SC Metro Statistics

[Spartan]

• Metropolitan & Micropolitan Area - The US Census defines an area such as this using the following defintion. "...consists of the county or counties associated with at least one core of 10,000 or greater population, plus adjacent counties having a high degree of social and economic integration with the core(s) as measured by commuting ties". If the area is greater than 50K population it is deemed a Metro and Micro if 10K-50K.

  The criteria for grouping counties into a Metropolitan area is based on commuting patterns and employment. The cutoff is if 25% of the employed residents of a county work in the central counties.

• Combined Statistica Area - This is new in 2003. The criteria for CSA's is also based on commuting patterns, but the formula is too complex for this post. See the sources below for more info. The basic idea is that the CSAs have a strong relationship, but they aren't married.

Upstate

In 2003, the US Census redefined how metro areas are defined. This made a number of changes that separated Greenville and Spartanburg completely. Greenville and Anderson are joined only at the CSA level. IT laso added numerous mirco to the CSA level that have not been mentioned before.

Greenville Metropolitan Statistical Area

• Greenville County - 395,357

• Laurens County - 70,269

• Pickens County - 112,859

• Total - 578,485

Greenville-Anderson Combined Statistical Area

[*]Anderson MSA - 171,510 (Anderson County)

[*]Greenville MSA - 578,485

[*]Seneca

[The_sandlapper]

I think growth numbers would be significant as well. I know I've done the math I will have to post how fast those metros are growing now as well.

[Spartan]

Here is the % Change from 2000-2003. I am a little to lazy to go thourgh and put them together by MSA, but feel free to do that.

Actual Change# - %

Anderson 5770 3.5

Beaufort County 11952 2.7

Berkeley 3798 2.7

Calhoun 182 1.2

Charleston 11054 3.6

Cherokee County 1018 1.9

Chester County -162 -0.5

Colleton 909 2.4

Darlington County 562 0.8

Dorchester 7807 8.1

Fairfield 386 1.6

Florence County 2574 2.0

Georgetown County 3127 5.6

Greenville County 15725 4.1

Greenwood County 1232 1.9

Horry County 14128 7.2

Jasper County 320 1.5

Kershaw 1834 3.5

Lancaster 1169 1.9

Laurens 736 1.1

Lexington 10514 4.9

Marlboro -407 -1.4

Newberry 732 2.0

Oconee 2308 3.5

Orangeburg -481 -0.5

Pickens 2102 1.9

Richland 11427 3.6

Saluda -94 .05

Spartanburg 7499 3.0

Sumter 1321 1.3

Union -776 -2.6

Williamsburg -1209 -3.2

York 13447 8.2

[The_sandlapper]

I did but I just have the three fastest growing/ largest counties in the MSA's.

From 2002-2003

Charleston area fastest growing counties

Charleston Co.: #3 in raw number and #7 in % growth

Dorchester Co.: #8 in raw number and #1 in % growth

Berkeley Co.: #11 in raw number and #13 in % growth

Raw number total growth 8,832 & total % growth of 1.8%

Columbia area fastest growing counties:

Rankings:

Richland Co.: #6 in raw number growth & #10 in % growth

Lexington Co.: #5 in raw numder growth & # 5 in % growth

Kershaw Co.: #17 raw number growth& # 8 in % growth

Raw number total growth of 8,273 & % total growth of 1.43% from 02-03.

Greenville area fastest growing counties:

Rankings:

Greenville Co.: #2 in raw number and #9 in % growth

Spartanburg Co: #9 in raw number and # 16 in % growth

Anderson Co.: #12 in raw number and #18 in % growth

Raw number total growth of 8,092 & total % growth of 0.96%

All calculations based on the census.

Census Data

So in summary:

Raw numbers (02-03 3 fastest growing counties in their respective MSA)

1. Charleston 8,832

2. Columbia 8,273

3. Greenville 8,092

% Growth (02-03 3 fastest growing counties in their respective MSA)

1. Charleston 1.8%

2. Columbia 1.43%

3. Greenville 0.96%

[The_sandlapper]

From Census to Census (1990-2000) SC metros shake down like this:

Nationally

# 14. Myrtle Beach 36.5%

# 29. Rock Hill-Charlotte 29.02%

# 82. Columbia 18.39%

# 115. Greenville-Spartanburg-Anderson 15.88%

# 124. Aiken-Augusta 15%

# 186. Florence 9.98%

#205. Charleston-N. Charleston 8.32%

# 274. Sumter 1.96%

Census

[Topher1]

Here is the % Change from 2000-2003. I am a little to lazy to go thourgh and put them together by MSA, but feel free to do that.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I have some free time at work today, so I just wanted to add in the counties you left off... Mostly small time counties with the exception of Aiken Co.

