McCormick County, South Carolina Demographics 2026

Population Overview

McCormick County is located in South Carolina with a total population of 9,701. It is the 45th most populous county out of 46 in South Carolina. The county encompasses 7 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in McCormick County is 58.7 years. This is 46% higher than the state median of 40.1 years. Only 10.4% of residents are under 18, indicating fewer families with children. 14.6% of residents are 75 or older, suggesting a significant retirement-age population with implications for healthcare services and senior housing.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in McCormick County is $55,344. This is 17% lower than the state median of $66,818. It is also 30% lower than the national median of $78,538. The poverty rate stands at 18.0%. This is 27% higher than the state poverty rate of 14.2%. The unemployment rate is 5.5%. This is 12% higher than the state rate of 5.0%. The median home value is $159,000. Housing costs are 33% lower than the state median of $236,700. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.9x, McCormick County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 83.9% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 17% higher than the state average of 71.4%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in McCormick County is White (non-Hispanic), making up 54.5% of the population. Black or African American residents account for 41.1%. The Black or African American population is significantly higher than the state average (41.1% vs 25.1%). The Hispanic or Latino population (0.7%) is well below the state average of 7.1%. The Asian population (0.2%) is well below the state average of 1.7%.

Education

23.1% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 27% 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 85.2%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for McCormick 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.