2/2/2010

Date Formed:

1804

Land Area (square miles):

699

County Seat:

Lexington

Other Cities and Towns:

Batesburg-Leesville, Cayce, Chapin, Columbia, Gaston, Gilbert, Irmo, Pelion, Pineridge, South Congaree, Springdale, Summit, Swansea, West Columbia

Form of Government:

Council-Administrator

Council Members:

Method of Election

Single Member

Term Length

4 years

Council of Government:

Central Midlands

County History

Lexington County and its county seat were named for the Battle of Lexington, Massachusetts, the first battle of the American Revolution. This part of the state was designated as Lexington County from 1785 to 1791, then was merged back into the larger Orangeburg District. Lexington was eventually made a separate district in 1804. Small parts of the county later went to form Aiken (1871) and Calhoun (1908) counties. European settlement of this area began around 1718 when the British established a trading post on the Congaree River, which eventually became the town of Granby. Beginning in the 1730s many German, Swiss, and Scotch-Irish immigrants moved into the area and established small farms. Granby was the leading town and county seat for many years, but the growth of Columbia across the Congaree led to Granby's decline, and the county seat was moved to the town of Lexington in 1818. General Sherman's troops shelled the city of Columbia from the Lexington side of the Congaree during the Civil War. In 1930 Lake Murray was created on the Saluda River in Lexington County, covering many of the old farms and creating new recreational opportunities.

Population Trends

Value

Rank

Value

Rank

Population 1980:

140,353

Numeric Change 1980-2000:

75,661

Population 1990:

167,611

Numeric Change 2000-2008:

32,504

Population 2000:

216,014

Avg. Ann. Growth Rate 1980-2000:

2.69%

Population Estimate 2007:

242,797

Avg. Ann. Growth Rate 2000-2008:

1.88%

Population Estimate 2008:

248,518

Percent Change 2006-2008:

2.30%

Persons Per Square Mile 2008:

355.5

Economic Data

Value

Rank

Value

Rank

Jobs 1980:

43,244

Personal Income (PI) 2007:

$8,435,664

Jobs 1990:

63,080

Avg. Ann. Growth Rate (PI) 1969-2007:

9.3%

Jobs 2000:

89,554

Per Capita Personal Income 2007:

$34,744

Jobs 2006:

102,251

% of U.S. PCPI 2007:

90%

Jobs 2007:

105,478

Average Wage Per Job 2007:

$33,565

Numeric Change Jobs 2006-2007:

3,227

% of U.S. Avg. Wage Per Job 2007:

76%

Avg Ann Growth Rate Jobs 1980-2000

5.35%

Unemployment Rate 2007:

4.9%

Avg Ann Growth Rate Jobs 2000-2007

2.54%

Avg. Unemployment 1998-2007:

3.4%

Tax Data

Value

Rank

Value

Rank

Assessed Property 2007:

$921,006,653

Per Capita Assessed Property 2007:

$4,264

County Base Millage Rate 2009:

0.081

Additional Sales Tax (if applicable)

Value of One Mil 2009:

$909,140

Local Option Sales Tax:

Millage Cap FY10:

6.2%

Capital Projects Sales Tax:

Net Taxable Sales FY07:

$3,264,805,131

School District Sales Tax:

1.0%

Admissions Tax Collected FY07:

$394,603

Transportation Sales Tax:

Accommodations Tax Collected FY07

$843,307

Financial & Employment Data

Value

Rank

Value

Rank

Total Revenues FY08:

$166,929,253

Per Capita Revenues FY08:

$773

Total Expenditures FY08:

$141,015,932

Per Capita Expenditures FY08:

$653

General Fund Budget FY10:

$93,329,909

Per Capita General Fund Budget FY10:

$432

Total Debt Outstanding FY08:

$49,474,486

Per Capita Debt Outstanding FY08:

$190

Payroll FY 2008:

$44,337,615

Credit Rating(s) FY08

Full-Time Employees FY10:

1,290

Moody's:

Aa2

Part-Time Employees FY10:

133

Standard & Poor:

AA-

Full Time Emp/1,000 Cnty Residents:

5.97

Fitch:

updated

2/2/2010