HomeSouth CarolinaLaurens County
Laurens County, South Carolina: commercial real estate data.
Laurens County, South Carolina has a population of 68,666 across 714 square miles, up 4.5 percent since the 2020 census base. County output reached $2.91 bn in 2024, 985 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 47 7(a) approvals worth $19.4 m.
122 sourced county values · tier FULL · 11 sections
Laurens County
How many people live in Laurens County
- Population68,666
- Households26,959
- Average household size2.55
- Median household income$57,623
- Median age40.9
- Median gross rent$880 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$170,600
- Home value to household income3.0 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income18.3 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher17.6 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree5.7 percent
- Adults 25 and over47,915
- Population under 1814,980
- Share under 1821.8 percent
- Population 65 and over13,156
- Share 65 and over19.2 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6440,530
- Civilian labor force31,790
- Unemployment rate4.5 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over59.2 percent
- Rank by population among South Carolina counties20th of 46
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents799th
Laurens County is the 20th largest of 46 South Carolina counties by population. A median home costs 3.0 times median household income, which is an affordable ownership market by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 21.8 percent against 19.2 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Laurens County
Is Laurens County growing
- Population change since the 2020 census base4.47 percent
- Census 2020 base population67,527
- Births, 2024727
- Deaths, 2024958
- Natural change, 2024-231
- Net domestic migration, 20241,415
- Net international migration, 2024154
- Total net migration, 20241,569
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 20243,516
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents618th
The county has grown 4.47 percent since the 2020 census base. Deaths exceeded births in 2024, so all of the growth came from people moving in. A market held up by migration alone is more sensitive to a change in relative cost than one growing from household formation.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Laurens County
Where people moving to Laurens County come from
- Tax returns filed by households arriving1,907
- People arriving, from those returns3,723
- Adjusted gross income arriving$92.9 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$0
- Average income of an arriving household$48,704
- Largest single originLaurens County Non-migrants (22,638 households)
- Largest single destination (22,638 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Laurens County Non-migrants | 22,638 | 46,672 | $1.26 bn |
| Greenville County | 716 | 1,439 | $39.3 m |
| Other flows - Different State | 494 | 939 | $26.8 m |
| Other flows - South | 263 | 478 | $12.9 m |
| Spartanburg County | 196 | 398 | $7.6 m |
| Other flows - Same State | 181 | 340 | $7.4 m |
| Greenwood County | 115 | 239 | $4.5 m |
| Other flows - Northeast | 87 | 171 | $5.0 m |
The largest single source of arrivals is Laurens County Non-migrants, which is the catchment a retail or multifamily study should look at first.
US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Laurens County
What the Laurens County economy runs on
- County GDP, 2024$2.91 bn
- County GDP, 2023$2.78 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20244.9 percent
- GDP change over five years21.6 percent
- Rank by GDP among South Carolina counties23rd
- Rank by GDP among US county-equivalents1000th
- GDP per resident$42,436
Output grew 4.9 percent in the latest year and 21.6 percent over five, which is the trend line a lender will read behind any single year figure.
US Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional, table CAGDP2, CAGDP2, through 2024.
Laurens County
Who employs people in Laurens County
- Covered employment, annual average20,195
- Establishments reporting1,049
- Average annual pay$51,561
- Average weekly wage$992
- Sector 31-33, employment7,000
- Sector 31-33, average annual pay$63,659
- Sector 62, employment1,746
- Sector 62, average annual pay$52,148
- Sector 44-45, employment1,725
- Sector 44-45, average annual pay$30,463
- Sector 72, employment1,239
- Sector 72, average annual pay$18,036
- Sector 48-49, employment915
- Sector 56, employment794
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sector 31-33 | 7,000 | 87 | $63,659 |
| Sector 62 | 1,746 | 117 | $52,148 |
| Sector 44-45 | 1,725 | 174 | $30,463 |
| Sector 72 | 1,239 | 90 | $18,036 |
| Sector 48-49 | 915 | 21 | $60,774 |
| Sector 56 | 794 | 68 | $27,325 |
| Sector 23 | 656 | 87 | $60,451 |
| Sector 61 | 465 | 11 | $55,733 |
The largest sector is the biggest private employer group at 7,000 jobs, 34.7 percent of covered employment. Average pay per job sits below median household income, so households here typically need more than one earner.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Laurens County
What businesses operate in Laurens County
- Establishments, all industries985
- Employment at those establishments17,683
- Annual payroll$822.4 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents14.3
These are counts of establishments physically operating in the county, not listings, so they are the supply side a feasibility study measures demand against.
