RANK #748 / 1001 NAT · #16 / 24 SC · POP 68,314
1YR FORECAST: +1.2%
5YR OUTLOOK: +15%
Kershaw County, South Carolina, is distinguished by Camden, its county seat and the state's oldest inland city, rich with Revolutionary War history and antebellum architecture. Located in the central part of South Carolina, about 30 miles north of Columbia, the county offers a blend of rural tranquility and access to urban amenities. Commuting to Columbia is common, with an average travel time of 30 minutes. The area is characterized by its Sandhills terrain and pine forests, with outdoor recreation opportunities around Lake Wateree and Goodale State Park, offering boating, fishing, hiking, and equestrian activities.
Life in Kershaw County appeals to families and individuals seeking a community-oriented environment with access to nature. The public school system is rated above average. The local economy is experiencing growth, driven by investments in manufacturing, advanced materials, and logistics. Efforts are underway to create more local job opportunities, as many residents currently commute outside the county for work. The county is also focusing on infrastructure improvements and managed residential growth to maintain its community character.
Kershaw County's data profile doesn't fit any single market profile cleanly — its housing, labor, and demographic signals pull in different directions (home prices +3.3% YoY, population +2.1%, wages +3.4%). 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
Housing looks overvalued at 15.7x — 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: 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 Kershaw County stands nationally: safest large counties in America · highest homicide-rate counties · counties where safety is improving.
| PROJECT | AMOUNT | STATUS |
|---|---|---|
|
Terra Nexus Ventures Data Center
Terra Nexus Ventures
|
$500M | Planned |
|
Solar Farm Projects (Creed and 1802)
Undisclosed
|
$282M | Proposed |
|
Economic Development Projects (New Companies and Expansions)
Various
|
$175M | Planned |
|
Wastewater Treatment Plant Expansion
Kershaw County
|
$50M | Under Construction |
Source: public records, news, corporate announcements. Amounts are estimates where noted.
Bars show percentile rank among all 1001 counties.
At 25/100, Kershaw County faces headwinds that place it in the lower third of the 1001 counties we track. Median income of $68,231 combined with job growth of +1.4% suggests the local economy is struggling to keep pace with national trends.
Housing in Kershaw County is roughly in line with national affordability norms. The median home costs $217,100 and the income-to-home-value ratio sits at 0.31, with rents averaging $971/month. Not a bargain, but not a stretch for most local earners either.
Kershaw County is growing on multiple fronts. Population is up +2.1% year-over-year while employers added jobs at a +1.4% clip — and home values reflect that momentum, rising +3.3% over the past 12 months.
There's a moderate stream of newcomers. About 3.71% of residents moved from another state, which is above average and suggests Kershaw County has appeal as a relocation destination — though it's not among the highest-inflow counties nationally.