Actual Change# - %

Abbeville +214 +0.8%

Aiken +4,184 +2.9%

Allendale -277 -2.5%

Bamberg -618 -3.7%

Barnwell -109 -0.9%

Chesterfield +483 +1.1%

Clarendon +369 +1.1%

Dillon +305 +1.0%

Edgefield +108 +0.4%

Hampton +5 +0%

Lee +212 +1.1%

McCormick +275 +2.8%

Marion -353 -1.0%

[Charleston native]

• Metropolitan & Micropolitan Area - The US Census defines an area such as this using the following defintion.  "...consists of the county or counties associated with at least one core of 10,000 or greater population, plus adjacent counties having a high degree of social and economic integration with the core(s) as measured by commuting ties".  If the area is greater than 50K population it is deemed a Metro and  Micro if 10K-50K. 

  Columbia Metropolitan Statistical Area

  • Calhoun County - 15,367

  • Farfield County - 23,840

  • Kershaw County - 54,481

  • Lexington County - 226,528

  • Richland County - 332,104

  • Saluda County - 19,087

  • Total - 671,407

  Columbia-Newberry CSA

  [*]Columbia MSA - 671,407

  [*]Newberry

[waccamatt]

Wait a sec...hold on. Columbia's Metro area consists of THAT many counties?  I thought the metro area only included Richland, Lexington, and Kershaw. I mean, Charleston does have the Lowcountry, but Georgetown, Colleton, Beaufort, and Jasper counties are not considered part of it.

Let me go to the census website and see if I'm wrong...don't quote me on any of this yet.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Don't be shocked to see Sumter and Orangeburg counties added in the not too distant future, either. An awful lot of people work in Columbia from those counties.

[Charleston native]

Don't be shocked to see Sumter and Orangeburg counties added in the not too distant future, either. An awful lot of people work in Columbia from those counties.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I wonder if Sumter would try to become its own MSA? Also, is the MSA around here just Columbia, or is it Columbia-Lexington? From what I've been reading about Lexington, it is the main area that is booming. I know the phone book is already including Lex as a primary city.

[vicupstate]

[*]So, the MSA rank for SC goes like this:

1. Columbia - 671,407

2. Greenville - 578,485

3. Charleston - 571,631

4. Spartanburg - 261,281

5. Myrtle Beach - 210,757

6. Florence - 196,291

7. Anderson - 171,510

8. Sumter - 105,957

Population amounts, US Census, July 1, 2003 estimate

Metropolitan and Micropolitan Statistical Area Definitions

Combined Statistical Areas

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

As you can see, Sumter is already an MSA.

[monsoon]

I wonder if Sumter would try to become its own MSA?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

There is nothing an area can do to become part of an MSA or not. It is determined by the Federal OMB using numbers from the US Census. These are important for many federal funding programs and are subject to strict formulas based on commuting patterns. Sumter is no doubt part of the Columbia MSA because significant numbers of Sumter residents go there to work.

[waccamatt]

I wonder if Sumter would try to become its own MSA? Also, is the MSA around here just Columbia, or is it Columbia-Lexington? From what I've been reading about Lexington, it is the main area that is booming. I know the phone book is already including Lex as a primary city.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

It's just Columbia. There are 3 high growth areas in the Columbia metro area: Northeast Richland County, Northwest Richland/Northern Lexington Counties/northside of Lake Murray and the area around the town of Lexington/southside of Lake Murray. Sumter is its own metro area, but with little job growth there, alot of people commute to Columbia. That's why I think Sumter County might be added in the next census. Also, be on the lookout for some large population increases (by percentage) in Kershaw County this decade. Columbia has spilled over the county line. Except for a few remaining farms along U.S. 1 (Two Notch Road), the area is urban or suburban almost the entire 35 miles from downtown Columbia to downtown Camden.

[Charleston native]

Excellent. Thanks you guys, I feel a little more clued in, now!

[vicupstate]

As for Kershaw County, I've been hearing that for decades. The County previously had no water or sewer infrastructure to speak of. That is what has held the area back from developing. Unless that has changed, I doubt the population will grow much faster.

[monsoon]

So, the MSA rank for SC goes like this:

1. Columbia - 671,407

2. Greenville - 578,485

3. Charleston - 571,631

4. Spartanburg - 261,281

5. Myrtle Beach - 210,757

6. Florence - 196,291

7. Anderson - 171,510

8. Sumter - 105,957

A note. If York county was included in this list, it would be #7, maybe and #5 if you assume that Lancaster would be included in its MSA.

[waccamatt]

As for Kershaw County, I've been hearing that for decades.  The County previously had no water or sewer infrastructure to speak of.  That is what has held the area back from developing.  Unless that has changed, I doubt the population will grow much faster.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

It is happening now. Next time you're in the area drive out Two Notch Road all the way into Kershaw County.