Barnwell County, South Carolina
Located in South Carolina, Barnwell County has a population of 20,521 residents and a median age of 40.4 years, making it the #1,851 most populous county out of 3,222 nationwide. In terms of economic indicators, the county has a poverty rate of 25.0%. The median home value is $106,000, and the median household income is $46,626, which is 38% below the national median.
Demographics
Barnwell County has a population of 20,521, making it the #1,851 most populous county in the US. The median age is 40.4 years, which is 3.9% above the national median.
Population Trend
Rankings →Year-over-Year Population Growth
Age & Sex Distribution
Race & Ethnicity
Nativity
Geographic Mobility (Past Year)
Economy
The median household income in Barnwell County is $46,626, ranking #2,915 out of 3,222 counties — 38.0% below the national median. The poverty rate is 25.0% and unemployment stands at 7.0%.
Median Household Income Trend
Rankings →Income Distribution
Industry of Employment
Occupation
Housing
The median home value in Barnwell County is $106,000 (-62.4% vs national). Renters pay a median of $740/mo and the homeownership rate is 70.9%.
Median Home Value Trend
Rankings →Household Type
Education
In Barnwell County, 13.9% of adults age 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher, which is 58.8% below the national average, ranking #2,948 out of 3,222 counties.
Bachelor's Degree or Higher Trend
Rankings →Health & Wellbeing
Life expectancy in Barnwell County is 69.6 years. 23.5% of adults report poor or fair health and 12.7% lack health insurance. Data from County Health Rankings (2025).
Life Expectancy Trend
Substance Use
21.4% of adults in Barnwell County smoke , 43.4% are obese , and 17.3% report excessive drinking. The drug overdose death rate is 59.9 per 100,000.
Adult Smoking Trend
Safety
The homicide rate in Barnwell County is 23.2 per 100,000 and the suicide rate is 14.1 per 100,000. Motor vehicle deaths occur at a rate of 28.0 per 100,000.
Homicide Rate Trend
Families & Children
45.8% of children in Barnwell County live in poverty and the infant mortality rate is 10.6 per 1,000 live births. The teen birth rate is 33.5 per 1,000 females age 15–19.
Teen Birth Rate Trend
Civic & Transportation
Voter turnout in Barnwell County is 64.8%. The mean commute time is 30.2 min, which is 9.4% above the national average.
Voter Turnout Trend
Mean Commute Time Trend
Rankings →Elections
In the 2024 presidential election, Barnwell County voted Republican with a margin of 15.6%. The vote was 41.6% Dem / 57.2% Rep. Compared to 2020, the margin shifted 8.1 toward Republicans .
Vote Share Over Time
About Barnwell County, South Carolina
Barnwell County, South Carolina has a total population of 20,521, making it the 1,851st most populous county in the United States. The median age in Barnwell County is 40.4 years, which is 3.9% above the national median of 38.9 years.
The median household income in Barnwell County is $46,626, which ranks #2,915 of 3,222 counties nationwide. This is 38.0% below the national median of $75,149. The poverty rate is 25.0%, higher than the national rate of 12.6%. The unemployment rate stands at 7.0%.
The median home value in Barnwell County is $106,000, 62.4% below the national median. Renters in Barnwell County pay a median gross rent of $740 per month. The homeownership rate is 70.9%, compared to the national rate of 64.4%.
In Barnwell County, 13.9% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 58.8% below the national average of 33.7%. Health insurance coverage stands at 87.8% of the population. The average commute time for workers is 30.2 min.
Barnwell County is a diverse community. The largest racial or ethnic group is White (non-Hispanic) at 50.5% of the population, followed by Black (non-Hispanic) (42.8%) and Hispanic or Latino (2.9%).
All data for Barnwell County, South Carolina comes from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates. These figures are estimates based on survey sampling and are subject to margin of error. For the most detailed and up-to-date data, visit the Census Bureau's official data portal.