Editing Aiken County, South Carolina

{{Short description|County in South Carolina, United States}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox U.S. county
 | county               = Aiken County
 | state                = South Carolina
 | seal                 = Aiken County Seal.jpg
 | founded              = 1871
 | named for            = [[William Aiken]]
 | seat wl              = Aiken
 | largest city wl      = Aiken
 | city type            = community
 | area_total_sq_mi     = 1080.17
 | area_land_sq_mi      = 1070.69
 | area_water_sq_mi     = 9.48
 | area percentage      = 0.88
 | population_as_of     = 2020
 | population_total     = 168808
 | pop_est_as_of        = 2023
 | population_est       = 177130 {{gain}}
 | density_sq_mi        = auto
 | coordinates          = {{coord|33.55|-81.63|type:adm2nd_region:US-SC_source:USCensusBureau2020gazetteerfiles|display=inline,title}}
 | web                  = www.aikencountysc.gov
 | time zone           = Eastern
 | ex image             = Aiken County Courthouse Aug 2007.jpg
 | ex image cap         = Aiken County Courthouse and Confederate Monument
 | district             = 2nd }}

'''Aiken County''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|eɪ|k|ən}}) is a [[County (United States)|county]] in the [[U.S. state]] of [[South Carolina]]. As of the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]], its population was 168,808.<ref name="2020CensusQuickFacts"/> Its [[county seat]] and largest community is [[Aiken, South Carolina|Aiken]].<ref name="GR6">{{cite web|url=http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |access-date=June 7, 2011 |title=Find a County |publisher=National Association of Counties |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110531210815/http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |archive-date=May 31, 2011 }}</ref> Aiken County is a part of the [[Augusta, Georgia|Augusta]]-[[Richmond County, Georgia|Richmond County]], [[Georgia (U.S. state)|GA]]-SC [[Augusta, Georgia metropolitan area|Metropolitan Statistical Area]]. It is mostly in the [[Sandhills (Carolina)|Sandhills]] region, with the northern parts reaching in the [[Piedmont (United States)|Piedmont]] and southern parts reaching into the [[Atlantic Coastal Plain|Coastal Plain]].

==History==
In the colonial era the area that is now Aiken County was part of Edgefield and Orangeburgh Districts. The majority of the population were immigrant farmers.
Most of whom were from the rural parts of [[Lincolnshire]], England; however, very few were from the town of [[Lincoln, England|Lincoln]]. Virtually all of the farmers from Lincolnshire came to the colony as indentured servants in the 1730s and 1740s. However, by the 1750s, almost all of the Lincolnshire settlers in what is now Aiken County were living on their own private land, almost exclusively engaging in [[subsistence agriculture]] on [[smallholding]] farms. Many immigrants also came from the rural eastern half of the English county of [[Nottinghamshire]]. Specifically, many indentured servants came from the towns of [[Newark-on-Trent]], [[Winthorpe, Nottinghamshire|Winthorpe]], [[Coddington, Nottinghamshire|Coddington]], [[Balderton]], [[Kelham]] and [[Farndon, Nottinghamshire|Farndon]]. A third group of English farmers settled in the colony, mostly arriving not as individual indentured servants but as entire family units, coming from the [[Derbyshire Dales]] region of the English county of [[Derbyshire]]; these settlers primarily originated in the three towns of [[Ashbourne, Derbyshire|Ashbourne]], [[Bakewell]] and [[Matlock, England|Matlock]] as well as the farm country surrounding these towns. These settlers also settled on lands in between the Savannah River in the west and the towns of Berlin and Jones Crossroads in the east, all arriving in what has since become Aiken County in the 1740s. A numerically smaller but influential migration came to what has since become Aiken County in the form of [[Presbyterian]] immigrants of Scottish ancestry who came from [[County Antrim]] and the northern portion of [[County Down]] in [[Ireland]], as well as small numbers from the town of [[Kesh, County Fermanagh|Kesh]] in [[County Fermanagh]], [[Ireland]]. This population referred to themselves as "Ulstermen" and "Irish Presbyterians" but were known in the colonies as "Scots-Irish" settlers, though this was not a term they self-applied. They too arrived in the 1740s.<ref>Thomas Bell, Ulster Scot, to South Carolina and Allied Families by Dorothy Edmonson and Louis Carr Henry</ref><ref>Scotch Irish Pioneers in Ulster and America by Charles Knowles Bolton</ref><ref>Lost Aiken County by Alexia Jones Helsley pg. 35</ref><ref>Migrants, Immigrants, and Slaves: Racial and Ethnic Groups in America by George Henderson, Thompson Dele Olasiji pg. 54</ref> The area that has since become Aiken County had a significantly high number of first generation British immigrants who fought for the Patriot cause in the revolutionary war.<ref>South Carolina Loyalists in the American Revolution by Robert Stansbury Lambert</ref>

