County · South Carolina

Laurens County, South Carolina

Laurens County, South Carolina. Laurens County had 71,848 residents in 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 6.4% since 2020, slower than South Carolina (+8.8%). It holds 11 places (7 cities, villages and boroughs and 4 census-designated) and 20 census tracts. GEOID 45059.

Laurens County is one of the 4 counties of the Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC metropolitan statistical area (the Census Bureau's July 2023 delineation).

Residents, July 2025 estimate

71,848

Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 67,539 · ACS 2020-2024: 68,666

Median household income

$57,623

±$2,977 (90% margin)
South Carolina: $69,324

Median home value

$170,600

±$8,330 (90% margin)
South Carolina: $259,000

Median gross rent

$880

±$40 (90% margin)
South Carolina: $1,180

How many people live in Laurens County, and is it growing?

The 2020 Census counted 67,539 residents in Laurens County. The Census Bureau estimates 71,848 for July 1, 2025, up 6.4% since 2020, slower than South Carolina (+8.8%). The 2020-2024 American Community Survey puts the population at 68,666 over 713 square miles of land.

July 2020→2021 +238 (67,864)
2021→2022 +286 (68,150)
2022→2023 +1,058 (69,208)
2023→2024 +1,300 (70,508)
2024→2025 +1,340 (71,848)

Laurens County in South Carolina. Boundaries: Census Bureau 2024.

Counts, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates, with the change from 2015-2019
Measure	Laurens County	South Carolina	Change since 2015-2019
Total population	68,666	5,296,225	+1,820
Households	26,959±472	2,117,989	+1,396
Average household size	2.46±0.04	2.44	−0.06
Housing units	32,027±54	2,443,039	+682

Laurens County's population since 2000

From 69,567 in 2000 to 71,848 in 2025: up 3.3%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts. 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.

2000 Census 69,567
2005 (estimate) 67,629
2010 Census 66,537
2015 (estimate) 66,459
2020 Census 67,539
2025 (estimate) 71,848

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); PEP Vintage 2025 (CO-EST2025); 2020 Census · Check it at data.census.gov

What cities and towns are in Laurens County?

Laurens County holds 11 places: 7 cities, villages and boroughs (incorporated places) and 4 census-designated places. The largest is Laurens with 9,327 residents (2025 estimate). Places that cross a county line are listed with the share of their 2020 residents who live in this county.

Places in Laurens County, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates. Ring: estimate with a coefficient of variation over 40%.

Laurens	city	9,335	9,336±27	$49,246	$180,700	25.4%	100%
Clinton	city	7,633	7,676±28	$44,522	$173,400	27.7%	100%
Fountain Inn	city	10,416	12,020±28	$73,585	$275,300	7.7%	25%
Watts Mills	CDP	1,654	1,942±883	$50,901	$108,300	8.7%	100%
JoannaGEOID 4536790	CDP	1,517	1,306±299	$49,141	$88,100	20.5%	100%
Gray Court	town	763	783±257	$57,500	$185,900	19.3%	100%
Cross Hill	town	404	514±150	$40,556	$104,500	14.0%	100%
WaterlooGEOID 4574995	town	149	212±117	not published	not published	37.3%	100%
MountvilleGEOID 4548670	CDP	100	136±101	$70,645	not published	5.9%	100%
PrincetonGEOID 4558435	CDP	49	19±22	not published	not published	0.0%	100%
Ware Shoals	town	1,701	2,074±585	$36,622	$82,000	38.2%	0%

Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 place-by-county parts · Check it at data.census.gov

Who lives in Laurens County?

The median resident of Laurens County is 40.9 years old; 21.8% are under 18 and 19.2% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 65.8%, then non-Hispanic Black residents at 22.9%. 3.8% of residents were born outside the United States.

