RANK #127 / 996 NAT · #3 / 24 SC · POP 84,159
1YR FORECAST: +1.2%
5YR OUTLOOK: +34%
Orangeburg County, South Carolina, known as "the Garden City," is home to the Edisto Memorial Gardens, featuring thousands of roses and ancient cypress trees along the Edisto River. Located in the Midlands region, Orangeburg is approximately 28 miles south of Columbia and 90 miles northwest of Charleston, with access to I-26 and I-95. The community offers a blend of rural and small-town living, with towns like Santee providing access to Lake Marion, the state's largest lake, for boating, fishing, and other water activities. The county also features Lake Edisto Park, offering canoeing, walking trails, and a dog park.
Life in Orangeburg County often involves a commute, with the average travel time to work being around 30.7 minutes. The Orangeburg County School District serves over 10,000 students across 27 schools. The local economy is seeing new investments, particularly in manufacturing and data center solutions. County leaders are focused on attracting new industries and supporting existing businesses, with a sustainability plan in place to guide future growth and infrastructure development.
Prices declining
Moderate climate & terrain
Housing looks undervalued at 2.9x — home prices are low 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.
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 →
| PROJECT | AMOUNT | STATUS |
|---|---|---|
|
Birla Carbon Synthetic Graphite Production Facility
Birla Carbon
|
$1,000M | Under Construction |
|
Meta Data Center & Solar Farm
Meta Platforms, Silicon Ranch, Central Electric Power Cooperative
|
$800M | Under Construction |
|
Orangeburg County Solar Projects (2 projects)
Savion, Central Electric Power Cooperative
|
$150M | Operating |
|
Santee Residential Development (600 homes)
BRD Land and Investment
|
$150M | Planned |
|
Premium Peanut Shelling and Seed Treatment Facility
Premium Peanut
|
$64M | Under Construction |
|
Hounen Solar Manufacturing Facility
Hounen Solar
|
$33M | Operating |
Source: public records, news, corporate announcements. Amounts are estimates where noted.
Bars show percentile rank among all 996 counties.
Orangeburg County ranks #127 out of 996 U.S. counties on the Boom Town Index with a score of 87/100. The composite score reflects long-term strength — housing, income, and migration patterns — but near-term hiring is soft (employment is down 1.7% year-over-year). Median household income here is $41,020.
By national standards, Orangeburg County is quite affordable. Homes here have a median value of $105,500, and the income-to-home-value ratio of 0.39 is well above the U.S. average — especially with median rent at just $771/month. Residents can generally buy a home without being cost-burdened.
Both population (-0.9% YoY) and employment (-1.7%) are contracting in Orangeburg County, though housing tells its own story with values moving -1.1% over the past 12 months. This is a county where the trend lines are pointing in the wrong direction.
There's a moderate stream of newcomers. About 2.21% of residents moved from another state, which is above average and suggests Orangeburg County has appeal as a relocation destination — though it's not among the highest-inflow counties nationally.