WILLIAMSBURG COUNTY 2/2/2010
Date Formed:  1804
Land Area (square miles): 934
County Seat: Kingstree
Other Cities and Towns:
Andrews, Greeleyville, Hemingway, Lane, Stuckey
Form of Government: Council-Supervisor
Council Members: 8
Method of Election Single Member
Term Length 4 years
Council of Government:  Waccamaw
County History
Williamsburg County was probably named for King William III of England (1650-1702). Scotch-Irish and French Huguenot settlers began moving into this part of the lowcountry around 1732, and in 1736 the township of Williamsburg was laid out on the Black River in the vicinity of the settlement of Kingstree. This area was part of Prince Frederick Parish, which in turn was part of Georgetown District. In 1804 Williamsburg became a separate district, with the seat at Kingstree. A small part of Williamsburg later went to form Florence County in 1888. During the Revolutionary War many of General Francis Marion's men hailed from this area, including Major John James (1732-1791). The battles of Black Mingo (September 28-29, 1780), Mount Hope Swamp (March 1781), and Lower Bridge (March 1781) were all fought in Williamsburg County. In later years, the county has remained primarily an agricultural region. Nobel Prize-winning geneticist Joseph L. Goldstein grew up in the town of Kingstree. 
Population Trends Value Rank Value Rank
Population 1980:  38,226 25 Numeric Change 1980-2000:  -1,009 44
Population 1990:  36,815 26 Numeric Change 2000-2008: -2,127 45
Population 2000:  37,217 27 Avg. Ann. Growth Rate 1980-2000:  -0.13% 43
Population Estimate 2007:  35,381 28 Avg. Ann. Growth Rate 2000-2008:  -0.71% 43
Population Estimate 2008: 35,090 28 Percent Change 2006-2008: -0.83% 43
Persons Per Square Mile 2008:  37.6 41
Economic Data Value Rank Value Rank
Jobs 1980:  11,031 31 Personal Income (PI) 2007: $765,804 29
Jobs 1990:  12,409 29 Avg. Ann. Growth Rate (PI) 1969-2007: 6.8% 36
Jobs 2000:  10,806 32 Per Capita Personal Income  2007: $21,644 44
Jobs 2006: 11,153 29 % of U.S. PCPI 2007: 56% 44
Jobs 2007: 10,920 28 Average Wage Per Job 2007: $28,327 39
Numeric Change Jobs 2006-2007: -233 34 % of U.S. Avg. Wage Per Job 2007:  65% 39
Avg Ann Growth Rate Jobs 1980-2000:  -0.10% 44 Unemployment Rate 2007: 10.7% 11
Avg Ann Growth Rate Jobs 2000-2007: 0.15% 17 Avg. Unemployment 1998-2007:  11.9% 2
Tax Data Value Rank Value Rank
Assessed Property 2007: $88,002,478 31 Per Capita Assessed Property 2007: $2,365 35
County Base Millage Rate 2009: 0.1524 7 Additional Sales Tax (if applicable) 
Value of One Mil 2009: $88,700 31 Local Option Sales Tax: 1.0%
Millage Cap FY10: 3.8% 34 Capital Projects Sales Tax:  
Net Taxable Sales FY07: $172,715,302 30 School District Sales Tax:  
Admissions Tax Collected FY07: $19,050 33 Transportation Sales Tax:  
Accommodations Tax Collected FY07:  $19,917 38
Financial & Employment Data Value Rank Value Rank
Total Revenues FY08: $25,685,479 27 Per Capita Revenues FY08: $690 24
Total Expenditures FY08: $19,352,590 30 Per Capita Expenditures FY08: $520 33
General Fund Budget FY10:  $16,722,211 30 Per Capita General Fund Budget FY10: $449 23
Total Debt Outstanding FY08: $5,743,335 26 Per Capita Debt Outstanding FY08: $163 17
Payroll FY 2008: $6,993,546 31 Credit Rating(s) FY08
Full-Time Employees FY10:  287 25 Moody's: Baa3
Part-Time Employees FY10: 82 15 Standard & Poor: BBB
Full Time Emp/1,000 Cnty Residents:   7.71 12 Fitch:  
updated  2/2/2010