Jasper County, South Carolina

History

The county was founded in 1912 and was named after William Jasper. The county seat is Ridgeland while the largest community is Hardeeville. The county is also in the Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC Metropolitan Statistical Area.

For several decades, in contrast to neighboring Beaufort County, Jasper was one of the poorest counties in the state. Recent development from 2000 onwards has given the county new residents, expanded business opportunities, and a wealthier tax base.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 701.58 sqmi, of which 655.16 sqmi is land and 46.42 sqmi (6.62%) is water.

National protected areas

• Savannah National Wildlife Refuge (part)
• Tybee National Wildlife Refuge

State and local protected areas/sites

• Frampton Plantation House
• Kingfisher Pond Recreation Area
• Old House Plantation
• Tillman Sand Ridge Heritage Preserve/Wildlife Management Area
• Turtle Island Wildlife Management Area

Major water bodies

• Atlantic Ocean (North Atlantic Ocean)
• Intracoastal Waterway
• Little Black River
• Middle River
• Okatee River
• Savannah River
• Tulifiny River

Adjacent counties

• Hampton County – north
• Beaufort County – east
• Chatham County, Georgia – south
• Effingham County, Georgia – west

Demographics

|align-fn=center 1790–1960 1900–1990 1990–2000 2010 2020

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 28,791 people, 11,272 households, and 7,298 families residing in the county. The median age was 43.1 years. 19.8% of residents were under the age of 18 and 22.6% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 100.9 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 100.1 males age 18 and over.

10.9% of residents lived in urban areas, while 89.1% lived in rural areas.

Of these households, 26.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them and 29.2% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. About 26.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

There were 12,862 housing units, of which 12.4% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 71.7% were owner-occupied and 28.3% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.8% and the rental vacancy rate was 13.8%.

Racial and ethnic composition

The racial makeup of the county was 47.6% White, 33.5% Black or African American, 0.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% Asian, 0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 10.5% from some other race, and 7.1% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 17.6% of the population.

2010 census

At the 2010 census, there were 24,777 people, 8,517 households, and 5,944 families living in the county.{{cite web |access-date=March 11, 2016 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213022159/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/DPDP1/0500000US45053 |archive-date=February 13, 2020 |url-status=dead |access-date=March 11, 2016 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213162018/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/GCTPH1.CY07/0500000US45053 |archive-date=February 13, 2020 |url-status=dead |access-date=March 11, 2016 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213014049/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/10_5YR/DP02/0500000US45053 |archive-date=February 13, 2020 |url-status=dead

Of the 8,517 households, 36.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.2% were married couples living together, 18.6% had a female householder with no husband present, 30.2% were non-families, and 24.8% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.73 and the average family size was 3.23. The median age was 34.6 years.

The median income for a household in the county was $37,393 and the median income for a family was $45,800. Males had a median income of $31,999 versus $24,859 for females. The per capita income for the county was $17,997. About 14.2% of families and 21.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 32.2% of those under age 18 and 14.5% of those age 65 or over.{{cite web |access-date=March 11, 2016 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213010529/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/10_5YR/DP03/0500000US45053 |archive-date=February 13, 2020 |url-status=dead

2000 census

At the 2000 census, there were 20,678 people, 7,042 households, and 5,091 families living in the county. The population density was 32 /mi2. There were 7,928 housing units at an average density of 12 /mi2. The racial makeup of the county was 52.69% Black or African American, 42.39% White, 0.37% Native American, 0.44% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 3.39% from other races, and 0.67% from two or more races. 5.75% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 7,042 households, out of which 34.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.1% were married couples living together, 18.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.7% were non-families. 23.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.75 and the average family size was 3.22.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 26.8% under the age of 18, 10.3% from 18 to 24, 30.7% from 25 to 44, 21.2% from 45 to 64, and 11.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 111.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 111.3 males age 18 and over.

The median income for a household in the county was $30,727, and the median income for a family was $36,793. Males had a median income of $29,407 versus $21,055 for females. The per capita income for the county was $14,161. About 15.4% of families and 20.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 26.3% of those under age 18 and 21.4% of those age 65 or over.

Law and government

Jasper County is governed by a five-member partisan county council, who are elected in staggered four year terms. The council appoints a county administrator who is tasked with running the day-to-day operations of the county, with the exception of the Sheriff's Office.

Mary Gordon Ellis, the first woman elected to the South Carolina legislature, represented Jasper County in the state senate for one term, from 1928 to 1932, after having served as state superintendent of schools.

Politics

Like most counties in the rural Black Belt of South Carolina, Jasper has long leaned Democratic. However, in 2024, Donald Trump was able to flip the county Republican for the first time since Richard Nixon carried it in 1972.

Economy

In 2022, the GDP was $1.7 billion (about $49,980 per capita), and the real GDP was $1.3 billion (about $39,745 per capita) in chained 2017 dollars.

, some of the largest employers in the county include AmeriGas, the city of Hardeeville, Publix, and Walmart.

Transportation

Major highways

Railroads

CSX Transportation's Charleston Subdivision (also known as the Charleston-Savannah Railway) currently operates both freight trains and passenger trains (via Amtrak) along the line, but does not stop anywhere within the county. The line also runs along the Hampton-Jasper County border northeast of the bridge over the Tullifinny River.

Another active CSX line within the county is the Columbia Subdivision which bisects the northwest corner of Jasper County between the Georgia state line and Hampton County. This line also operates freight as well as Amtrak passenger trains.

• Hilton Head Island Airport --

Communities

City

• Hardeeville (largest community)

Town

• Ridgeland (county seat)

Census-designated places

• Coosawhatchie
• Gillisonville

Unincorporated communities

• Grahamville
• Grays
• Levy
• Limehouse
• Okatie
• Old House
• Pineland
• Pocotaligo
• Point South
• Robertville
• Switzerland
• Tarboro
• Tillman
• Wagon Branch

References

References

1. "QuickFacts: Jasper County, South Carolina". United States Census Bureau.
2. "Find a County". National Association of Counties.
3. (August 23, 2022). "2020 County Gazetteer Files – South Carolina". United States Census Bureau.
4. "SCDNR Public Lands".
5. Pinckney, Carmen. (March 17, 2020). "Savannah National Wildlife Refuge Hiking Trails".
6. Roosevelt, Franklin D.. (April 10, 1939). "Proclamation 2329—Closed Area Under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, Georgia and South Carolina".
7. "County Population Totals and Components of Change: 2020-2024". United States Census Bureau.
8. "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau.
9. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library.
10. (March 27, 1995). "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau.
11. (April 2, 2001). "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000". United States Census Bureau.
12. (2021). "2020 Decennial Census Demographic Profile (DP1)".
13. (2023). "2020 Decennial Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics (DHC)".
14. "P004 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Jasper County, South Carolina". United States Census Bureau.
15. "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Jasper County, South Carolina". United States Census Bureau.
16. "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Jasper County, South Carolina". United States Census Bureau.
17. (2021). "2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)".
18. "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau.
19. "U.S. Census website". [[United States Census Bureau]].
20. "Women Wielding Power-South Carolina". nwhm.org.
21. Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections".
22. U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. (2001-01-01). "Gross Domestic Product: All Industries in Jasper County, SC".
23. U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. (2001-01-01). "Real Gross Domestic Product: All Industries in Jasper County, SC".
24. (April 19, 2024). "Jasper County". S.C. Department of Employment & Workforce - Business Intelligence Department.