Laurens County, South Carolina Demographics 2026
Laurens County, South Carolina has a population of 68,666, the 20th most populous county in South Carolina. The median household income is $57,623 and the median home value is $170,600. The poverty rate is 18.1%.
Data vintage: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates · refreshed July 2026 · Methodology & source notes
Laurens County Quick Facts
How Laurens County Changed
Change from the 2019–2023 ACS period to 2020–2024. These are rolling five-year estimates, not year-over-year measurements.
| Metric | 2019–2023 | 2020–2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 67,904 | 68,666 | +1.1% |
| Median household income | $55,517 | $57,623 | +3.8% |
| Median home value | $153,500 | $170,600 | +11.1% |
Median Household Income
Median Home Value
Economy & Housing
Household Income Distribution
Detailed income brackets
Employment
Housing Overview
People & Demographics
Age Distribution
Race & Ethnicity
Diversity Index
Moderate diversity with one or two groups making up the majority.
State average: 55 | National average: 61
Education
Educational Attainment (Adults 25+)
Cities & Places in Laurens County
| City | Population | Median Income | Poverty | Home Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Laurens | 9,336 | $49,246 | 25.4% | $180,700 |
| Clinton | 7,676 | $44,522 | 27.7% | $173,400 |
| Watts Mills | 1,942 | $50,901 | 8.7% | $108,300 |
| Joanna | 1,306 | $49,141 | 20.5% | $88,100 |
| Gray Court | 783 | $57,500 | 19.3% | $185,900 |
| Cross Hill | 514 | $40,556 | 14.0% | $104,500 |
| Waterloo | 212 | N/A | 37.3% | N/A |
| Mountville | 136 | $70,645 | 5.9% | N/A |
| Princeton | 19 | N/A | 0.0% | N/A |
Explore South Carolina Rankings
Population Overview
Laurens County is located in South Carolina with a total population of 68,666. It is the 20th most populous county out of 46 in South Carolina. The county encompasses 9 Census-designated places.
Age Demographics
The median age in Laurens County is 40.9 years. This is 2% higher than the state median of 40.2 years.
Economy, Income & Housing
The median household income in Laurens County is $57,623. This is 17% lower than the state median of $69,324. It is also 29% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 18.1%. This is 29% higher than the state poverty rate of 14.1%. The unemployment rate is 4.5%. This is 8% lower than the state rate of 4.9%. The median home value is $170,600. Housing costs are 34% lower than the state median of $259,000. The home-value-to-income ratio is 3.0x. 71.5% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied.
Race & Ethnicity
The largest racial or ethnic group in Laurens County is White (non-Hispanic), making up 65.8% of the population. Black or African American residents account for 22.9%. The Asian population (0.6%) is well below the state average of 1.8%.
Education
17.6% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 45% lower than the state rate of 32.1%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 83.9%.
Data Sources & Methodology
All figures for Laurens County come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates, 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the population of Laurens County, South Carolina?
Laurens County has a population of 68,666, making it the 20th most populous county in South Carolina.
What is the median income in Laurens County?
The median household income in Laurens County is $57,623 with a poverty rate of 18.1%.
How many cities are in Laurens County, South Carolina?
Laurens County contains 9 Census-designated places.