Lexington County, South Carolina

Lexington County is a county located in the U.S. state of South Carolina. As of the 2010 census, the population was 262,391,[2] and the 2019 population estimate was 298,750.[1] Its county seat and largest town is Lexington.[3] The county was chartered in 1785[4] and was named in commemoration of Lexington, Massachusetts, the site of the Battle of Lexington in the American Revolutionary War.[5] Lexington County is the sixth-largest county in South Carolina by population and is part of the Columbia, SC Metropolitan Statistical Area.

Lexington County
U.S. county
Lexington County Courthouse in October 2013
Motto(s): 
In God We Trust
Location within the U.S. state of South Carolina
South Carolina's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 33°54′N 81°16′W
Country United States
State South Carolina
Founded1785
Named forBattle of Lexington and Concord
SeatLexington
Largest townLexington
Area
 • Total758 sq mi (1,960 km2)
 • Land699 sq mi (1,810 km2)
 • Water59 sq mi (150 km2)  7.8%%
Population
 (2010)
 • Total262,391
 • Estimate 
(2019)[1]
298,750
 • Density350/sq mi (130/km2)
Time zoneUTC−5 (Eastern)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district2nd
Websitewww.lex-co.com

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 758 square miles (1,960 km2), of which 699 square miles (1,810 km2) is land and 59 square miles (150 km2) (7.8%) is water.[6] The largest body of water is Lake Murray, while other waterways include the Broad River, the Saluda River and the Congaree River. Lexington County has urban, suburban, and rural landscapes. Much of the county's urbanization is in its eastern and northeastern areas.

Adjacent counties

Climate

Lexington County averages 48 inches of rain per year; the U.S. average is 37. The average snowfall is 2 inches; the U.S. average is 25 inches. The average number of days with any measurable precipitation is 104.

On average, there are 218 sunny days per year in Lexington County. The July high is around 92 degrees and the January low is 33. The comfort index, which is based on humidity during the warmest months, is a 29 out of 100, where higher is more comfortable. The U.S. average on the comfort index is 44.[7]

Demographics
Historical population
CensusPop.%±
18106,641—
18208,08321.7%
18309,06512.1%
184012,11133.6%
185012,9306.8%
186015,57920.5%
187012,988−16.6%
188018,56442.9%
189022,18119.5%
190027,26422.9%
191032,04017.5%
192035,67611.3%
193036,4942.3%
194035,994−1.4%
195044,27923.0%
196060,72637.1%
197089,01246.6%
1980140,35357.7%
1990167,61119.4%
2000216,01428.9%
2010262,39121.5%
2019 (est.)298,750[8]13.9%
U.S. Decennial Census[9]
1790-1960[10] 1900-1990[11]
1990-2000[12] 2010-2019[2]

2000 census

As of the census[13] of 2000, there were 216,014 people, 83,240 households, and 59,849 families living in the county. The population density was 309 people per square mile (119/km2). There were 90,978 housing units at an average density of 130 per square mile (50/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 84.18% White, 12.63% Black or African American, 0.34% Native American, 1.05% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.79% from other races, and 0.98% from two or more races. 1.92% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 83,240 households, out of which 35.50% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.60% were married couples living together, 11.60% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.10% were non-families. 22.50% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.56 and the average family size was 3.01.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 26.10% under the age of 18, 8.30% from 18 to 24, 31.60% from 25 to 44, 23.80% from 45 to 64, and 10.20% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.50 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.30 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $44,659, and the median income for a family was $52,637. Males had a median income of $36,435 versus $26,387 for females. The per capita income for the county was $21,063. About 6.40% of families and 9.00% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.10% of those under age 18 and 9.30% of those age 65 or over.

