Newberry County, South Carolina facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Newberry County
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Newberry County Courthouse
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Location within the U.S. state of South Carolina
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 South Carolina's location within the U.S. |
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| Country |  United States |
| State |  South Carolina |
| Founded | 1785 |
| Seat | Newberry |
| Largest city | Newberry |
| Area | |
| • Total | 647 sq mi (1,680 km2) |
| • Land | 630 sq mi (1,600 km2) |
| • Water | 17 sq mi (40 km2) 2.7%% |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 38,437 |
| • Density | 59.41/sq mi (22.938/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) |
| Congressional districts | 3rd, 5th |
| Website | http://www.newberrycounty.net/ |
Newberry County is a county located in the U.S. state of South Carolina. As of the 2010 census, its population was 37,508. Its county seat is Newberry. The name is of unknown origin.
Newberry County comprises the Newberry, SC Micropolitan Statistical Area
Contents
History
Newberry County was formed from Ninety-Six District in 1785. Prior to its formal founding, the area was the site of several American Revolutionary War battles: Williams' Plantation, Dec. 31, 1780; Mud Lick, March 2, 1781; and Bush River, May 1781.[3]The town of Newberry was founded in 1789 as the county seat and was sometimes called Newberry Courthouse for that reason.
Originally settled by yeomen farmers, in the nineteenth century numerous plantations were established for the cultivation of short-staple cotton. Its processing had been made profitable by invention of the cotton gin. Cotton was the primary crop grown in Newberry County before the American Civil War. Newberry was a trading town, and expanded with the arrival of the railroad in the early 1850s, which connected it to major towns and markets. Newberry College was established by the Lutheran Church in 1856.
The Civil War interrupted growth in the county; the warfare and loss of lives of many southern men disrupted the state economy. The first cotton mills were constructed in the county in the 1880s, and quickly became an important part of the economy and a source of jobs. With the mechanization of agriculture in the early 20th century, labor needs were reduced.
Since the 1970s the population of Newberry County has been growing due to increasing local economic prosperity.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 647 square miles (1,680 km2), of which 630 square miles (1,600 km2) is land and 17 square miles (44 km2) (2.7%) is water.
Adjacent counties
- Union County - north
- Fairfield County - east
- Lexington County - southeast
- Richland County - southeast
- Saluda County - south
- Greenwood County - southwest
- Laurens County - northwest
National protected area
- Sumter National Forest (part)
Demographics
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1790 | 9,342 | — | |
| 1800 | 12,006 | 28.5% | |
| 1810 | 13,964 | 16.3% | |
| 1820 | 16,104 | 15.3% | |
| 1830 | 17,441 | 8.3% | |
| 1840 | 18,350 | 5.2% | |
| 1850 | 20,143 | 9.8% | |
| 1860 | 20,879 | 3.7% | |
| 1870 | 20,775 | −0.5% | |
| 1880 | 26,497 | 27.5% | |
| 1890 | 26,434 | −0.2% | |
| 1900 | 30,182 | 14.2% | |
| 1910 | 34,586 | 14.6% | |
| 1920 | 35,552 | 2.8% | |
| 1930 | 34,681 | −2.4% | |
| 1940 | 33,577 | −3.2% | |
| 1950 | 31,771 | −5.4% | |
| 1960 | 29,416 | −7.4% | |
| 1970 | 29,273 | −0.5% | |
| 1980 | 31,242 | 6.7% | |
| 1990 | 33,172 | 6.2% | |
| 2000 | 36,108 | 8.9% | |
| 2010 | 37,508 | 3.9% | |
| 2020 | 38,437 | 2.5% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 1790-1960 1900-1990 1990-2000 2010-2013 |
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2010 census
As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 37,508 people, 14,709 households, and 10,129 families living in the county. The population density was 59.5 inhabitants per square mile (23.0/km2). There were 17,922 housing units at an average density of 28.4 per square mile (11.0/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 62.1% white, 31.0% black or African American, 0.3% Asian, 0.3% American Indian, 0.1% Pacific islander, 5.0% from other races, and 1.2% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 7.2% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 16.8% were German, 14.2% were American, 9.0% were English, and 7.7% were Irish.
Of the 14,709 households, 32.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.3% were married couples living together, 17.2% had a female householder with no husband present, 31.1% were non-families, and 27.0% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.47 and the average family size was 2.97. The median age was 39.9 years.
The median income for a household in the county was $41,815 and the median income for a family was $49,560. Males had a median income of $38,146 versus $28,961 for females. The per capita income for the county was $21,410. About 13.3% of families and 16.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 25.6% of those under age 18 and 10.9% of those age 65 or over.
2020 census
| Race | Num. | Perc. |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 22,635 | 60.01% |
| Black or African American (non-Hispanic) | 10,360 | 27.47% |
| Native American | 107 | 0.28% |
| Asian | 135 | 0.36% |
| Pacific Islander | 4 | 0.01% |
| Other/Mixed | 1,173 | 3.11% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 3,305 | 8.76% |
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 37,719 people, 14,810 households, and 9,705 families residing in the county.
Communities
Cities
- Newberry (county seat)
Towns
Unincorporated communities
- Chappells
- Jalapa
- Kinards (partly in Laurens County)
Infrastructure
- Newberry County Water & Sewer Authority
- Newberry Electric Cooperative
- Clinton-Newberry Natural Gas Authority
Notable people
- Lee Atwater, famous political consultant
See also
In Spanish: Condado de Newberry para niños
