Counties in South Carolina by wages and salaries paid

Charleston County had the highest wages and salaries paid of 46 counties in 2022, at $19.73 billion. McCormick County had the lowest, at $84.22 million. The median was $946.88 million and the figure for South Carolina was $132.22 billion. Source: the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.

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Highest19,725.3Charleston County
Median946.946 counties
South Carolina132,217History

Map of counties, 2022

Abbeville County: 285.2 USD millionAiken County: 4,038 USD millionAllendale County: 137.8 USD millionAnderson County: 3,813.9 USD millionBamberg County: 168.1 USD millionBarnwell County: 227.7 USD millionBeaufort County: 4,613.8 USD millionBerkeley County: 4,237.5 USD millionCalhoun County: 277.4 USD millionCharleston County: 19,725.3 USD millionCherokee County: 964.8 USD millionChester County: 574 USD millionChesterfield County: 744 USD millionClarendon County: 310.3 USD millionColleton County: 509 USD millionDarlington County: 1,285.3 USD millionDillon County: 405.4 USD millionDorchester County: 2,126.2 USD millionEdgefield County: 315 USD millionFairfield County: 378.1 USD millionFlorence County: 4,013.8 USD millionGeorgetown County: 1,369.1 USD millionGreenville County: 19,419 USD millionGreenwood County: 1,523 USD millionHampton County: 240.7 USD millionHorry County: 7,107.2 USD millionJasper County: 581.3 USD millionKershaw County: 929 USD millionLancaster County: 1,904.4 USD millionLaurens County: 1,110 USD millionLee County: 186.5 USD millionLexington County: 7,466.5 USD millionMcCormick County: 84.2 USD millionMarion County: 320.6 USD millionMarlboro County: 353.5 USD millionNewberry County: 776.9 USD millionOconee County: 1,472.5 USD millionOrangeburg County: 1,453.1 USD millionPickens County: 2,077.8 USD millionRichland County: 15,177.6 USD millionSaluda County: 221.1 USD millionSpartanburg County: 9,230 USD millionSumter County: 2,475.5 USD millionUnion County: 373.5 USD millionWilliamsburg County: 364.7 USD millionYork County: 6,874.1 USD million
  • Under 300
  • 300 to 400
  • 400 to 900
  • 900 to 1,900
  • 1,900 to 4,400
  • 4,400 and over
USD million, 2022. 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, 2022

Charleston County: 19,725.3 USD millionCharleston County19,725.3Greenville County: 19,419 USD millionGreenville County19,419Richland County: 15,177.6 USD millionRichland County15,177.6Spartanburg County: 9,230 USD millionSpartanburg County9,230Lexington County: 7,466.5 USD millionLexington County7,466.5Horry County: 7,107.2 USD millionHorry County7,107.2York County: 6,874.1 USD millionYork County6,874.1Beaufort County: 4,613.8 USD millionBeaufort County4,613.8Berkeley County: 4,237.5 USD millionBerkeley County4,237.5Aiken County: 4,038 USD millionAiken County4,038Florence County: 4,013.8 USD millionFlorence County4,013.8Anderson County: 3,813.9 USD millionAnderson County3,813.9Sumter County: 2,475.5 USD millionSumter County2,475.5Dorchester County: 2,126.2 USD millionDorchester County2,126.2Pickens County: 2,077.8 USD millionPickens County2,077.8Lancaster County: 1,904.4 USD millionLancaster County1,904.4Greenwood County: 1,523 USD millionGreenwood County1,523Oconee County: 1,472.5 USD millionOconee County1,472.5Orangeburg County: 1,453.1 USD millionOrangeburg County1,453.1Georgetown County: 1,369.1 USD millionGeorgetown County1,369.1Darlington County: 1,285.3 USD millionDarlington County1,285.3Laurens County: 1,110 USD millionLaurens County1,110Cherokee County: 964.8 USD millionCherokee County964.8Kershaw County: 929 USD millionKershaw County929Newberry County: 776.9 USD millionNewberry County776.9Chesterfield County: 744 USD millionChesterfield County744Jasper County: 581.3 USD millionJasper County581.3Chester County: 574 USD millionChester County574Colleton County: 509 USD millionColleton County509Dillon County: 405.4 USD millionDillon County405.4Fairfield County: 378.1 USD millionFairfield County378.1Union County: 373.5 USD millionUnion County373.5Williamsburg County: 364.7 USD millionWilliamsburg County364.7Marlboro County: 353.5 USD millionMarlboro County353.5Marion County: 320.6 USD millionMarion County320.6Edgefield County: 315 USD millionEdgefield County315Clarendon County: 310.3 USD millionClarendon County310.3Abbeville County: 285.2 USD millionAbbeville County285.2Calhoun County: 277.4 USD millionCalhoun County277.4Hampton County: 240.7 USD millionHampton County240.7Barnwell County: 227.7 USD millionBarnwell County227.7Saluda County: 221.1 USD millionSaluda County221.1Lee County: 186.5 USD millionLee County186.5Bamberg County: 168.1 USD millionBamberg County168.1Allendale County: 137.8 USD millionAllendale County137.8McCormick County: 84.2 USD millionMcCormick County84.2Charleston County: 19,725.3 USD millionCharleston County19,725.3Greenville County: 19,419 USD millionGreenville County19,419Richland County: 15,177.6 USD millionRichland County15,177.6Spartanburg County: 9,230 USD millionSpartanburg County9,230Lexington County: 7,466.5 USD millionLexington County7,466.5Horry County: 7,107.2 USD millionHorry County7,107.2York County: 6,874.1 USD millionYork County6,874.1Beaufort County: 4,613.8 USD millionBeaufort County4,613.8Berkeley County: 4,237.5 USD millionBerkeley County4,237.5Aiken County: 4,038 USD millionAiken County4,038Florence County: 4,013.8 USD millionFlorence County4,013.8Anderson County: 3,813.9 USD millionAnderson County3,813.9Sumter County: 2,475.5 USD millionSumter County2,475.5Dorchester County: 2,126.2 USD millionDorchester County2,126.2Pickens County: 2,077.8 USD millionPickens County2,077.8Lancaster County: 1,904.4 USD millionLancaster County1,904.4Greenwood County: 1,523 USD millionGreenwood County1,523Oconee County: 1,472.5 USD millionOconee County1,472.5Orangeburg County: 1,453.1 USD millionOrangeburg County1,453.1Georgetown County: 1,369.1 USD millionGeorgetown County1,369.1Darlington County: 1,285.3 USD millionDarlington County1,285.3Laurens County: 1,110 USD millionLaurens County1,110Cherokee County: 964.8 USD millionCherokee County964.8Kershaw County: 929 USD millionKershaw County929Newberry County: 776.9 USD millionNewberry County776.9Chesterfield County: 744 USD millionChesterfield County744Jasper County: 581.3 USD millionJasper County581.3Chester County: 574 USD millionChester County574Colleton County: 509 USD millionColleton County509Dillon County: 405.4 USD millionDillon County405.4Fairfield County: 378.1 USD millionFairfield County378.1Union County: 373.5 USD millionUnion County373.5Williamsburg County: 364.7 USD millionWilliamsburg County364.7Marlboro County: 353.5 USD millionMarlboro County353.5Marion County: 320.6 USD millionMarion County320.6Edgefield County: 315 USD millionEdgefield County315Clarendon County: 310.3 USD millionClarendon County310.3Abbeville County: 285.2 USD millionAbbeville County285.2Calhoun County: 277.4 USD millionCalhoun County277.4Hampton County: 240.7 USD millionHampton County240.7Barnwell County: 227.7 USD millionBarnwell County227.7Saluda County: 221.1 USD millionSaluda County221.1Lee County: 186.5 USD millionLee County186.5Bamberg County: 168.1 USD millionBamberg County168.1Allendale County: 137.8 USD millionAllendale County137.8McCormick County: 84.2 USD millionMcCormick County84.2
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

