BARNWELL COUNTY 2/2/2010
Date Formed:  1800
Land Area (square miles): 548
County Seat: Barnwell
Other Cities and Towns:
Blackville, Elko, Hilda, Kline, Snelling, Williston
Form of Government: Council
Council Members: 7
Method of Election Single Member
Term Length 4 years
Council of Government:  Lower Savannah
County History
Barnwell County and its county seat were named for Revolutionary War leader John Barnwell (1748-1800). The county was originally part of Orangeburg District, and in 1785 it was named Winton County. It was given its current name in 1800. Barnwell County has decreased in size over the years as new counties were created within its boundaries (Aiken in 1871, Bamberg in 1897, and Allendale in 1919). The South Carolina Railroad, which connected Charleston to Hamburg on the Savannah River, was built through this area, creating the towns of Blackville and Williston in the mid-nineteenth century. In more recent years the county was the home of several powerful state politicians, known collectively as the "Barnwell Ring." Included were state Senator Edgar A. Brown (1888-1975), Speaker of the House Solomon Blatt (1895-1986), and Governor Joseph E. Harley (1880-1942).
Population Trends Value Rank Value Rank
Population 1980:  19,868 37 Numeric Change 1980-2000:  3,610 32
Population 1990:  20,293 37 Numeric Change 2000-2008: -606 38
Population 2000:  23,478 37 Avg. Ann. Growth Rate 1980-2000:  0.90% 26
Population Estimate 2007:  22,961 38 Avg. Ann. Growth Rate 2000-2008:  -0.32% 37
Population Estimate 2008: 22,872 38 Percent Change 2006-2008: -0.39% 39
Persons Per Square Mile 2008:  41.7 36
Economic Data Value Rank Value Rank
Jobs 1980:  7,788 35 Personal Income (PI) 2007: $516,167 40
Jobs 1990:  7,933 36 Avg. Ann. Growth Rate (PI) 1969-2007: 6.8% 36
Jobs 2000:  9,513 33 Per Capita Personal Income  2007: $22,480 39
Jobs 2006: 7,522 37 % of U.S. PCPI 2007: 58% 39
Jobs 2007: 7,275 36 Average Wage Per Job 2007: $29,284 34
Numeric Change Jobs 2006-2007: -247 36 % of U.S. Avg. Wage Per Job 2007:  67% 34
Avg Ann Growth Rate Jobs 1980-2000:  1.11% 25 Unemployment Rate 2007: 11.2% 7
Avg Ann Growth Rate Jobs 2000-2007: -3.36% 43 Avg. Unemployment 1998-2007:  8.4% 12
Tax Data Value Rank Value Rank
Assessed Property 2007: $50,368,287 40 Per Capita Assessed Property 2007: $2,145 40
County Base Millage Rate 2009: 0.134 13 Additional Sales Tax (if applicable) 
Value of One Mil 2009: $48,899 40 Local Option Sales Tax: 1.0%
Millage Cap FY10: 3.8% 34 Capital Projects Sales Tax:  
Net Taxable Sales FY07: $123,231,914 35 School District Sales Tax:  
Admissions Tax Collected FY07: *** * Transportation Sales Tax:  
Accommodations Tax Collected FY07:  $24,866 36
Financial & Employment Data Value Rank Value Rank
Total Revenues FY08: $18,525,260 33 Per Capita Revenues FY08: $789 12
Total Expenditures FY08: $13,219,012 39 Per Capita Expenditures FY08: $563 29
General Fund Budget FY10:  $12,202,429 34 Per Capita General Fund Budget FY10: $520 16
Total Debt Outstanding FY08: $1,560,000 42 Per Capita Debt Outstanding FY08: $65 32
Payroll FY 2008: $5,351,748 36 Credit Rating(s) FY08
Full-Time Employees FY10:  148 39 Moody's:  
Part-Time Employees FY10: 74 18 Standard & Poor:  
Full Time Emp/1,000 Cnty Residents:   6.30 21 Fitch:  
updated  2/2/2010