Norway, South Carolina Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 322, Norway's ACS estimates come from a small number of survey responses and carry wide margins of error. Individual percentages below — particularly rates that round to 0% or 100% — are approximations, not precise measurements. See data.census.gov for the published margins of error.

Population Overview

Norway is a small community located in South Carolina, within Orangeburg County. The total population is 322. It ranks as the 375th most populous out of 474 Census-designated places in South Carolina.

Age Demographics

The median age in Norway is 50.1 years. This is 25% higher than the state median of 40.2 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Norway is $42,386. This is 39% lower than the state median of $69,324. It is also 47% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 18.6%. This is 32% higher than the state poverty rate of 14.1%. The unemployment rate is 24.0%. This is 390% higher than the state rate of 4.9%. The median home value is $95,000. Housing costs are 63% lower than the state median of $259,000. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.2x, Norway is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 51.8% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 28% lower than the state average of 71.9%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Norway is Black or African American, making up 65.8% of the population. White (non-Hispanic) residents account for 28.6%. The White (non-Hispanic) population (28.6%) is well below the state average of 61.9%. The Black or African American population is significantly higher than the state average (65.8% vs 24.6%).

Education

14.1% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 56% 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 79.2%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Norway, South Carolina is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates. The ACS collects data from approximately 3.5 million households annually and pools five years of responses so that even small communities can be measured, though the margin of error widens as the population falls. Comparisons are made against South Carolina state averages and national averages calculated from the same dataset. Rankings reflect the city's position among all 474 Census-designated places in South Carolina. Read more about how these figures are produced on our methodology page, or visit data.census.gov for official data.