RankCounties2022
USD million
Change on 2021
1Charleston County19,725.3+13.7%
2Greenville County19,419+11.7%
3Richland County15,177.6+9.8%
4Spartanburg County9,230+7.9%
5Lexington County7,466.5+10.2%
6Horry County7,107.2+12%
7York County6,874.1+10.4%
8Beaufort County4,613.8+7.6%
9Berkeley County4,237.5+9.1%
10Aiken County4,038+9.1%
11Florence County4,013.8+8.8%
12Anderson County3,813.9+10.4%
13Sumter County2,475.5+6.9%
14Dorchester County2,126.2+15.7%
15Pickens County2,077.8+7.5%
16Lancaster County1,904.4+15%
17Greenwood County1,523+5.8%
18Oconee County1,472.5+12%
19Orangeburg County1,453.1+8%
20Georgetown County1,369.1+8.7%
21Darlington County1,285.3+14.4%
22Laurens County1,110+8%
23Cherokee County964.8+5.9%
24Kershaw County929+10.9%
25Newberry County776.9+10.5%
26Chesterfield County744+8.7%
27Jasper County581.3+12.9%
28Chester County574+11.6%
29Colleton County509+7.5%
30Dillon County405.4+7.6%
31Fairfield County378.1+0.2%
32Union County373.5+2.7%
33Williamsburg County364.7+3.7%
34Marlboro County353.5-3.4%
35Marion County320.6+7%
36Edgefield County315+18.9%
37Clarendon County310.3+5.6%
38Abbeville County285.2+7.7%
39Calhoun County277.4+14.7%
40Hampton County240.7+8.3%
41Barnwell County227.7+13.1%
42Saluda County221.1+9.6%
43Lee County186.5+6.8%
44Bamberg County168.1+9.6%
45Allendale County137.8+12%
46McCormick County84.2+21.1%

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, 2022) [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, 2022. 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=2022. 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, 2022. 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=2022.

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, 2022 [Dataset]. Available at: https://apps.bea.gov/regional/zip/CAINC4.zip, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/wages-and-salaries/south-carolina-counties?period=2022 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{bureau_counties_in_south_carolina_2022,
  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, 2022}},
  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=2022. 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, 2022
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=2022
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/wages-and-salaries/south-carolina-counties?period=2022.
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?

Charleston County, with $19.73 billion in 2022, according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.

Which county has the lowest wages and salaries paid?

McCormick County, with $84.22 million in 2022.

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