MARLBORO COUNTY 2/2/2010
Date Formed:  1785
Land Area (square miles): 480
County Seat: Bennettsville
Other Cities and Towns:
Blenheim, Clio, McColl, Tatum
Form of Government: Council-Administrator
Council Members: 8
Method of Election Single Member
Term Length 4 years
Council of Government:  Pee Dee
County History
Marlboro County was named for John Churchill, first Duke of Marlborough (1650-1722). The county name was originally spelled Marlborough, but it was later shortened. The county was created in 1785 as a part of Cheraws District. Welsh Baptists from Delaware settled in an area of the county known as Welsh Neck around 1737, and they were later joined by English and Scotch-Irish settlers. Cotton growing made this a wealthy part of the state prior to the Civil War. The town of Blenheim was also known for its mineral springs. General Sherman's troops passed through the county in 1865, briefly occupying the town of Bennettsville. Some famous Marlboro County natives are U.S. Congressman and diplomat Robert Blair Campbell (1791-1862), U.S. and Confederate Congressman John McQueen (1804-1867), and children's advocate Marian Wright Edelman.
Population Trends Value Rank Value Rank
Population 1980:  31,634 29 Numeric Change 1980-2000:  -2,816 46
Population 1990:  29,361 32 Numeric Change 2000-2008: -114 31
Population 2000:  28,818 34 Avg. Ann. Growth Rate 1980-2000:  -0.44% 46
Population Estimate 2007:  28,975 33 Avg. Ann. Growth Rate 2000-2008:  -0.05% 31
Population Estimate 2008: 28,704 33 Percent Change 2006-2008: -0.94% 44
Persons Per Square Mile 2008:  59.8 28
Economic Data Value Rank Value Rank
Jobs 1980:  11,200 30 Personal Income (PI) 2007: $590,623 37
Jobs 1990:  10,260 32 Avg. Ann. Growth Rate (PI) 1969-2007: 6.3% 45
Jobs 2000:  8,815 36 Per Capita Personal Income  2007: $20,384 46
Jobs 2006: 9,050 32 % of U.S. PCPI 2007: 53% 46
Jobs 2007: 8,478 35 Average Wage Per Job 2007: $32,168 22
Numeric Change Jobs 2006-2007: -572 44 % of U.S. Avg. Wage Per Job 2007:  73% 22
Avg Ann Growth Rate Jobs 1980-2000:  -1.06% 46 Unemployment Rate 2007: 12.9% 3
Avg Ann Growth Rate Jobs 2000-2007: -0.55% 23 Avg. Unemployment 1998-2007:  12.2% 1
Tax Data Value Rank Value Rank
Assessed Property 2007: $64,380,958 37 Per Capita Assessed Property 2007: $2,234 38
County Base Millage Rate 2009: 0.1002 22 Additional Sales Tax (if applicable) 
Value of One Mil 2009: $60,000 37 Local Option Sales Tax: 1.0%
Millage Cap FY10: 3.8% 34 Capital Projects Sales Tax:  
Net Taxable Sales FY07: $108,592,824 36 School District Sales Tax:  
Admissions Tax Collected FY07: $7,224 39 Transportation Sales Tax:  
Accommodations Tax Collected FY07:  $27,406 34
Financial & Employment Data Value Rank Value Rank
Total Revenues FY08: $10,894,126 42 Per Capita Revenues FY08: $378 45
Total Expenditures FY08: $18,427,131 33 Per Capita Expenditures FY08: $639 21
General Fund Budget FY10:  $9,144,420 40 Per Capita General Fund Budget FY10: $317 43
Total Debt Outstanding FY08: $3,905,000 33 Per Capita Debt Outstanding FY08: *** *
Payroll FY 2008: $4,092,507 41 Credit Rating(s) FY08
Full-Time Employees FY10:  154 37 Moody's: Baa1
Part-Time Employees FY10: 19 41 Standard & Poor:  
Full Time Emp/1,000 Cnty Residents:   5.34 34 Fitch:  
updated  2/2/2010