Age, origin and education, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates. Race groups are non-Hispanic; Hispanic includes any race.
Measure	Laurens County	South Carolina	Change since 2015-2019
Median age	40.9±0.4	40.2	no clear change
Under 18 years	21.8%±0.1 pts	21.4%	–
65 years and over	19.2%±0.1 pts	18.9%	–
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	6.7%	7.4%	+1.8 pts
White alone, not Hispanic	65.8%±0.5 pts	61.9%	−2.1 pts
Black or African American alone, not Hispanic	22.9%±0.6 pts	24.6%	−1.1 pts
Asian alone, not Hispanic	0.6%±0.2 pts	1.7%	no clear change
American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic	0.1%±0.1 pts	0.2%	–
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic	0.1%±0.1 pts	0.0%	–
Two or more races, not Hispanic	3.7%±0.8 pts	3.7%	–
Some other race alone, not Hispanic	0.1%±0.1 pts	0.5%	–
Born outside the United States	3.8%±0.5 pts	5.8%	+1.1 pts
Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+)	5.7%±0.8 pts	8.4%	–
Civilian veterans (age 18+)	6.4%±0.8 pts	8.3%	–
With a disability	17.5%±1.2 pts	14.6%	–
No health insurance coverage	12.4%±1.3 pts	9.6%	no clear change
High school graduate or higher (age 25+)	83.9%±1.8 pts	90.1%	–
Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+)	17.6%±1.4 pts	32.1%	no clear change
Graduate or professional degree (age 25+)	5.7%±0.9 pts	12.3%	–
Moved from another state in the past year	2.0%±0.5 pts	3.7%	–

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 Laurens County earn?

Half of Laurens County's 26,959 households earn less than $57,623 a year (±$2,977), against $69,324 in South Carolina. In 2015-2019 the median was $53,294 in 2024 dollars, so it rose by $4,329 after inflation. 18.1% of residents live below the poverty line.

Income and poverty in 2024 dollars, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates
Measure	Laurens County	South Carolina	Change since 2015-2019
Median household income	$57,623±$2,977	$69,324	+$4,329
Mean household income	$71,325±$2,695	$95,567	–
Per capita income	$28,695±$1,079	$39,236	no clear change
People below the poverty line	18.1%±1.8 pts	14.1%	no clear change
Children under 18 below the poverty line	27.3%±4.4 pts	19.4%	no clear change
Households receiving SNAP	17.5%±1.7 pts	10.5%	–
Households with a broadband subscription	86.1%±1.9 pts	88.8%	–

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 Laurens County?

Owners occupy 71.5% of Laurens County's occupied homes and renters 28.5%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $170,600 by its owner (±$8,330). The median renter pays $880 a month including utilities, and 40.9% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.

Housing, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates
Measure	Laurens County	South Carolina	Change since 2015-2019
Median home value (owner-occupied)	$170,600±$8,330	$259,000	+$46,054
Median gross rent	$880±$40	$1,180	no clear change
Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent	40.9%±5.8 pts	42.8%	no clear change
Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage	$1,178±$50	$1,529	–
Owner-occupied homes	71.5%±2.1 pts	71.9%	no clear change
Housing units	32,027±54	2,443,039	+682
Homeowner vacancy rate	0.6%±0.5 pts	0.9%	–
Rental vacancy rate	7.5%±2.7 pts	8.3%	–
Single-family detached homes	61.8%±1.8 pts	64.5%	–
Mobile homes	30.2%±1.9 pts	14.2%	–
Built 2020 or later	2.2%±0.6 pts	3.7%	–
Built 1939 or earlier	4.7%±0.8 pts	3.6%	–

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 Laurens County building?

Builders took permits for 869 new housing units across Laurens County in 2025 (866 single-family), 12.1 per 1,000 residents.

2019 159 units
2020 186 units
2021 185 units
2022 317 units
2023 422 units
2024 621 units
2025 869 units

Source: Building Permits Survey, annual county files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey

How do people in Laurens County get to work?

81.8% of Laurens County's workers drive alone and 5.4% work from home. The average trip to work takes 25.2 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 4.5%.

