Fairfield County, South Carolina Population 2026

Updated April 2026 · US Census ACS 2023 5-Year Estimates · 38th-largest in South Carolina

The population of Fairfield County, South Carolina is 20,741 as of the 2023 American Community Survey, making it the 38th-largest county in South Carolina. The median household income is $46,972, the median home value is $129,100, and the median age is 46.7.

The population of Fairfield County has declined 14.6% since 2010 (23,860 → 20,369), a -1.12% annualized rate.

Fairfield County within South Carolina · Source: US Census TIGER/Line via us-atlas

20,741

Population

-1.12%

Annual growth

People / sq mi

$46,972

Median Income

$129,100

Median Home Value

Fairfield County covers 686 sq mi of land at 30.2 people per square mile.

About Fairfield County, SC

Fairfield County is a county in South Carolina with a population of 20,741. It ranks #38 among counties in South Carolina by population. The median age is 46.7, older than the national median. The population is 48.7% male and 51.3% female.

The median household income in Fairfield County is $46,972, below the US median of $74,580. 12.4% of residents live below the federal poverty level. Home values sit at a median of $129,100, with monthly rent averaging $910. The homeownership rate of 76.0% is higher than the national rate of 64.8%.

Educational attainment in Fairfield County reflects 15.3% of adults 25 and older holding a bachelor's degree or higher, below the national average of 34.3%. Roughly 4.3% of workers primarily work from home, below the national work-from-home rate of 14.2%. The average commute is 30.2 minutes each way.

Fairfield County Population History (2010-2024)

The county of Fairfield County had a population of 23,860 in 2010 and 20,369 in 2024, a -14.6% growth over 14 years. The peak was 23,860 in 2010. Average annual growth rate: -1.11%.

20,369

Population (2024)

23,860

Population (2010)

23,860

Peak (2010)

-1.11%

Avg Annual Growth

Year	Population	Change	Annual %	Source
2010	23,860	-	-	estimate
2011	23,591	-269	-1.13%	estimate
2012	23,425	-166	-0.70%	estimate
2013	23,216	-209	-0.89%	estimate
2014	23,050	-166	-0.72%	estimate
2015	22,899	-151	-0.66%	estimate
2016	22,651	-248	-1.08%	estimate
2017	22,608	-43	-0.19%	estimate
2018	22,392	-216	-0.96%	estimate
2019	22,322	-70	-0.31%	estimate
2020	20,872	-1,450	-6.50%	estimate
2021	20,686	-186	-0.89%	estimate
2022	20,430	-256	-1.24%	estimate
2023	20,392	-38	-0.19%	estimate
2024	20,369	-23	-0.11%	estimate

Race & Ethnicity

White	38.7%
Black or African American	55.4%
Asian	0.0%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	1.0%
Two or More Races	0.0%

Age & Sex

46.7

Median Age

51.3%

Female

48.7%

Male

23.0%

Age 65+

Age Distribution

Under 5

4.5%

5–9

3.8%

10–14

6.6%

15–19

5.8%

20–24

5.3%

25–34

11.0%

35–44

11.1%

45–54

11.5%

55–59

7.6%

60–64

9.7%

65–74

14.7%

75–84

4.9%

85+

3.4%

Children (under 15): 14.9% · Seniors (65+): 23.0%

Income & Poverty

Median household income	$46,972$-19,846 vs state
Mean household income	$74,173
Per-capita income	$32,111
Poverty rate	12.4%+2.3% vs state
Unemployment rate	3.2%
Employment-to-population	54.6%

Top Industries by Employment

Manufacturing

22.1%

Professional & business services

18.9%

Finance & real estate

13.2%

Retail trade

7.5%

Public administration

7.5%

Construction

6.3%

Information

4.7%

Education & health care

4.4%

The largest employment sector in Fairfield County is manufacturing, accounting for 22.1% of workers.

How residents commute

1.6%

Drive alone

1.1%

Carpool

83.1%

Public transit

4.3%

Work from home

30.2 min

Avg commute

Housing

$129,100$-107,600 vs state

Median home value

$910

Median rent

76.0%

Homeownership rate

10,957

Total housing units

80.1%

Occupied

19.9%

Vacant

24.0%

Renter-occupied

Social & access

92.0%

With health insurance

91.3%

With broadband internet

21.4%

Foreign-born

6.7%

Veterans (18+)

18.1%

With a disability

97.7%

Speak language other than English at home

Education

84.6%

High School+

15.3%

Bachelor's+

Largest cities in South Carolina

Charleston (152,014)Columbia (138,019)North Charleston (117,460)Mount Pleasant (92,662)Rock Hill (74,769)Greenville (71,755)Summerville (51,262)Goose Creek (46,964)Sumter (43,065)Florence (40,205)All South Carolina cities →

Other counties in South Carolina

Greenville County (537,575)Richland County (418,725)Charleston County (414,711)Horry County (368,937)Spartanburg County (338,096)Lexington County (300,370)York County (288,559)Berkeley County (238,723)Anderson County (207,218)Beaufort County (192,123)All South Carolina counties →

Part of South Carolina

South Carolina demographic profile All South Carolina data →

Metro areas in South Carolina

Charlotte (2,712,818)Greenville (945,301)Columbia (839,868)Charleston (817,756)Augusta (618,022)Myrtle Beach (368,937)Spartanburg (365,086)Hilton Head Island (222,781)All US metros →

County rankings

US Counties by Population Richest US Counties by Median Household Income Expensive US Counties by Home Value Educated US Counties Counties With Highest Poverty Rates Youngest US Counties by Median Age Oldest US Counties by Median Age Cheapest US Counties by Median Home Value Racially Diverse US Counties Counties With Largest Hispanic Population All rankings →

Frequently Asked Questions

Fairfield County, South Carolina has a population of 20,741 according to the US Census Bureau's 2023 American Community Survey 5-year estimates, making it the 38th-largest county in South Carolina. Population density is 30 people per square mile.

The population of Fairfield County has declined 14.6% since 2010 (23,860 → 20,369), a -1.12% annualized rate.

The median household income in Fairfield County, South Carolina is $46,972, with mean (average) household income of $74,173 and per-capita income of $32,111. 12.4% of residents live below the federal poverty level.

In Fairfield County, the largest racial and ethnic groups are Black or African American (55.4%), White (38.7%), Hispanic or Latino (1.0%). Figures are from the US Census Bureau's 2023 ACS 5-year estimates and reflect self-reported responses.

The median age in Fairfield County, South Carolina is 46.7 years. Residents are 51.3% female and 48.7% male.

The median home value in Fairfield County is $129,100 and median monthly rent is $910. 76.0% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. The county has 10,957 total housing units, 19.9% of which are vacant.

The largest employment sector in Fairfield County, South Carolina is manufacturing, employing 22.1% of workers. The unemployment rate is 3.2%.

Charleston is among the largest cities associated with Fairfield County, South Carolina, with a population of 152,014.