Lexington County is a county located in the U.S. state of South Carolina. As of the 2010 census, the population was 262,391, and the 2016 population estimate was 286,186. Its county seat and largest town is Lexington. The county was created in 1785. Its name commemorates the Battle of Lexington in the American Revolutionary War.
Lexington County is part of the Columbia, SC Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Geography
Feral Hogs located in Lexington County SC -
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 758 square miles (1,960Â km2), of which 699 square miles (1,810Â km2) is land and 59 square miles (150Â km2) (7.8%) is water. The largest body of water is Lake Murray, while other waterways include Broad River, Saluda River and Congaree River.
Adjacent counties
- Richland County - east
- Orangeburg County - southeast
- Calhoun County - southeast
- Aiken County - southwest
- Saluda County - west
- Newberry County - northwest
Climate
Lexington County, SC, gets 48 inches of rain per year. The US average is 37. Snowfall is 2 inches. The average US city gets 25 inches of snow per year. The number of days with any measurable precipitation is 104.
On average, there are 218 sunny days per year in Lexington County, SC. The July high is around 92 degrees. The January low is 33. The comfort index, which is based on humidity during the hot months, is a 29 out of 100, where higher is more comfortable. The US average on the comfort index is 44.
Demographics
2000 census
As of the census of 2000, there were 216,014 people, 83,240 households, and 59,849 families residing in the county. The population density was 309 people per square mile (119/km²). There were 90,978 housing units at an average density of 130 per square mile (50/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 84.18% White, 12.63% Black or African American, 0.34% Native American, 1.05% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.79% from other races, and 0.98% from two or more races. 1.92% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 83,240 households out of which 35.50% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.60% were married couples living together, 11.60% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.10% were non-families. 22.50% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.56 and the average family size was 3.01.
In the county, the population was spread out with 26.10% under the age of 18, 8.30% from 18 to 24, 31.60% from 25 to 44, 23.80% from 45 to 64, and 10.20% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 94.50 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.30 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $44,659, and the median income for a family was $52,637. Males had a median income of $36,435 versus $26,387 for females. The per capita income for the county was $21,063. About 6.40% of families and 9.00% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.10% of those under age 18 and 9.30% of those age 65 or over.
2010 census
As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 262,391Â people, 102,733Â households, and 70,952Â families residing in the county. The population density was 375.4 inhabitants per square mile (144.9/km2). There were 113,957 housing units at an average density of 163.0 per square mile (62.9/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 79.3% white, 14.3% black or African American, 1.4% Asian, 0.4% American Indian, 2.7% from other races, and 1.9% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 5.5% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 17.2% were German, 14.0% were American, 12.5% were English, and 11.8% were Irish.
Of the 102,733Â households, 34.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.4% were married couples living together, 13.0% had a female householder with no husband present, 30.9% were non-families, and 24.9% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.53 and the average family size was 3.01. The median age was 37.9 years.
The median income for a household in the county was $52,205 and the median income for a family was $64,630. Males had a median income of $44,270 versus $34,977 for females. The per capita income for the county was $26,393. About 8.5% of families and 11.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.7% of those under age 18 and 8.4% of those age 65 or over.
Transportation
Public transportation in Lexington County is provided by the Central Midlands Regional Transit Authority.
Referendums and elections
On November 4, 2014, Lexington County residents voted against a proposed sales tax increase. The money generated from this tax would have mostly been used to improve traffic conditions upon roadways. Likewise on November 4, 2014, residents voted to repeal a ban on alcohol sales on Sundays within the county.
Communities
Cities
- Cayce (partly in Richland County)
- Columbia (mostly in Richland County)
- West Columbia
Towns
Census-designated places
- Oak Grove
- Red Bank
- Seven Oaks
Politics
Lexington is a powerfully Republican county. The last Democrat to carry the county at a Presidential level was Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1944 â€" at a time when South Carolina had completely disenfranchised its once-majority African-American population and the Republican Party had been comatose for over half a century to the extent of not reaching 7 percent of the vote in a Presidential election since the previous century. Indeed, Adlai Stevenson II in 1952 is the last Democrat to top forty percent in Lexington County, and Jimmy Carter in 1976 the last to top 31 percent, whilst even then it was by almost eight percent Gerald Ford’s best county in the state.
In other elections, Lexington County is similarly Republican. It has supported that party for governor in every election since 1982 when Richard Riley carried every county in the state, although as late as 2006 Tommy Moore did manage 44 percent of the vote. The last Democratic senatorial nominee to pass 30 percent of the county’s ballots was Inez Tenenbaum in 2004, and no Democratic nominee has won the county for this office since Ernest “Fritz†Hollings did so in 1980: in 1986 it was the only county to support Hollings’ GOP opponent Henry McMaster.
See also
- Birch County, South Carolina, a proposed county that would include existing portions of Lexington County
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Lexington County, South Carolina
References
External links
-  "Lexington, a central county of South Carolina". The American Cyclopædia. 1879.Â