Both Aiken County and its county seat of [[Aiken, SC|Aiken]] are named after [[William Aiken]] (1779–1831), the first president of the [[South Carolina Canal and Railroad Company|South Carolina Railroad Company]].<ref>{{cite book|author=Federal Writers' Project|author-link=Federal Writers' Project|title=Palmetto Place Names|url=https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=uc1.c056089075&view=1up&seq=17|year=1941|publisher=Sloane printing co.|page=11}}</ref> Aiken County was organized during the [[Reconstruction era]] in 1871 from portions of [[Barnwell County, South Carolina|Barnwell]], [[Edgefield County, South Carolina|Edgefield]], [[Lexington County, South Carolina|Lexington]], and [[Orangeburg County, South Carolina|Orangeburg]] counties.<ref name="History1">{{cite web |url=http://www.statelibrary.sc.gov/aiken-county.html |title=History |access-date=March 29, 2008 |date=March 19, 2007 |author=Mary Morgan |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080220161754/http://www.statelibrary.sc.gov/aiken-county.html |archive-date=February 20, 2008 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

[[Prince Rivers]], a [[freedman]] and state legislator from Edgefield County, had been a leader in the [[United States Colored Troops]]. He was named to head the commission that drew the new county's boundary lines. He was dubbed "The Black Prince" by local newspapers, including the ''Edgefield Advertiser.'' He also led the commission that selected the site of Aiken County's present-day courthouse. Other freedmen who were part of the founding of the county were [[Samuel J. Lee]], speaker of the state House and the first black man admitted to the [[South Carolina Bar]]; and [[Charles D. Hayne]], a [[free people of color|free man of color]] from one of Charleston's elite families.<ref name="nesbitt">[http://augustachronicle.com/stories/021604/met_321095.shtml Jim Nesbitt, "County, once booming, now shadows town it used to rival"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081120172515/http://www.augustachronicle.com/stories/021604/met_321095.shtml |date=November 20, 2008 }}, ''Augusta Chronicle'', February 16, 2004</ref>

Political tensions kept rising in South Carolina during the 1870s, especially around elections. In the months before the 1876 elections, Aiken County was one of the areas to suffer white paramilitary [[Red Shirts (Southern United States)|Red Shirts]] attacks and violence directed against black Republicans to suppress the black vote. Between the [[Hamburg Massacre]] in July and several days of rioting in September in [[Ellenton, South Carolina|Ellenton]], more than 100 black men were killed by white paramilitary groups in this county. Two white men died in the violence.<ref name="nesbitt"/>

In the late 19th century, the county became a popular winter refuge for affluent Northerners, who built luxury housing. The county remains popular with horse trainers and professional riders because mild winters allow lengthy training seasons.

