South Carolina’s lowest-poverty counties and schools? Right here
Poverty levels in York County remain lower than anywhere else in South Carolina. Lancaster and Chester counties have reason for optimism, too.
The U.S. Census Bureau released poverty estimates Thursday for counties and school districts nationwide. The annual estimates show 2022 was the fifth straight year York County had the lowest poverty rate of the 46 counties in South Carolina. York County had the lowest rate in seven of the past 10 years.
The 8.3% poverty rate was down from 9.7% in 2021. York County saw at least a 25-year high in 2011 at 15.1%, which fell to 14.6% in 2014. Since, the rate almost steadily came down, and hit at least a 25-year low last year.
The 10.6% poverty rate in Lancaster County last year ranked fifth lowest in the state. Lancaster County ranked No. 22 in the state in 2014 but hasn’t finished worse than eighth lowest since. Lancaster County had a 19.7% poverty rate in 2014.
Lancaster County had a lower poverty rate than South Carolina the past eight years and lower than the U.S. rate the past four.
Chester County varied more in the rankings, but overall has seen significant poverty decreases. Last year’s 17.9% rate ranked No. 27. In the past quarter century Chester County ranges from No. 20 in 2006 to No. 39 in 2011 and 2015.
Chester County had a 29.4% poverty rate in 2011 and a 25.7% rate in 2015. The rate hasn’t been 20% or higher since, and generally declined the past seven years. Last year’s rate was 0.6% higher than in 2021, which tied with 2006 as the the lowest rate (17.3%) since 2004.
Childhood poverty in York, Lancaster, Chester counties
The Rock Hill region fares even better with poverty among children. Last year was the fifth straight for York County with the lowest child poverty rate statewide. Lancaster County never finished worse than No. 8 in that span, and twice had the third lowest rate, including last year. Four of those five years Chester County was No. 25.
In the past 14 years, York County has had the lowest child poverty rate statewide nine times. The other five, York County ranked second lowest.
Rates are similar among children of school age, where York County again had the lowest rate statewide the past five years.
School district poverty rates
The Fort Mill School District had a 4.3% poverty rate last year. That number is 0.8% lower than 2021 when Fort Mill schools had the lowest rate in three states. Fort Mill schools had the lowest rate in South Carolina again last year.
The Clover School District had a 7.9% poverty rate last year, behind only Fort Mill and schools in Fort Jackson. Lancaster County schools had the seventh lowest rate statewide at 12%.
The Rock Hill School District was No. 12 at 14.1% and York School District No. 17 at 15.5%. Chester County schools ranked No. 51 at 25.4%.
Fort Mill has the lowest student poverty rate in three states. Here’s how others fare
In the past 25 years, the only lower district poverty rates than Fort Mill last year were Fort Mill in 2019 and 2020. Fort Mill and Clover routinely rank in the top three for lowest poverty. The last time Fort Mill wasn’t lowest in the state was 2009, when the district was second lowest.
Districts in South Carolina get state and federal funding in part based on income levels, one of many ways wealth and poverty affect schools. Higher student poverty rates typically mean more per student money from state and federal sources. The new census data is a basis for Title 1 school funding.
Only two Georgia school districts have poverty rates lower than in Fort Mill. The only North Carolina district lower than Fort Mill is Camp Lejeune schools. The federal rate of 15.5% is more than three times higher than in Fort Mill. The South Carolina rate is 18.4%.
