Lee County, South Carolina Demographics 2026

Population Overview

Lee County is located in South Carolina with a total population of 16,330. It is the 42nd most populous county out of 46 in South Carolina. The county encompasses 8 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Lee County is 41.8 years. This is 4% higher than the state median of 40.1 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Lee County is $44,145. This is 34% lower than the state median of $66,818. It is also 44% lower than the national median of $78,538. The poverty rate stands at 23.3%. This is 64% 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 5.7%. This is 15% higher than the state rate of 5.0%. The median home value is $101,900. Housing costs are 57% lower than the state median of $236,700. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.3x, Lee County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 73.5% 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 Lee County is Black or African American, making up 62.2% of the population. White (non-Hispanic) residents account for 33.2%. The Black or African American population is significantly higher than the state average (62.2% vs 25.1%). The Hispanic or Latino population (2.3%) is well below the state average of 7.1%. The Asian population (0.1%) is well below the state average of 1.7%.

Education

12.8% 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 59% 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 81.0%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Lee 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.