RANK #515 / 1001 NAT · #11 / 24 SC · POP 62,558
1YR FORECAST: +0.9%
5YR OUTLOOK: +18%
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 +12.1% 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: Homicide rates from CDC/NCHS vital-statistics mortality data — a multi-year average that stabilizes counts in smaller counties — compiled in the County Health Rankings 2025 release. Rates per 100,000 population; U.S. average ≈ 6.5. Grade reflects homicide rate relative to the national average. Learn more →
See where Darlington County stands nationally: safest large counties in America · highest homicide-rate counties.
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 scores 48/100 on the Boom Town Index, landing in the middle of the pack among 1001 U.S. counties (#515). Median household income is $48,581 and job growth is running at -1.0%. The data points to a county with mixed signals — some positive indicators alongside areas that lag faster-growing peers.
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.
Population and employment in Darlington County are both close to flat — population -0.3% YoY and jobs -1.0%. Home values shifted +12.1% over the past 12 months. A steady-state county, neither expanding quickly nor shrinking.
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.
Extremely. Home values surged +12.1% over the past 12 months in Darlington County, far outpacing the national average. With a median home value of $158,200, buyers face a fast-moving market — though the income-to-home-value ratio of 0.31 suggests locals can still stretch to buy.