenville County: 14.2 %Greenwood County: 22.9 %Hampton County: 35.1 %Horry County: 19.2 %Jasper County: 28 %Kershaw County: 19.7 %Lancaster County: 17.3 %Laurens County: 25 %Lee County: 34 %Lexington County: 14.3 %McCormick County: 35.7 %Marion County: 39.5 %Marlboro County: 32.8 %Newberry County: 23.4 %Oconee County: 23.5 %Orangeburg County: 41.9 %Pickens County: 16.4 %Richland County: 19.6 %Saluda County: 23.7 %Spartanburg County: 17.1 %Sumter County: 27.2 %Union County: 29.3 %Williamsburg County: 33.4 %York County: 12.4 %
  • Under 18
  • 18 to 23
  • 23 to 25
  • 25 to 29
  • 29 to 34
  • 34 and over
%, 2021. 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, 2021

Allendale County: 47.2 %Allendale County47.2Orangeburg County: 41.9 %Orangeburg County41.9Dillon County: 39.6 %Dillon County39.6Marion County: 39.5 %Marion County39.5McCormick County: 35.7 %McCormick County35.7Hampton County: 35.1 %Hampton County35.1Bamberg County: 34.4 %Bamberg County34.4Lee County: 34 %Lee County34Williamsburg County: 33.4 %Williamsburg County33.4Marlboro County: 32.8 %Marlboro County32.8Barnwell County: 32.5 %Barnwell County32.5Colleton County: 30.6 %Colleton County30.6Fairfield County: 30.5 %Fairfield County30.5Union County: 29.3 %Union County29.3Cherokee County: 28.7 %Cherokee County28.7Darlington County: 28.6 %Darlington County28.6Clarendon County: 28 %Clarendon County28Jasper County: 28 %Jasper County28Sumter County: 27.2 %Sumter County27.2Chesterfield County: 27 %Chesterfield County27Calhoun County: 26.3 %Calhoun County26.3Chester County: 26.2 %Chester County26.2Georgetown County: 25.3 %Georgetown County25.3Laurens County: 25 %Laurens County25Saluda County: 23.7 %Saluda County23.7Oconee County: 23.5 %Oconee County23.5Newberry County: 23.4 %Newberry County23.4Florence County: 23.3 %Florence County23.3Greenwood County: 22.9 %Greenwood County22.9Edgefield County: 22.8 %Edgefield County22.8Aiken County: 22.7 %Aiken County22.7Anderson County: 21.7 %Anderson County21.7Abbeville County: 21.2 %Abbeville County21.2Kershaw County: 19.7 %Kershaw County19.7Richland County: 19.6 %Richland County19.6Beaufort County: 19.4 %Beaufort County19.4Horry County: 19.2 %Horry County19.2Charleston County: 18.5 %Charleston County18.5Lancaster County: 17.3 %Lancaster County17.3Spartanburg County: 17.1 %Spartanburg County17.1Pickens County: 16.4 %Pickens County16.4Lexington County: 14.3 %Lexington County14.3Berkeley County: 14.2 %Berkeley County14.2Greenville County: 14.2 %Greenville County14.2Dorchester County: 14 %Dorchester County14York County: 12.4 %York County12.4Allendale County: 47.2 %Allendale County47.2Orangeburg County: 41.9 %Orangeburg County41.9Dillon County: 39.6 %Dillon County39.6Marion County: 39.5 %Marion County39.5McCormick County: 35.7 %McCormick County35.7Hampton County: 35.1 %Hampton County35.1Bamberg County: 34.4 %Bamberg County34.4Lee County: 34 %Lee County34Williamsburg County: 33.4 %Williamsburg County33.4Marlboro County: 32.8 %Marlboro County32.8Barnwell County: 32.5 %Barnwell County32.5Colleton County: 30.6 %Colleton County30.6Fairfield County: 30.5 %Fairfield County30.5Union County: 29.3 %Union County29.3Cherokee County: 28.7 %Cherokee County28.7Darlington County: 28.6 %Darlington County28.6Clarendon County: 28 %Clarendon County28Jasper County: 28 %Jasper County28Sumter County: 27.2 %Sumter County27.2Chesterfield County: 27 %Chesterfield County27Calhoun County: 26.3 %Calhoun County26.3Chester County: 26.2 %Chester County26.2Georgetown County: 25.3 %Georgetown County25.3Laurens County: 25 %Laurens County25Saluda County: 23.7 %Saluda County23.7Oconee County: 23.5 %Oconee County23.5Newberry County: 23.4 %Newberry County23.4Florence County: 23.3 %Florence County23.3Greenwood County: 22.9 %Greenwood County22.9Edgefield County: 22.8 %Edgefield County22.8Aiken County: 22.7 %Aiken County22.7Anderson County: 21.7 %Anderson County21.7Abbeville County: 21.2 %Abbeville County21.2Kershaw County: 19.7 %Kershaw County19.7Richland County: 19.6 %Richland County19.6Beaufort County: 19.4 %Beaufort County19.4Horry County: 19.2 %Horry County19.2Charleston County: 18.5 %Charleston County18.5Lancaster County: 17.3 %Lancaster County17.3Spartanburg County: 17.1 %Spartanburg County17.1Pickens County: 16.4 %Pickens County16.4Lexington County: 14.3 %Lexington County14.3Berkeley County: 14.2 %Berkeley County14.2Greenville County: 14.2 %Greenville County14.2Dorchester County: 14 %Dorchester County14York County: 12.4 %York County12.4
%. 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

