ABBEVILLE COUNTY 2/2/2010
Date Formed:  1785
Land Area (square miles): 508
County Seat: Abbeville
Other Cities and Towns:
Calhoun Falls, Donalds, Due West, Honea Path, Lowndesville, Ware Shoals
Form of Government: Council
Council Members: 7
Method of Election Single Member
Term Length 4 years
Council of Government:  Upper Savannah
County History
Both the county and its county seat were named for the French town of the same name. Originally part of Ninety-Six District, the area was designated as Abbeville County in 1785. Parts of Abbeville later went to form Greenwood (1897) and McCormick (1916) counties. The county was settled primarily by Scotch-Irish and French Huguenot farmers in the mid-eighteenth century. A historic treaty with the Cherokee Indians was signed at Dewitt's Corner (now Due West) in 1777. Abbeville was known as a hotbed of secession, and at the end of the Civil War the last Confederate council of war was held there. Abbeville's most famous native son was John C. Calhoun (1782-1850), U.S. Vice President, Secretary of War, Secretary of State, and Senator.
Population Trends Value Rank Value Rank
Population 1980:  22,627 35 Numeric Change 1980-2000:  3,540 33
Population 1990:  23,862 35 Numeric Change 2000-2008: -763 39
Population 2000:  26,167 35 Avg. Ann. Growth Rate 1980-2000:  0.78% 28
Population Estimate 2007:  25,446 35 Avg. Ann. Growth Rate 2000-2008:  -0.36% 39
Population Estimate 2008: 25,404 36 Percent Change 2006-2008: -0.17% 37
Persons Per Square Mile 2008:  50.0 34
Economic Data Value Rank Value Rank
Jobs 1980:  7,282 37 Personal Income (PI) 2007: $606,352 35
Jobs 1990:  7,607 37 Avg. Ann. Growth Rate (PI) 1969-2007: 6.6% 41
Jobs 2000:  9,394 34 Per Capita Personal Income  2007: $23,829 34
Jobs 2006: 7,542 36 % of U.S. PCPI 2007: 62% 34
Jobs 2007: 7,152 37 Average Wage Per Job 2007: $29,422 32
Numeric Change Jobs 2006-2007: -390 41 % of U.S. Avg. Wage Per Job 2007:  67% 32
Avg Ann Growth Rate Jobs 1980-2000:  1.45% 23 Unemployment Rate 2007: 8.3% 22
Avg Ann Growth Rate Jobs 2000-2007: -3.41% 45 Avg. Unemployment 1998-2007:  7.0% 19
Tax Data Value Rank Value Rank
Assessed Property 2007: $58,727,134 39 Per Capita Assessed Property 2007: $2,244 37
County Base Millage Rate 2009: 0.0887 24 Additional Sales Tax (if applicable) 
Value of One Mil 2009: $59,600 38 Local Option Sales Tax: 1.0%
Millage Cap FY10: 3.8% 34 Capital Projects Sales Tax:  
Net Taxable Sales FY07: $79,115,307 39 School District Sales Tax:  
Admissions Tax Collected FY07: $1,530 40 Transportation Sales Tax:  
Accommodations Tax Collected FY07:  $10,127 41
Financial & Employment Data Value Rank Value Rank
Total Revenues FY08: $11,120,391 41 Per Capita Revenues FY08: $425 43
Total Expenditures FY08: $8,974,918 42 Per Capita Expenditures FY08: $343 46
General Fund Budget FY10:  $8,940,682 41 Per Capita General Fund Budget FY10: $342 40
Total Debt Outstanding FY08: $3,464,248 34 Per Capita Debt Outstanding FY08: $130 23
Payroll FY 2008: $5,017,467 38 Credit Rating(s) FY08
Full-Time Employees FY10:  159 35 Moody's: Baa1
Part-Time Employees FY10: 70 22 Standard & Poor:  
Full Time Emp/1,000 Cnty Residents:   6.08 24 Fitch: AA
updated  2/2/2010