2010 census

As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 262,391 people, 102,733 households, and 70,952 families living in the county.[14] The population density was 375.4 inhabitants per square mile (144.9/km2). There were 113,957 housing units at an average density of 163.0 per square mile (62.9/km2).[15] The racial makeup of the county was 79.3% white, 14.3% black or African American, 1.4% Asian, 0.4% American Indian, 2.7% from other races, and 1.9% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 5.5% of the population.[14] In terms of ancestry, 17.2% were German, 14.0% were American, 12.5% were English, and 11.8% were Irish.[16]

Of the 102,733 households, 34.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.4% were married couples living together, 13.0% had a female householder with no husband present, 30.9% were non-families, and 24.9% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.53 and the average family size was 3.01. The median age was 37.9 years.[14]

The median income for a household in the county was $52,205 and the median income for a family was $64,630. Males had a median income of $44,270 versus $34,977 for females. The per capita income for the county was $26,393. About 8.5% of families and 11.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.7% of those under age 18 and 8.4% of those age 65 or over.[17]

Communities
Lexington County (Cayce) from the banks of the Congaree River.
Columbiana Mall in city of Columbia, SC in Lexington County
A farm in rural Lexington County near Swansea
Municipalities[18]
Type Name Pop. (2019 est.) Notes
Town Lexington 22,157 County Seat
City West Columbia 17,998
City Cayce 14,009 Partly in Richland County
City Columbia [lower-alpha 1] Mostly in Richland County
Town Irmo 12,483 Partly in Richland County
Town Batesburg-Leesville 5,415 Partly in Saluda County
Town Springdale 2,636
Town South Congaree 2,306
Town Pine Ridge 2,064
Town Gaston 1,645
Town Chapin 1,445
Town Swansea 827
Town Pelion 674
Town Gilbert 565
Town Summit 402
Town Granby 0 Former town
Census designated places[18]
Name Pop (2010)
Seven Oaks 15,755
Oak Grove 10,291
Red Bank 8,811
Other areas/neighborhoods[19][20]
Name Population
Harbison 5,204

Education
Education in Lexington County
Public school district name Enrollment Employees Schools
Lexington School District One[21] 27,300 3,900 31
Lexington School District Two[22] 8,947 900 12
Lexington School District Three[23] 2,000 350 4
Lexington School District Four 3,350 300 7
Lexington & Richland County School District Five[lower-alpha 2] 16,680 1,500 21
Colleges Enrollment Campuses
Midlands Technical College[lower-alpha 3] 15,000[24] 3
Public libraries Visitors (counted once) Branches
Lexington County Public Library System 160,336[24] 10

Transportation

Public Transportation
COMET Bus in West Columbia, Lexington County
Main article: The Comet (transit)

Public transportation in Lexington County is provided by the COMET, or officially the Central Midlands Regional Transit Authority (CMRTA). The bus system is the main public transit system for the greater Columbia area. In Lexington County, the bus system runs in the areas of West Columbia, Cayce, Irmo, Springdale, Seven Oaks, and Harbison. Additionally, COMET offers Dial-a-ride transit (DART), which provides personalized service passengers with disabilities.[25]

Columbia Metropolitan Airport
President Donald Trump arrives at the Columbia Metropolitan Airport greeted by Governor Henry McMaster.
Main article: Columbia Metropolitan Airport

The Columbia Metropolitan Airport serves as the main airport system for the greater Columbia area. In 2018, the airport served 1,197,603 passengers with 12,324 flight. Additionally, the airport is also the regional hub for UPS Airlines, transporting 136.7 million pounds of freight/mail in 2018.[26] The airport was named Lexington County Airport, and during World War II, trained pilots for B-25 Mitchell crews.

Interstates
  • I-26 Interstate 26 travels from northwest to southeast and connects the Columbia area to the other two major population centers of South Carolina: the Greenville-Spartanburg area in the northwestern part of the state and North Charleston – Charleston area in the southeastern part of the state.
  • I-20 Interstate 20 travels from west to east and connects Columbia to Atlanta and Augusta in the west and Florence in the east. It serves the nearby towns and suburbs of Pelion, Lexington, West Columbia, Sandhill, Pontiac, and Elgin. Interstate 20 is also used by travelers heading to Myrtle Beach, although the interstate's eastern terminus is in Florence.
  • I-77 Interstate 77 begins in Lexington county and ends in Cleveland, Ohio and is frequently used by travelers on the east coast heading to or from Florida.

