Counties in South Carolina by wages and salaries paid

Greenville County had the highest wages and salaries paid of 46 counties in 2017, at $14.34 billion. McCormick County had the lowest, at $68.51 million. The median was $763.64 million and the figure for South Carolina was $99.07 billion. Source: the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.

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Highest14,335.2Greenville County
Median763.646 counties
South Carolina99,072.8History

Map of counties, 2017

Abbeville County: 231 USD millionAiken County: 3,222.7 USD millionAllendale County: 123.4 USD millionAnderson County: 2,851.4 USD millionBamberg County: 149.7 USD millionBarnwell County: 204 USD millionBeaufort County: 3,413.8 USD millionBerkeley County: 2,908.3 USD millionCalhoun County: 214.6 USD millionCharleston County: 13,957.5 USD millionCherokee County: 787.9 USD millionChester County: 411.4 USD millionChesterfield County: 619.1 USD millionClarendon County: 242.2 USD millionColleton County: 412.7 USD millionDarlington County: 1,038.7 USD millionDillon County: 320.6 USD millionDorchester County: 1,468.4 USD millionEdgefield County: 221.7 USD millionFairfield County: 653.3 USD millionFlorence County: 3,085.6 USD millionGeorgetown County: 1,025.8 USD millionGreenville County: 14,335.2 USD millionGreenwood County: 1,303.5 USD millionHampton County: 204.6 USD millionHorry County: 4,988.7 USD millionJasper County: 387.9 USD millionKershaw County: 739.4 USD millionLancaster County: 1,300.4 USD millionLaurens County: 1,002.4 USD millionLee County: 145.4 USD millionLexington County: 5,537.5 USD millionMcCormick County: 68.5 USD millionMarion County: 241.7 USD millionMarlboro County: 331.6 USD millionNewberry County: 554.7 USD millionOconee County: 1,223.8 USD millionOrangeburg County: 1,223.8 USD millionPickens County: 1,598.1 USD millionRichland County: 11,751.8 USD millionSaluda County: 162.6 USD millionSpartanburg County: 7,047.5 USD millionSumter County: 1,998.9 USD millionUnion County: 305 USD millionWilliamsburg County: 337.2 USD millionYork County: 4,718.7 USD million
  • Under 200
  • 200 to 300
  • 300 to 800
  • 800 to 1,300
  • 1,300 to 3,300
  • 3,300 and over
USD million, 2017. Source: BEA, CAINC4: personal income by major component, wages and salaries (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions), individual counties and county equivalents. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