Work and commuting, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates
Measure	Laurens County	South Carolina	Change since 2015-2019
In the labor force (age 16+)	57.4%±1.6 pts	60.5%	–
Unemployment rate	4.5%±1.0 pts	4.9%	−3.0 pts
Drove alone to work	81.8%±2.1 pts	76.3%	–
Carpooled	10.7%±2.1 pts	8.5%	–
Public transportation	0.1%±0.2 pts	0.4%	–
Walked	1.2%±0.5 pts	1.6%	–
Worked from home	5.4%±1.2 pts	11.5%	+1.8 pts
Mean travel time to work	25.2 min±1.0	25.6 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 are Laurens County's census tracts?

Laurens County is divided into 20 census tracts. Among those with a reliable estimate, median household income runs from $33,665 (Tract 9206) to $74,839 (Tract 9201.04).

Census tracts of Laurens County, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates; sort by any column

Tract 9201.0245059920102	–	1,751	1,558±194	$59,583	$188,800	$958	16.6%
Tract 9201.0445059920104	Fountain Inn (7%)	3,431	3,424±487	$74,839	$201,100	$799	13.8%
Tract 9201.0545059920105	Fountain Inn (35%)	5,116	5,103±690	$70,804	$236,600	$1,147	10.3%
Tract 9201.0645059920106	Fountain Inn (16%)	3,325	3,851±619	$56,438	$168,900	$988	24.6%
Tract 9201.0745059920107	–	2,256	2,352±456	$44,444	$99,600	$990	31.4%
Tract 9201.0845059920108	Gray Court (40%)	2,345	2,224±323	$58,281	$117,800	$1,118	15.8%
Tract 9202.0145059920201	Princeton (4%)	3,196	3,700±620	$64,737	$163,000	$775	10.7%
Tract 9202.0245059920202	Ware Shoals (4%)	3,306	3,121±399	$54,272	$133,200	$710	15.1%
Tract 9203.0145059920301	Laurens (25%)	3,843	3,764±428	$54,063	$171,900	$546	15.3%
Tract 9203.0245059920302	Laurens (32%)	4,315	4,518±721	$38,160	$160,900	$799	31.0%
Tract 920445059920400	Laurens (95%)	5,367	5,166±562	$58,971	$188,700	$873	17.7%
Tract 9205.0145059920501	Laurens (3%)	1,799	1,792±320	$71,833	$154,800	$917	7.7%
Tract 9205.0345059920503	Watts Mills (54%)	2,858	3,153±758	$50,174	$113,300	$855	17.3%
Tract 9205.0445059920504	Laurens (31%)	3,081	2,960±378	$51,471	$160,600	$677	23.2%
Tract 920645059920600	Clinton (41%)	4,264	4,458±507	$33,665	$157,600	$916	44.0%
Tract 920745059920700	Clinton (58%)	4,426	4,121±535	$58,047	$110,200	$836	16.5%
Tract 920845059920800	Clinton (61%)	5,090	5,273±525	$72,070	$220,600	$990	7.2%
Tract 920945059920900	Joanna (56%)	2,395	2,221±416	$57,440	$109,600	$625	14.3%
Tract 9210.0145059921001	Mountville (11%)	2,643	2,332±319	$67,426	$105,200	$754	13.2%
Tract 9210.0245059921002	Cross Hill (14%)	2,732	3,575±808	$57,049	$153,600	$623	9.6%

Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) · Check it at data.census.gov

How does Laurens County compare with South Carolina's other counties?

Laurens County's rank among South Carolina's counties with a reliable estimate (1 = highest)
Measure	Rank
Population	20th of 46
Growth 2020-2025	18th of 46
Residents per square mile	21st of 46
Median household income	23rd of 46
Median home value	25th of 46
Median gross rent	26th of 46
Poverty rate	19th of 46
Bachelor's degree or higher	33rd of 46
Median age	27th of 46

Every county in South Carolina

Source: PlainCities ranks 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 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 Laurens County 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' school search.