Tourism and Attractions
Lake Murray Dam generates electricity for the region. The lake serves as an attraction for fishing, boating, swimming, and walking.

Top Employers
Two towers of Lexington Medical Center.
Top ten employers (2019)[24]
Rank Employer Employees
1 Lexington Medical Center 6,450
2 Lexington School District 1 3,550
3 Amazon 2,825
4 Michelin 2,425
5 Lexington School District Five 2,354
6 State government 2,327
7 Wal-Mart 2,013
8 SCANA 1,790
9 County of Lexington 1,741
10 Lexington School District 2 1,267

Referendums and elections

On November 4, 2014, Lexington County residents voted against a proposed sales tax increase. The money generated from this tax would have mostly been used to improve traffic conditions upon roadways.[27] Likewise on November 4, 2014, residents voted to repeal a ban on alcohol sales on Sundays within the county.[28]

Politics

Politics in Lexington County are largely controlled by the Republican Party. The last Democrat to carry the county at a presidential level was Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1944. In the 2020 Presidential election, Lexington County voted 64.2% in favor of Republican Donald Trump and 34.2% in favor of Democrat Joe Biden[29] with 72.6% of the eligible electorate voting.[30]

Presidential election results
Presidential election results[31]
Year Republican Democratic Third parties
2020 64.2% 92,817 34.1% 49,301 1.6% 2,450
2016 65.6% 80,026 28.9% 35,230 5.6% 6,837
2012 68.1% 76,662 30.3% 34,148 1.6% 1,813
2008 68.5% 74,960 30.4% 33,303 1.1% 1,249
2004 71.9% 67,132 27.2% 25,393 1.0% 907
2000 69.9% 58,095 27.5% 22,830 2.6% 2,156
1996 63.2% 39,658 30.2% 18,907 6.6% 4,155
1992 60.5% 41,759 26.5% 18,312 13.0% 8,951
1988 77.9% 41,467 21.4% 11,366 0.8% 405
1984 81.0% 38,628 18.5% 8,828 0.6% 265
1980 67.6% 28,313 29.5% 12,334 3.0% 1,239
1976 59.4% 21,442 39.8% 14,339 0.8% 296
1972 84.8% 25,327 13.6% 4,069 1.6% 490
1968 48.5% 12,204 16.1% 4,058 35.4% 8,907
1964 71.5% 12,041 28.5% 4,807
1960 61.0% 6,511 39.0% 4,159
1956 20.7% 1,188 36.5% 2,094 42.8% 2,455
1952 53.4% 4,018 46.7% 3,513
1948 2.0% 58 19.8% 566 78.2% 2,237
1944 0.9% 20 93.7% 1,986 5.4% 114
1940 1.1% 17 98.9% 1,496
1936 1.5% 32 98.5% 2,138
1932 3.4% 5 95.9% 141 0.7% 1
1928 4.7% 61 95.3% 1,228
1924 0.5% 7 99.4% 1,395 0.1% 2
1920 3.2% 59 96.9% 1,813
1916 1.4% 31 95.2% 2,060 3.4% 74
1912 0.2% 3 94.9% 1,201 4.8% 61
1908 3.0% 80 96.8% 2,508 0.0% 1
1904 2.4% 60 97.6% 2,403
1900 2.3% 30 97.8% 1,302
1896 10.5% 197 89.4% 1,672 0.0% 0
1892 4.4% 71 80.3% 1,287 15.1% 243

In other elections, Lexington County is similarly Republican. It has supported the Republican party for governor in every election since 1982 when Richard Riley carried every county in the state,[32] although as late as 2006 Tommy Moore did manage 44 percent of the vote.[33] The last Democratic senatorial nominee to pass 30 percent of the county's ballots was Inez Tenenbaum in 2004, and no Democratic nominee has won the county for this office since Ernest "Fritz" Hollings did so in 1980: in 1986 it was the only county to support Hollings' GOP opponent Henry McMaster.[34]

Notable People

Floyd Spence Lexington County resident & Congressman for 30 years.