RankCounties2021 (%)Change on 2020
1Allendale County47.2+2.1 pts
2Orangeburg County41.9+12.2 pts
3Dillon County39.6+7.8 pts
4Marion County39.5+7 pts
5McCormick County35.7+3.4 pts
6Hampton County35.1+5.4 pts
7Bamberg County34.4+0.2 pts
8Lee County34+2.4 pts
9Williamsburg County33.4-1.1 pts
10Marlboro County32.8-1.1 pts
11Barnwell County32.5-1.2 pts
12Colleton County30.6+1.5 pts
13Fairfield County30.5+4.5 pts
14Union County29.3+5 pts
15Cherokee County28.7+7.8 pts
16Darlington County28.6+1.1 pts
17Clarendon County28+1 pts
17Jasper County28-3.9 pts
19Sumter County27.2-0.4 pts
20Chesterfield County27+2.3 pts
21Calhoun County26.3+4 pts
22Chester County26.2-1.3 pts
23Georgetown County25.3-1.5 pts
24Laurens County25+1 pts
25Saluda County23.7-1.5 pts
26Oconee County23.5+5 pts
27Newberry County23.4-0.3 pts
28Florence County23.3+2.5 pts
29Greenwood County22.9-0.9 pts
30Edgefield County22.8+1.2 pts
31Aiken County22.7+4.5 pts
32Anderson County21.7+3 pts
33Abbeville County21.2+0.6 pts
34Kershaw County19.7+0.3 pts
35Richland County19.6-1.8 pts
36Beaufort County19.4+4.6 pts
37Horry County19.2-0.3 pts
38Charleston County18.5+3.5 pts
39Lancaster County17.3+3.1 pts
40Spartanburg County17.1-0.7 pts
41Pickens County16.4+1.9 pts
42Lexington County14.3+2.6 pts
43Berkeley County14.2-1.3 pts
43Greenville County14.2-1.6 pts
45Dorchester County14-3.9 pts
46York County12.4+1.9 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/2021/2021-state-and-county/est21all.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), 2021) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2021/2021-state-and-county/est21all.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), 2021. U.S. Census Bureau, 27 Jan. 2026, https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2021/2021-state-and-county/est21all.txt. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/south-carolina-counties?period=2021. 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), 2021. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2021/2021-state-and-county/est21all.txt. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/south-carolina-counties?period=2021.

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), 2021 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2021/2021-state-and-county/est21all.txt, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/south-carolina-counties?period=2021 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_in_south_carolina_2021,
  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), 2021}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2021/2021-state-and-county/est21all.txt},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/south-carolina-counties?period=2021. 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/2021/2021-state-and-county/est21all.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), 2021
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/01/27
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2021/2021-state-and-county/est21all.txt
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/south-carolina-counties?period=2021
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/south-carolina-counties?period=2021.
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/2021/2021-state-and-county/est21all.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 47.2% in 2021, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

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

York County, with 12.4% in 2021.

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