1. Geography
     Adjacent counties  

2. Climate

3. Demographics
    2000 census  2010 census 

4. Transportation

5. Referendums and elections

6. Communities
    Cities  Towns  Census-designated places  Ghost town 

7. Politics

8. See also

9. References

10. External links

Lexington County is part of the Columbia, SC Metropolitan Statistical Area.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of {{convert|758|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|699|sqmi}} is land and {{convert|59|sqmi}} (7.8%) is water.^[6] 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.^[7]

Demographics

2000 census

As of the census^[13] 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 262,391 people, 102,733 households, and 70,952 families residing in the county.^[14] The population density was {{convert|375.4|PD/sqmi}}. There were 113,957 housing units at an average density of {{convert|163.0|/sqmi}}.^[15] 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.^[14] In terms of ancestry, 17.2% were German, 14.0% were American, 12.5% were English, and 11.8% were Irish.^[16]

Of the 102,733 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.^[14]

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.^[17]

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.^[18] Likewise on November 4, 2014, residents voted to repeal a ban on alcohol sales on Sundays within the county.^[19]

Communities

Cities

• Cayce (partly in Richland County)
• Columbia (mostly in Richland County)
• West Columbia

Towns

• Batesburg-Leesville (partly in Saluda County)
• Chapin
• Gaston
• Gilbert
• Irmo (partly in Richland County)
• Lexington (county seat)
• Pelion
• Pine Ridge
• South Congaree
• Springdale
• Summit
• Swansea

Census-designated places

• Oak Grove
• Red Bank
• Seven Oaks

Ghost town

• Granby

Politics

Lexington is a powerfully Republican county. The last Democrat to carry the county at a Presidential level was Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1944 – 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.^[20] 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,^[22] although as late as 2006 Tommy Moore did manage 44 percent of the vote.^[23] 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.^[24]

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

• {{Cite AmCyc|wstitle=Lexington (county)|display=Lexington, a central county of South Carolina |short=x}}

• The Wanted 18
• The Wanted (2010 album)
• The Wanted (2012 album)
• The Wanted album
• The Wanted discography
• The Wanted (EP)
• The Wanted EP
• The Wanted Life
• The Wanted's third studio album
• The Wanted: The EP
• The Wanted Tour
• The Wanted (US album)
• The Wanters
• The Wanting
• The Wanton Bishops
• The Wanton Looks
• The Wanton of Spain
• The War (2007 film)
• The War Against Crime
• The War Amputations of Canada
• The War and Socialism
• The War and the World
• The Warbanks
• The Warblers
• The War (boxing)