All counties, 2017

Greenville County: 14,335.2 USD millionGreenville County14,335.2Charleston County: 13,957.5 USD millionCharleston County13,957.5Richland County: 11,751.8 USD millionRichland County11,751.8Spartanburg County: 7,047.5 USD millionSpartanburg County7,047.5Lexington County: 5,537.5 USD millionLexington County5,537.5Horry County: 4,988.7 USD millionHorry County4,988.7York County: 4,718.7 USD millionYork County4,718.7Beaufort County: 3,413.8 USD millionBeaufort County3,413.8Aiken County: 3,222.7 USD millionAiken County3,222.7Florence County: 3,085.6 USD millionFlorence County3,085.6Berkeley County: 2,908.3 USD millionBerkeley County2,908.3Anderson County: 2,851.4 USD millionAnderson County2,851.4Sumter County: 1,998.9 USD millionSumter County1,998.9Pickens County: 1,598.1 USD millionPickens County1,598.1Dorchester County: 1,468.4 USD millionDorchester County1,468.4Greenwood County: 1,303.5 USD millionGreenwood County1,303.5Lancaster County: 1,300.4 USD millionLancaster County1,300.4Oconee County: 1,223.8 USD millionOconee County1,223.8Orangeburg County: 1,223.8 USD millionOrangeburg County1,223.8Darlington County: 1,038.7 USD millionDarlington County1,038.7Georgetown County: 1,025.8 USD millionGeorgetown County1,025.8Laurens County: 1,002.4 USD millionLaurens County1,002.4Cherokee County: 787.9 USD millionCherokee County787.9Kershaw County: 739.4 USD millionKershaw County739.4Fairfield County: 653.3 USD millionFairfield County653.3Chesterfield County: 619.1 USD millionChesterfield County619.1Newberry County: 554.7 USD millionNewberry County554.7Colleton County: 412.7 USD millionColleton County412.7Chester County: 411.4 USD millionChester County411.4Jasper County: 387.9 USD millionJasper County387.9Williamsburg County: 337.2 USD millionWilliamsburg County337.2Marlboro County: 331.6 USD millionMarlboro County331.6Dillon County: 320.6 USD millionDillon County320.6Union County: 305 USD millionUnion County305Clarendon County: 242.2 USD millionClarendon County242.2Marion County: 241.7 USD millionMarion County241.7Abbeville County: 231 USD millionAbbeville County231Edgefield County: 221.7 USD millionEdgefield County221.7Calhoun County: 214.6 USD millionCalhoun County214.6Hampton County: 204.6 USD millionHampton County204.6Barnwell County: 204 USD millionBarnwell County204Saluda County: 162.6 USD millionSaluda County162.6Bamberg County: 149.7 USD millionBamberg County149.7Lee County: 145.4 USD millionLee County145.4Allendale County: 123.4 USD millionAllendale County123.4McCormick County: 68.5 USD millionMcCormick County68.5Greenville County: 14,335.2 USD millionGreenville County14,335.2Charleston County: 13,957.5 USD millionCharleston County13,957.5Richland County: 11,751.8 USD millionRichland County11,751.8Spartanburg County: 7,047.5 USD millionSpartanburg County7,047.5Lexington County: 5,537.5 USD millionLexington County5,537.5Horry County: 4,988.7 USD millionHorry County4,988.7York County: 4,718.7 USD millionYork County4,718.7Beaufort County: 3,413.8 USD millionBeaufort County3,413.8Aiken County: 3,222.7 USD millionAiken County3,222.7Florence County: 3,085.6 USD millionFlorence County3,085.6Berkeley County: 2,908.3 USD millionBerkeley County2,908.3Anderson County: 2,851.4 USD millionAnderson County2,851.4Sumter County: 1,998.9 USD millionSumter County1,998.9Pickens County: 1,598.1 USD millionPickens County1,598.1Dorchester County: 1,468.4 USD millionDorchester County1,468.4Greenwood County: 1,303.5 USD millionGreenwood County1,303.5Lancaster County: 1,300.4 USD millionLancaster County1,300.4Oconee County: 1,223.8 USD millionOconee County1,223.8Orangeburg County: 1,223.8 USD millionOrangeburg County1,223.8Darlington County: 1,038.7 USD millionDarlington County1,038.7Georgetown County: 1,025.8 USD millionGeorgetown County1,025.8Laurens County: 1,002.4 USD millionLaurens County1,002.4Cherokee County: 787.9 USD millionCherokee County787.9Kershaw County: 739.4 USD millionKershaw County739.4Fairfield County: 653.3 USD millionFairfield County653.3Chesterfield County: 619.1 USD millionChesterfield County619.1Newberry County: 554.7 USD millionNewberry County554.7Colleton County: 412.7 USD millionColleton County412.7Chester County: 411.4 USD millionChester County411.4Jasper County: 387.9 USD millionJasper County387.9Williamsburg County: 337.2 USD millionWilliamsburg County337.2Marlboro County: 331.6 USD millionMarlboro County331.6Dillon County: 320.6 USD millionDillon County320.6Union County: 305 USD millionUnion County305Clarendon County: 242.2 USD millionClarendon County242.2Marion County: 241.7 USD millionMarion County241.7Abbeville County: 231 USD millionAbbeville County231Edgefield County: 221.7 USD millionEdgefield County221.7Calhoun County: 214.6 USD millionCalhoun County214.6Hampton County: 204.6 USD millionHampton County204.6Barnwell County: 204 USD millionBarnwell County204Saluda County: 162.6 USD millionSaluda County162.6Bamberg County: 149.7 USD millionBamberg County149.7Lee County: 145.4 USD millionLee County145.4Allendale County: 123.4 USD millionAllendale County123.4McCormick County: 68.5 USD millionMcCormick County68.5
USD million. Source: BEA, CAINC4: personal income by major component, wages and salaries (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions), individual counties and county equivalents. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2017
USD million
Change on 2016
1Greenville County14,335.2+4.8%
2Charleston County13,957.5+4.5%
3Richland County11,751.8+3.8%
4Spartanburg County7,047.5+6.4%
5Lexington County5,537.5+3.8%
6Horry County4,988.7+7.3%
7York County4,718.7+10.7%
8Beaufort County3,413.8+3.2%
9Aiken County3,222.7+3%
10Florence County3,085.6+3.7%
11Berkeley County2,908.3+9.1%
12Anderson County2,851.4+4.8%
13Sumter County1,998.9+5.2%
14Pickens County1,598.1+5%
15Dorchester County1,468.4+7.6%
16Greenwood County1,303.5+4.9%
17Lancaster County1,300.4+6.4%
18Oconee County1,223.8+1.4%
19Orangeburg County1,223.8+4.2%
20Darlington County1,038.7+4.4%
21Georgetown County1,025.8+5.3%
22Laurens County1,002.4+6.3%
23Cherokee County787.9+4.2%
24Kershaw County739.4+3.1%
25Fairfield County653.3-10.8%
26Chesterfield County619.1+3.6%
27Newberry County554.7+4.5%
28Colleton County412.7+3.9%
29Chester County411.4+9.1%
30Jasper County387.9+7.2%
31Williamsburg County337.2+2.6%
32Marlboro County331.6+5.2%
33Dillon County320.6+2.2%
34Union County305+4.3%
35Clarendon County242.2+1%
36Marion County241.7+1.9%
37Abbeville County231+3.1%
38Edgefield County221.7-1.7%
39Calhoun County214.6-0.2%
40Hampton County204.6+2.7%
41Barnwell County204+7.2%
42Saluda County162.6+4.4%
43Bamberg County149.7+1.1%
44Lee County145.4+4.9%
45Allendale County123.4+4.2%
46McCormick County68.5+5.5%

