LEE COUNTY 2/2/2010
Date Formed:  1902
Land Area (square miles): 410
County Seat: Bishopville
Other Cities and Towns:
Lynchburg
Form of Government: Council-Administrator
Council Members: 7
Method of Election Single Member
Term Length 4 years
Council of Government:  Santee Lynches
County History
Lee County was named for Confederate General Robert E. Lee (1807-1870). The county was formed in 1902 from parts of Darlington, Kershaw, and Sumter counties. A Revolutionary War skirmish took place in 1781 at Ratcliff's Bridge, and during the Civil War Confederate and Union troops skirmished at Mount Elon and Spring Hill in 1865. Lee County was also the site in 1880 of the last fatal duel fought in South Carolina. Cotton farming has long been associated with this area. U.S. Senator Ellison Durant Smith (1864-1944), a native of Lee County, was nicknamed "Cotton Ed" because of his support for cotton farmers.
Population Trends Value Rank Value Rank
Population 1980:  18,929 38 Numeric Change 1980-2000:  1,190 40
Population 1990:  18,437 38 Numeric Change 2000-2008: -228 32
Population 2000:  20,119 41 Avg. Ann. Growth Rate 1980-2000:  0.31% 39
Population Estimate 2007:  20,011 41 Avg. Ann. Growth Rate 2000-2008:  -0.14% 34
Population Estimate 2008: 19,891 41 Percent Change 2006-2008: -0.60% 42
Persons Per Square Mile 2008:  48.5 35
Economic Data Value Rank Value Rank
Jobs 1980:  4,294 42 Personal Income (PI) 2007: $441,566 43
Jobs 1990:  5,073 40 Avg. Ann. Growth Rate (PI) 1969-2007: 7.4% 23
Jobs 2000:  4,928 43 Per Capita Personal Income  2007: $22,066 42
Jobs 2006: 4,466 45 % of U.S. PCPI 2007: 57% 40
Jobs 2007: 4,482 44 Average Wage Per Job 2007: $27,325 40
Numeric Change Jobs 2006-2007: 16 28 % of U.S. Avg. Wage Per Job 2007:  62% 40
Avg Ann Growth Rate Jobs 1980-2000:  0.74% 34 Unemployment Rate 2007: 9.6% 15
Avg Ann Growth Rate Jobs 2000-2007: -1.29% 35 Avg. Unemployment 1998-2007:  9.0% 6
Tax Data Value Rank Value Rank
Assessed Property 2007: $32,528,663 44 Per Capita Assessed Property 2007: $1,617 46
County Base Millage Rate 2009: 0.1679 5 Additional Sales Tax (if applicable) 
Value of One Mil 2009: $33,680 44 Local Option Sales Tax: 1.0%
Millage Cap FY10: 3.8% 34 Capital Projects Sales Tax:  
Net Taxable Sales FY07: $47,855,200 43 School District Sales Tax: 1.0%
Admissions Tax Collected FY07: *** * Transportation Sales Tax:  
Accommodations Tax Collected FY07:  $13,672 39
Financial & Employment Data Value Rank Value Rank
Total Revenues FY08: $13,750,966 39 Per Capita Revenues FY08: $683 25
Total Expenditures FY08: $11,622,871 41 Per Capita Expenditures FY08: $578 28
General Fund Budget FY10:  $11,394,922 36 Per Capita General Fund Budget FY10: $566 11
Total Debt Outstanding FY08: $2,089,188 41 Per Capita Debt Outstanding FY08: $100 26
Payroll FY 2008: $4,801,241 39 Credit Rating(s) FY08
Full-Time Employees FY10:  151 38 Moody's:  
Part-Time Employees FY10: 53 27 Standard & Poor:  
Full Time Emp/1,000 Cnty Residents:   7.51 14 Fitch:  
updated  2/2/2010