RANK #164 / 1001 NAT · #2 / 24 SC · POP 62,558
1YR FORECAST: +1.7%
5YR OUTLOOK: +34%
Known for the Darlington Raceway, which hosts the annual NASCAR Southern 500, Darlington County is located in the Pee Dee region of northeastern South Carolina. The county seat, Darlington, is roughly 75 miles from Columbia, a drive that takes around 1 hour and 20 minutes. Hartsville is the largest community in the county and is home to Coker University and Kalmia Gardens, a 56-acre botanical garden with a boardwalk along Black Creek. The county offers various parks and recreation facilities, including Williamson Park with its nature trails and boardwalk, and Byerly Park in Hartsville, which features sports venues and walking trails.
Life in Darlington County offers a small-town atmosphere with access to larger city amenities. The Darlington County School District is recognized for its academic programs, including Mayo High School for Math, Science & Technology. The economy, historically rooted in agriculture, has diversified. Major investment is occurring in sectors such as energy and manufacturing, with companies like Sonoco Products and Nucor Steel having a presence in the county. The Darlington County Economic Development Partnership actively works to attract and expand businesses, contributing to job growth in the area.
Darlington County's data profile doesn't fit any single market profile cleanly — its housing, labor, and demographic signals pull in different directions (home prices +5.8% YoY, population -0.3%, wages +4.4%). About 414 U.S. counties show this kind of mixed-signal pattern.
See all 414 Idiosyncratic Markets counties →Overvalued relative to economy
Moderate climate & terrain
Below national median (15x)
Housing looks overvalued at 8.2x — home prices are high relative to local economic output. The typical U.S. county is 4–6x.
Estimated local headcount ranges. Larger employers shown as floor + "+"; smaller employers show exact counts where reported.
Bars show trailing 12-month growth. The dashed Forecast bars are the model's next-12-month projection; the whisker marks the ±1% range (cooling–accelerating).
Source: Redfin · Census BPS — Browse sales on Redfin →
Source: CDC/NCHS vital statistics via County Health Rankings (2020–2022 avg). Rates per 100,000 population. Grade based on homicide rate relative to national average (~6.3). Learn more →
Source: EPA Air Quality System (2021–2023). Grade based on 3-year average median AQI. Learn about AQI →
| PROJECT | AMOUNT | STATUS |
|---|---|---|
|
Southern Current Solar Farm Portfolio (6 projects)
Southern Current
|
$141M | Operating |
|
Universal Industrial Gases (UIG) Facility
Universal Industrial Gases, LLC (a subsidiary of Nucor Corporation)
|
$100M | Under Construction |
|
Robinson Solar Center (76 MW)
Duke Energy Progress
|
$76M | Planned |
|
Culpepper Solar
Undisclosed
|
$75M | Planned |
Source: public records, news, corporate announcements. Amounts are estimates where noted.
Bars show percentile rank among all 1001 counties.
Darlington County ranks #164 out of 1001 U.S. counties on the Boom Town Index with a score of 84/100. The composite score reflects long-term strength — housing, income, and migration patterns — but near-term hiring is soft (employment is down 1.1% year-over-year). Median household income here is $48,581.
Housing in Darlington County is roughly in line with national affordability norms. The median home costs $158,200 and the income-to-home-value ratio sits at 0.31, with rents averaging $896/month. Not a bargain, but not a stretch for most local earners either.
Darlington County's job market is contracting (-1.1% YoY) while population is roughly stable (-0.3% change). Home values are +5.8% over the past 12 months. Hiring headwinds without an offsetting exodus — residents are staying, but local employers are shedding payroll.
There's a moderate stream of newcomers. About 3.66% of residents moved from another state, which is above average and suggests Darlington County has appeal as a relocation destination — though it's not among the highest-inflow counties nationally.
Home values climbed +5.8% year-over-year, which is a solid pace of appreciation. The median home in Darlington County is now valued at $158,200. That kind of growth typically reflects sustained demand rather than speculative frenzy.