City · South Carolina
Walterboro, South Carolina
Walterboro, city, in Colleton County, South Carolina. Walterboro had 5,485 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, down 0.5% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 5,544 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 5,480 (±17). GEOID 4574275.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
5,485
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 5,544 · ACS 2020-2024: 5,480 ±17
Median household income
$56,457
±$10,325 (90% margin)
South Carolina: $69,324
Median home value
$183,500
±$33,958 (90% margin)
South Carolina: $259,000
Median gross rent
$965
±$109 (90% margin)
South Carolina: $1,180
Where is Walterboro and what county is it in?
Walterboro is a city in Colleton County, South Carolina. It covers 7.0 square miles of land, 797 residents per square mile in 2020.
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Walterboro, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 5,485 people lived in Walterboro on July 1, 2025, down 0.5% since 2020, while South Carolina grew 8.8%. The 2020 Census counted 5,544 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 5,480 (±17).
| Measure | Walterboro | Colleton County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 5,480 ±17 | 38,783 | no clear change |
| Households | 2,330 ±184 | 16,408 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.29 ±0.18 | 2.33 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 2,602 ±257 | 20,083 | no clear change |
Walterboro's population since 2000
From 5,153 in 2000 to 5,485 in 2025: up 6.4%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Walterboro as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Walterboro?
The median resident of Walterboro is 35.2 years old; 22.4% are under 18 and 16.0% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic Black residents at 50.2%, then non-Hispanic white residents at 41.5%. 4.8% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Walterboro | Colleton County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 35.2 ±5.9 | 42.0 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 22.4% ±5.1 pts | 22.7% | – |
| 65 years and over | 16.0% ±3.8 pts | 20.4% | – |
| Male | 38.4% ±4.4 pts | 47.6% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 4.2% ±3.8 pts | 4.6% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 41.5% ±8.6 pts | 56.5% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 50.2% ±8.7 pts | 33.6% | no clear change |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 2.7% ±1.1 pts | 0.4% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.8 pts | 0.3% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.8 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 1.5% ±1.4 pts | 4.3% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.8 pts | 0.3% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 4.8% ±3.1 pts | 3.4% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 5.9% ±3.5 pts | 5.2% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 5.0% ±3.4 pts | 9.0% | – |
| With a disability | 13.7% ±3.7 pts | 20.5% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 10.6% ±4.0 pts | 15.0% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 84.0% ±5.7 pts | 84.7% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 25.0% ±6.8 pts | 17.4% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 8.1% ±3.0 pts | 5.8% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 94.3% ±4.2 pts | 92.2% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 0.1% ±0.3 pts | 0.8% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Walterboro earn?
Half of Walterboro's 2,330 households earn less than $56,457 a year (±$10,325), against $51,114 in Colleton County and $69,324 in South Carolina. In 2015-2019 the median was $40,490 in 2024 dollars, so it rose by $15,967 after inflation. 28.2% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Walterboro | Colleton County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $56,457 ±$10,325 | $51,114 | +$15,967 |
| Mean household income | $67,568 ±$11,247 | $70,687 | – |
| Per capita income | $28,602 ±$4,133 | $29,122 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 28.2% ±7.9 pts | 19.6% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 40.5% ±16.6 pts | 26.1% | no clear change |
| Households receiving SNAP | 35.6% ±7.9 pts | 23.4% | – |
| Households with a computer | 92.0% ±4.8 pts | 89.7% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 94.0% ±3.8 pts | 84.8% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Walterboro?
Owners occupy 50.7% of Walterboro's occupied homes and renters 49.3%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $183,500 by its owner (±$33,958). The median renter pays $965 a month including utilities, and 48.3% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Walterboro | Colleton County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $183,500 ±$33,958 | $162,500 | +$51,077 |
| Median gross rent | $965 ±$109 | $949 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 48.3% ±17.0 pts | 44.5% | +27.0 pts |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,378 ±$204 | $1,364 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 50.7% ±9.2 pts | 73.3% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 49.3% ±9.2 pts | 26.7% | – |
| Housing units | 2,602 ±257 | 20,083 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0% ±3.7 pts | 1.4% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 15.2% ±9.3 pts | 14.3% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 66.8% ±6.8 pts | 56.0% | – |
| Mobile homes | 0.0% ±1.7 pts | 35.8% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.4% ±0.7 pts | 1.4% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 1.5% ±1.3 pts | 6.9% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 8.7% ±5.9 pts | 3.4% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 25.0% ±7.7 pts | 10.4% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How many new homes is Walterboro building?
Builders took permits for 11 new housing units in Walterboro in 2025 (9 in single-family houses), 2.0 per 1,000 residents against 8.2 across South Carolina.
Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in Walterboro work and get to work?
72.5% of Walterboro's workers drive alone and 13.0% work from home. The average trip to work takes 26.3 minutes.
| Measure | Walterboro | Colleton County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 60.0% ±7.0 pts | 55.4% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 6.1% ±5.3 pts | 9.9% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 72.5% ±7.7 pts | 78.9% | – |
| Carpooled | 12.5% ±6.0 pts | 11.6% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±1.8 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Walked | 0.0% ±1.8 pts | 1.1% | – |
| Worked from home | 13.0% ±7.7 pts | 6.3% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 26.3 min ±3.8 | 34.9 min | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Walterboro?
2 census tracts lie mostly in Walterboro, and 5 more reach into it (2020 census blocks). Their median household incomes run from $51,944 (Tract 9705.01) to $73,157 (Tract 9705.02).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 9705.02Colleton County | 2,525 | $73,157 |
| Tract 9705.01Colleton County | 2,632 | $51,944 |
| Tract 9704.02Colleton County | 3,959 | $57,796 |
| Tract 9703.01Colleton County | 4,283 | $32,465 |
| Tract 9706.02Colleton County | 3,687 | $75,353 |
| Tract 9706.01Colleton County | 4,084 | $33,988 |
| Tract 9704.01Colleton County | 4,029 | $36,352 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Walterboro) · Census block assignment files
How does Walterboro compare with other places in South Carolina?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Walterboro is the 4,650th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 63rd-most populous of 271 in South Carolina.
Walterboro ranks 114th of 248 places in South Carolina with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 63rd | 271 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 115th | 149 |
| Residents per square mile | 163rd | 261 |
| Median household income | 114th | 248 |
| Per capita income | 138th | 259 |
| Median home value | 138th | 248 |
| Median gross rent | 131st | 235 |
| Poverty rate | 59th | 214 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 102nd | 226 |
| Median age | 192nd | 261 |
| Owner-occupied share | 207th | 258 |
| Work from home | 50th | 119 |
| Travel time to work | 96th | 261 |
Walterboro's figures with every place in South Carolina (CSV)
Every place in South Carolina, sortable · Compare Walterboro with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Walterboro?
15 of the 57 figures for Walterboro on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Walterboro are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' public schools in Walterboro.