ORANGEBURG COUNTY

2/2/2010

Date Formed:

1769

Land Area (square miles):

1,106

County Seat:

Orangeburg

Other Cities and Towns:

Bowman, Branchville, Cope, Cordova, Elloree, Eutawville, Holly Hill, Livingston, Neeses, North, Norway, Rowesville, Santee, Springfield, Vance, Woodford

Form of Government:

Council-Administrator

Council Members:

Method of Election

Single Member

Term Length

2 years

Council of Government:

Lower Savannah

County History

Orangeburg County was named for William IV (1711-1751), Prince of Orange, the son-in-law of King George II. Orangeburg District was established in 1769, and from 1785 to 1791 it included four counties: Lexington, Orange, Winton, and Lewisburg. The district was reduced in size when Barnwell (1800) and Lexington (1804) districts were formed; parts of Orangeburg also went to form Aiken (1871) and Calhoun (1908) counties. Swiss and German farmers moved into this region around 1735, and English settlers from the lowcountry followed. The battle of Eutaw Springs was fought there during the Revolutionary War on September 8, 1781; it was the last major battle of the war in South Carolina. Large plantations using slave labor were established in Orangeburg in the nineteenth century, and the county became a major producer of cotton. Railroads arrived in the area early; Branchville became the first railroad junction in the state in 1840. Union troops under General Sherman passed through Orangeburg in February 1865. Orangeburg County was the birthplace of historian Alexander S. Salley (1871-1961) and singer Eartha Kitt.

Population Trends

Value

Rank

Value

Rank

Population 1980:

82,276

Numeric Change 1980-2000:

9,306

Population 1990:

84,803

Numeric Change 2000-2008:

-1,246

Population 2000:

91,582

Avg. Ann. Growth Rate 1980-2000:

0.56%

Population Estimate 2007:

90,357

Avg. Ann. Growth Rate 2000-2008:

-0.17%

Population Estimate 2008:

90,336

Percent Change 2006-2008:

-0.02%

Persons Per Square Mile 2008:

81.7

Economic Data

Value

Rank

Value

Rank

Jobs 1980:

29,397

Personal Income (PI) 2007:

$2,387,132

Jobs 1990:

34,910

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

7.4%

Jobs 2000:

38,862

Per Capita Personal Income 2007:

$26,419

Jobs 2006:

35,918

% of U.S. PCPI 2007:

68%

Jobs 2007:

37,081

Average Wage Per Job 2007:

$30,319

Numeric Change Jobs 2006-2007:

1,163

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

69%

Avg Ann Growth Rate Jobs 1980-2000

1.61%

Unemployment Rate 2007:

10.5%

Avg Ann Growth Rate Jobs 2000-2007

-0.65%

Avg. Unemployment 1998-2007:

8.9%

Tax Data

Value

Rank

Value

Rank

Assessed Property 2007:

$282,256,691

Per Capita Assessed Property 2007:

$3,082

County Base Millage Rate 2009:

0.09776

Additional Sales Tax (if applicable)

Value of One Mil 2009:

$230,000

Local Option Sales Tax:

Millage Cap FY10:

3.8%

Capital Projects Sales Tax:

1.0%

Net Taxable Sales FY07:

$725,083,013

School District Sales Tax:

Admissions Tax Collected FY07:

$170,593

Transportation Sales Tax:

Accommodations Tax Collected FY07

$552,685

Financial & Employment Data

Value

Rank

Value

Rank

Total Revenues FY08:

$74,964,258

Per Capita Revenues FY08:

$819

Total Expenditures FY08:

$78,189,109

Per Capita Expenditures FY08:

$854

General Fund Budget FY10:

$32,338,489

Per Capita General Fund Budget FY10:

$353

Total Debt Outstanding FY08:

$85,663,584

Per Capita Debt Outstanding FY08:

***

Payroll FY 2008:

$19,307,900

Credit Rating(s) FY08

Full-Time Employees FY10:

542

Moody's:

Part-Time Employees FY10:

158

Standard & Poor: