Charleston County is a county located in the state of South Carolina. As of 2000, the population is 309,969. Its county seat is Charleston.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 3,517 km˛ (1,358 mi˛). 2,379 km˛ (919 mi˛) of it is land and 1,139 km˛ (440 mi˛) of it is water. The total area is 32.37% water.
Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there are 309,969 people, 123,326 households, and 77,448 families residing in the county. The population density is 130/km˛ (338/mi˛). There are 141,031 housing units at an average density of 59/km˛ (154/mi˛). The racial makeup of the county is 61.92% White, 34.49% Black or African American, 0.26% Native American, 1.12% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 0.99% from other races, and 1.16% from two or more races. 2.40% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There are 123,326 households out of which 28.70% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.20% are married couples living together, 15.90% have a female householder with no husband present, and 37.20% are non-families. 28.30% of all households are made up of individuals and 8.10% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.42 and the average family size is 3.01.
In the county, the population is spread out with 23.70% under the age of 18, 12.00% from 18 to 24, 30.30% from 25 to 44, 22.00% from 45 to 64, and 11.90% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 34 years. For every 100 females there are 93.50 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 90.50 males.
The median income for a household in the county is $37,810, and the median income for a family is $47,139. Males have a median income of $32,681 versus $25,530 for females. The per capita income for the county is $21,393. 16.40% of the population and 12.40% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 22.90% of those under the age of 18 and 12.70% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.
History
Charleston County and the city of Charleston, its county seat, are the most historic locations in the state. English settlers arrived in the colony of Carolina in 1670 and established a town at Albemarle Point on the west bank of the Ashley River. The settlement, named Charles Town in honor of King Charles II of England, was subsequently moved a few miles away to a peninsula between the Ashley and Cooper rivers.
Charles Town (renamed Charleston in 1783) was the political, social, and economic center of South Carolina throughout the colonial and antebellum periods, and it served as the state capital until 1790. Charleston District was formed in 1769, but portions were later split off to form Colleton (1800) and Berkeley (1882) counties. Present day Charleston County includes the old parishes of St. Philip, St. Michael, Christ Church, St. Andrew, St. John Colleton, and part of St. James Santee. English and French Huguenot settlers and their African slaves built indigo, rice, and cotton plantations along the area's rivers and on its sea islands, while merchants of many nationalities made Charleston one of the busiest ports on the Atlantic.
During the Revolutionary War the American forces defeated the attacking British fleet at Charleston in June 1776; a palmetto log fort (later named Fort Moultrie) on Sullivans Island withstood the British cannon balls, and the palmetto tree was subsequently given a prominent place on the South Carolina flag. At another Charleston fort, Fort Sumter, federal troops were fired on by Confederate forces in April 1861, signalling the start of the Civil War.
Charleston County has had many famous residents, including three signers of the United States Constitution: Charles Pinckney (1757-1824), Charles Cotesworth Pinckney (1746-1825), and John Rutledge (1739-1800). Other residents include architect Robert Mills (1781-1855), writers DuBose Heyward (1885-1940) and Archibald Rutledge (1883-1973), slave leader Denmark Vesey (1767-1822), abolitionists Sarah (1792-1873) and Angelina (1805-1879) Grimke, scientist Ernest Everett Just (1883-1941), and civil rights leader Septima Poinsette Clarke (1898-1987).
Cities and towns
Awendaw
Charleston
Folly Beach
Hollywood
Isle of Palms
Kiawah Island
Lincolnville
McClellanville
Meggett
Mount Pleasant
North Charleston
Ravenel
Rockville
Seabrook Island
Sullivan's Island
External links
