Hampton County, South Carolina Demographics 2026

Population Overview

Hampton County is located in South Carolina with a total population of 18,555. It is the 41st most populous county out of 46 in South Carolina. The county encompasses 8 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Hampton County is 40.9 years. This is 2% higher than the state median of 40.1 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Hampton County is $43,059. This is 36% lower than the state median of $66,818. It is also 45% lower than the national median of $78,538. The poverty rate stands at 20.0%. This is 41% higher than the state poverty rate of 14.2%. With more than one in five residents living below the poverty line, economic hardship is a significant challenge for the community. The unemployment rate is 10.0%. This is 103% higher than the state rate of 5.0%. The median home value is $102,400. Housing costs are 57% lower than the state median of $236,700. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.4x, Hampton County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 73.6% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 3% higher than the state average of 71.4%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Hampton County is Black or African American, making up 52.3% of the population. White (non-Hispanic) residents account for 40.3%. The Black or African American population is significantly higher than the state average (52.3% vs 25.1%).

Education

11.8% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is among the lowest rates in the state, which may correlate with employment and income patterns. This is 63% lower than the state rate of 31.5%. Nationally, 35.0% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 82.5%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Hampton County come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023), with comparisons drawn against South Carolina and national averages from the same dataset. See our methodology page for how each metric is defined, or data.census.gov for official tables with margins of error.