Other periods

About this ranking

Total wages and salaries paid to employees for jobs located in a place, including tips, bonuses and pay in kind, before deductions, in millions of current US dollars. United States: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional accounts, table SAINC4 line 50 for the nation and states and CAINC4 line 50 for counties.

Counted where the jobs are, not where the workers live, so places with many commuters coming in can pay more in wages than their residents receive in personal income (the District of Columbia does). Excludes employer contributions to pensions, insurance and social security, and the income of the self-employed.

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. Bureau of Economic Analysis. CAINC4: personal income by major component, wages and salaries (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions), individual counties and county equivalents. https://apps.bea.gov/regional/zip/CAINC4.zip. 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. Bureau of Economic Analysis. (2026). CAINC4: personal income by major component, wages and salaries (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions), individual counties and county equivalents (Counties in South Carolina by wages and salaries paid, 2017) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://apps.bea.gov/regional/zip/CAINC4.zip

MLA 9

CAINC4: personal income by major component, wages and salaries (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions), individual counties and county equivalents, Counties in South Carolina by wages and salaries paid, 2017. U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, 5 Feb. 2026, https://apps.bea.gov/regional/zip/CAINC4.zip. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/wages-and-salaries/south-carolina-counties?period=2017. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. 2026. CAINC4: personal income by major component, wages and salaries (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions), individual counties and county equivalents. Counties in South Carolina by wages and salaries paid, 2017. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://apps.bea.gov/regional/zip/CAINC4.zip. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/wages-and-salaries/south-carolina-counties?period=2017.

Harvard

U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (2026) CAINC4: personal income by major component, wages and salaries (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions), individual counties and county equivalents, Counties in South Carolina by wages and salaries paid, 2017 [Dataset]. Available at: https://apps.bea.gov/regional/zip/CAINC4.zip, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/wages-and-salaries/south-carolina-counties?period=2017 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{bureau_counties_in_south_carolina_2017,
  author = {{U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis}},
  title = {{CAINC4: personal income by major component, wages and salaries (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions), individual counties and county equivalents: Counties in South Carolina by wages and salaries paid, 2017}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://apps.bea.gov/regional/zip/CAINC4.zip},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/wages-and-salaries/south-carolina-counties?period=2017. Publisher attribution: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. CAINC4: personal income by major component, wages and salaries (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions), individual counties and county equivalents. https://apps.bea.gov/regional/zip/CAINC4.zip. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis
TI  - CAINC4: personal income by major component, wages and salaries (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions), individual counties and county equivalents: Counties in South Carolina by wages and salaries paid, 2017
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/02/05
PB  - U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://apps.bea.gov/regional/zip/CAINC4.zip
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/wages-and-salaries/south-carolina-counties?period=2017
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/wages-and-salaries/south-carolina-counties?period=2017.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. CAINC4: personal income by major component, wages and salaries (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions), individual counties and county equivalents. https://apps.bea.gov/regional/zip/CAINC4.zip. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  - 
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Questions

Which county has the highest wages and salaries paid?

Greenville County, with $14.34 billion in 2017, according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.

Which county has the lowest wages and salaries paid?

McCormick County, with $68.51 million in 2017.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, CAINC4: personal income by major component, wages and salaries (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions), individual counties and county equivalents. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Wages and salaries paid: other rankings

Counties in South Carolina: more rankings