See also

Notes
  1. A very small percentage of the city is in Lexington County. To add the 131,000 population numbers here would be misleading.
  2. Partly in Richland County
  3. 3 of 6 campuses are in Lexington County
  4. Partly in Richland County

References
  1. "QuickFacts. Lexington County, South Carolina". Census.gov. Retrieved June 26, 2018.
  2. "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on June 6, 2011. Retrieved March 18, 2015.
  3. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
  4. "South Carolina: Individual County Chronologies". South Carolina Atlas of Historical County Boundaries. The Newberry Library. 2009. Retrieved March 21, 2015.
  5. Barefoot, Daniel W. (1999). Touring South Carolina's Revolutionary War Sites. John F. Blair, Publisher. p. 293. ISBN 9780895871824.
  6. "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved March 18, 2015.
  7. Climate in Lexington County, South Carolina. Bestplaces.net. Retrieved on 2013-07-24.
  8. "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  9. "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 18, 2015.
  10. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved March 18, 2015.
  11. Forstall, Richard L., ed. (March 27, 1995). "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 18, 2015.
  12. "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. April 2, 2001. Retrieved March 18, 2015.
  13. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2011-05-14.
  14. "DP-1 Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Demographic Profile Data". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on 2020-02-13. Retrieved 2016-03-11.
  15. "Population, Housing Units, Area, and Density: 2010 - County". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on 2020-02-13. Retrieved 2016-03-11.
  16. "DP02 SELECTED SOCIAL CHARACTERISTICS IN THE UNITED STATES – 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on 2020-02-13. Retrieved 2016-03-11.
  17. "DP03 SELECTED ECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS – 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on 2020-02-13. Retrieved 2016-03-11.
  18. "U.S. Census Bureau Quick Facts". U.S. Census. July 2019. Retrieved 18 June 2020.
  19. "Census Tract 211.11, Lexington County, South Carolina". U.S. Boundary. 2010. Retrieved 26 June 2020.
  20. "Census Tract 211.12, Lexington County, South Carolina". U.S. Boundary. 2010. Retrieved 26 June 2020.
  21. "About Lexington School District One". Lexington County School District One. n.d. Retrieved 24 June 2020.
  22. "SC Report Cards". South Carolina Department of Education. n.d. Retrieved 24 June 2020.
  23. "About Us: Lexington Three". Lexington School District Three. n.d. Retrieved 24 June 2020.
  24. "Comprehensive Annual Financial Report" (PDF). Lexington County Government. 2018. Retrieved 24 June 2020.
  25. "The Comet Tracker". The Central Midlands Transit Authority. n.d. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
  26. FAA Airport Form 5010 for CAE PDF, effective 2007-12-20
  27. "Lexington County Voters Reject Penny Tax". Wltx.com. Retrieved 2 January 2018.
  28. "Lexington County, Cayce voters repeal Sunday alcohol sales ban". Coladaily.com. 4 November 2014. Retrieved 2 January 2018.
  29. "South Carolina Election Results". New York Times. 7 November 2020. Retrieved 27 November 2020.
  30. "2020 Statewide General Election". SC Votes. 7 November 2020. Retrieved 27 November 2020.
  31. Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". Uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved 2 January 2018.
  32. Dave Leip's U.S. Election Atlas; 1982 Gubernatorial General Election Results – South Carolina
  33. Dave Leip's U.S. Election Atlas; 2006 Gubernatorial General Election Results – South Carolina
  34. Dave Leip's U.S. Election Atlas; 1986 Senatorial General Election Results – South Carolina

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