US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Laurens County
What is being built in Laurens County
- Housing units authorised by permit, 2024621
- Declared construction value permitted$103.0 m
- Single family units authorised621
- Multifamily units authorised0
- Multifamily share of units0.0 percent
- Average declared value per unit$165,862
- Units authorised per 1,000 households23.0
Multifamily is 0.0 percent of units authorised, so the pipeline is predominantly for sale product.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Laurens County
How much SBA lending happens in Laurens County
- 7(a) approvals recorded47
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$19.4 m
- Average 7(a) approval$412,111
- Median 7(a) approval$100,000
- 10th percentile approval$15,000
- 90th percentile approval$1,170,800
- Largest single approval$3,114,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)278
- Jobs per approval5.9
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active16
- Distinct industries receiving approvals34
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer25.5 percent
- Loans on real estate terms12
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter32
- Franchise loans7
- Franchise share of approvals14.9 percent
- Leading industry by approval countPlumbing, Heating, and Air-Conditioning Contractors (5)
- Most active lenderTD Bank, National Association (24)
- 504 approvals recorded7
- 504 gross approval dollars$12.7 m
- Average 504 approval$1,820,571
- Median 504 approval$317,000
- Distinct CDCs active3
- 504 jobs per approval24.3
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved13.3
- Most active CDCCertified Development Corporation of South Carolina (3)
- 7(a) share of SBA approvals87.0 percent
- Combined SBA approval dollars$32.1 m
The average approval of $412,111 sits well above the median of $100,000, so a small number of large deals is pulling the mean up. The median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here actually gets. Only 25.5 percent of approvals run on real estate terms, so SBA credit here is mostly working capital and equipment rather than property acquisition.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30. US Small Business Administration, 504 FOIA release, FY2010 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Laurens County
Do SBA loans in Laurens County get paid back
- Loans with a final outcome recorded16
- Paid in full14
- Charged off2
- Charge off rate on resolved loans12.5 percent
- Status: Paid in full14
- Status: Cancelled10
- Status: Exempt from disclosure21
- Status: Charged off2
Of the 16 loans that have reached a final outcome, 12.5 percent were charged off. This is computed only over resolved loans, because a loan still running has not yet succeeded or failed and counting it either way would be wrong.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Laurens County
Which parts of Laurens County get the lending
- Places in the county with recorded lending7
- Laurens, approvals21
- Clinton, approvals11
- Fountain Inn, approvals6
- Gray Court, approvals6
- WOODRUFF, approvals1
- Waterloo, approvals1
| Place | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Laurens | 21 | $8,185,400 |
| Clinton | 11 | $5,905,900 |
| Fountain Inn | 6 | $3,734,000 |
| Gray Court | 6 | $1,145,900 |
| WOODRUFF | 1 | $25,000 |
| Waterloo | 1 | $350,000 |
| MOUNTVILLE | 1 | $23,000 |
Laurens accounts for 21 approvals against 11 in Clinton. County level figures average over that gap, which is why a site decision is made at the submarket rather than the county.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Laurens County
How big is Laurens County
- Land area714 sq mi
- Rank by land area among South Carolina counties16th of 46
- Width, east to west38.2 mi
- Height, north to south40.2 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary6
- Residents per square mile of land96
- Establishments per square mile1.38
US Census Bureau county boundary geometry, TIGER, adjacency computed from shared boundary vertices, TIGER county boundaries. US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year. US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Coverage
What this page does not hold.
Every item below could be filled with a plausible figure. None of them is. On a page a lender may read, a number that cannot be traced is worse than an absence, so the absences are named.
- No NFIP communities are listed for this county in the FEMA Community Status Book.
- Flood zone record counts are not held. The flood coverage export has not landed, so no count is shown rather than an estimated one.
- Traffic counts resolve in the platform, not in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here.
- Zoning is in build. Parcel level zoning is not published on this page.
Feasibility studies
When a Laurens County site needs a document a lender will accept.
The same data layer behind this page is the one the studies are written from. A study for a Laurens County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population68,666
- Households26,959
- Average household size2.55
- Median household income$57,623
- Median age40.9
Common questions
Laurens County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Laurens County, South Carolina?
68,666, in 26,959 households, ranking 20th of 46 South Carolina counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Laurens County growing?
The population has grown 4.47 percent since the 2020 census base. In 2024 there were 727 births against 958 deaths, with net migration of 1,569. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Laurens County?
$57,623. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $170,600, which is 3.0 times income, and median gross rent is $880 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are there in Laurens County?
985 establishments, employing 17,683 people with an annual payroll of $822.4 m. These are establishments physically operating in the county, not listings. Source: US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
What is the average wage in Laurens County?
Average annual pay is $51,561, or $992 a week, across 20,195 covered jobs. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Laurens County?
47 7(a) approvals totalling $19.4 m since FY2020, across 16 lenders, with a median approval of $100,000, plus 7 504 approvals worth $12.7 m. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
Do SBA loans in Laurens County get paid back?
Of the 16 loans that have reached a final outcome, 14 were paid in full and 2 charged off, a charge off rate of 12.5 percent. Loans still running are excluded, because they have not yet succeeded or failed.
What is being built in Laurens County?
621 housing units were authorised by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $103.0 m. Multifamily was 0.0 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Laurens County?
Zone 2, a predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/L. Source: US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Where do people moving to Laurens County come from?
The largest single origin is Laurens County Non-migrants, with 22,638 households. Arriving households report an average income of $48,704 against null for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Laurens County on this page?
No. Annual average daily traffic resolves in the platform rather than in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here. It is a gap we know about rather than a figure we estimated.
Is zoning published for Laurens County?
Not yet. The zoning layer is in build. Nothing on this page presents parcel level zoning, and where a statutory framework applies it is marked as the statewide frame with confirm locally attached.