CALHOUN COUNTY 2/2/2010
Date Formed:  1908
Land Area (square miles): 380
County Seat: St. Matthews
Other Cities and Towns:
Cameron
Form of Government: Council
Council Members: 5
Method of Election Single Member
Term Length 4 years
Council of Government:  Lower Savannah
County History
Calhoun County was named for John C. Calhoun (1782-1850), who served as U.S. Vice President, Secretary of War, Secretary of State, and Senator. The county seat, the town of St. Matthews, was settled around 1841 in an area that was known for its cotton plantations. The county itself was formed in 1908 from parts of Orangeburg and Lexington counties. During the Revolutionary War a famous incident took place at Fort Motte in present day Calhoun County. Rebecca Motte (1738-1815), a local plantation owner, helped the Revolutionary troops drive the British out of her plantation house; she reportedly provided the soldiers with a burning arrow to destroy her own dwelling. Another famous resident of the area was Pulitzer Prize-winning writer Julia Peterkin (1880-1961), who lived at Lang Syne Plantation. 
Population Trends Value Rank Value Rank
Population 1980:  12,206 44 Numeric Change 1980-2000:  2,979 36
Population 1990:  12,753 44 Numeric Change 2000-2008: -602 37
Population 2000:  15,185 44 Avg. Ann. Growth Rate 1980-2000:  1.22% 19
Population Estimate 2007:  14,747 44 Avg. Ann. Growth Rate 2000-2008:  -0.50% 40
Population Estimate 2008: 14,583 44 Percent Change 2006-2008: -1.12% 46
Persons Per Square Mile 2008:  38.4 39
Economic Data Value Rank Value Rank
Jobs 1980:  5,053 41 Personal Income (PI) 2007: $459,457 42
Jobs 1990:  3,989 45 Avg. Ann. Growth Rate (PI) 1969-2007: 8.0% 11
Jobs 2000:  4,467 44 Per Capita Personal Income  2007: $31,156 12
Jobs 2006: 4,813 43 % of U.S. PCPI 2007: 81% 11
Jobs 2007: 4,888 42 Average Wage Per Job 2007: $35,696 10
Numeric Change Jobs 2006-2007: 75 23 % of U.S. Avg. Wage Per Job 2007:  81% 10
Avg Ann Growth Rate Jobs 1980-2000:  -0.58% 45 Unemployment Rate 2007: 7.7% 24
Avg Ann Growth Rate Jobs 2000-2007: 1.35% 10 Avg. Unemployment 1998-2007:  6.4% 24
Tax Data Value Rank Value Rank
Assessed Property 2007: $79,480,394 33 Per Capita Assessed Property 2007: $5,234 8
County Base Millage Rate 2009: 0.1125 18 Additional Sales Tax (if applicable) 
Value of One Mil 2009: $53,249 39 Local Option Sales Tax: 1.0%
Millage Cap FY10: 3.8% 34 Capital Projects Sales Tax:  
Net Taxable Sales FY07: $51,312,891 42 School District Sales Tax:  
Admissions Tax Collected FY07: ***  * Transportation Sales Tax:  
Accommodations Tax Collected FY07:  *** *
Financial & Employment Data Value Rank Value Rank
Total Revenues FY08: $14,671,279 38 Per Capita Revenues FY08: $966 8
Total Expenditures FY08: $14,631,045 38 Per Capita Expenditures FY08: $964 8
General Fund Budget FY10:  $10,606,878 38 Per Capita General Fund Budget FY10: $699 5
Total Debt Outstanding FY08: $1,429,838 44 Per Capita Debt Outstanding FY08: $92 27
Payroll FY 2008: $4,556,062 40 Credit Rating(s) FY08
Full-Time Employees FY10:  120 42 Moody's:  
Part-Time Employees FY10: 25 36 Standard & Poor:  
Full Time Emp/1,000 Cnty Residents:   7.90 9 Fitch:  
updated  2/2/2010