In the 1950s, Aiken County (along with the nearby counties of [[Allendale County, South Carolina|Allendale]] and [[Barnwell County, South Carolina|Barnwell]]) was chosen as the location for storage and production of nuclear materials and various fissile materials, now known as the [[Savannah River Site]]. [[Ellenton, South Carolina]] was acquired and its buildings demolished for its development of this plant. Its residents and businesses were moved north about eight miles to [[New Ellenton, South Carolina|New Ellenton]], and about 5 miles south to the town of [[Jackson, South Carolina|Jackson]] just outside the entrance to the Savannah River Site, Developed during [[Cold War]] tensions, the facility is scheduled for decommissioning of various parts of the site.<ref name="History1"/>

==Geography==
{{maplink|frame=yes|zoom=8|id=Q404898|type=shape-inverse|text=Interactive map of Aiken County}}
According to the [[U.S. Census Bureau]], the county has a total area of {{convert|1080.17|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|1070.69|sqmi}} is land and {{convert|9.48|sqmi}} (0.88%) is water.<ref>{{Cite web |date=August 23, 2022 |title=2020 County Gazetteer Files – South Carolina |url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2020_Gazetteer/2020_gaz_counties_45.txt |access-date=September 10, 2023 |publisher=United States Census Bureau}}</ref> It is the fourth-largest county in South Carolina by land area.

===State and local protected areas/sites===
* [[Aiken Gopher Tortoise Heritage Preserve/Wildlife Management Area]]<ref name="SCDNR Public Lands">{{Cite web |title=SCDNR Public Lands |url=https://www2.dnr.sc.gov/ManagedLands/ManagedLand/County |access-date=April 1, 2023 |website=www2.dnr.sc.gov}}</ref>
* [[Aiken State Park]]
* [[Audubon's Silver Bluff Center and Sanctuary]]<ref>{{Cite web |date= |title=Audubon's Silver Bluff Sanctuary |url=https://sc.audubon.org/visit/silver-bluff |access-date=April 8, 2024 |website=Audubon South Carolina |language=en}}</ref>
* [[Britton Mims Place]]
* [[Battle of Aiken]]
* [[Bear Branch Heritage Preserve]]<ref name="SCDNR Public Lands"/>
* [[Crackerneck Wildlife Management Area and Ecological Reserve]]<ref name="SCDNR Public Lands"/>
* [[Ditch Pond Heritage Preserve/Wildlife Management Area]]<ref name="SCDNR Public Lands"/>
* [[Gopher Branch Heritage Preserve]]<ref name="SCDNR Public Lands"/>
* [[Graniteville Historic District (South Carolina)|Graniteville Historic District]]
* [[Henderson Heritage Preserve/Wildlife Management Area]]<ref name="SCDNR Public Lands"/>
* [[Janet Harrison High Pond Heritage Preserve]]<ref name="SCDNR Public Lands"/>
* [[Redcliffe Plantation State Historic Site]]
* [[Vaucluse Mill Village Historic District]]

===Major water bodies===
* [[Bridge Creek (South Carolina)|Bridge Creek]]
* [[Edisto River|North Fork Edisto River]]
* [[Edisto River|South Fork Edisto River]]
* [[Savannah River]]
* [[Shaw Creek (South Carolina)|Shaw Creek]]

===Adjacent counties===
* [[Saluda County, South Carolina|Saluda County]] – north
* [[Lexington County, South Carolina|Lexington County]] – northeast
* [[Orangeburg County, South Carolina|Orangeburg County]] – east
* [[Barnwell County, South Carolina|Barnwell County]] – south
* [[Burke County, Georgia]] – southwest
* [[Edgefield County, South Carolina|Edgefield County]] – west
* [[Richmond County, Georgia]] – west

===Major highways===
{{div col|colwidth=18em}}
* {{Jct|state=SC|I|20}}
* {{Jct|state=SC|I|520}}
* {{Jct|state=SC|US|1}}
* {{Jct|state=SC|US-Truck|1|dab1=Aiken}}
* {{Jct|state=SC|US|25}}
* {{Jct|state=SC|US-Bus|25|dab1=North Augusta}}
* {{Jct|state=SC|US-Conn|25|dab1=North Augusta}}
* {{Jct|state=SC|US|78}}
* {{Jct|state=SC|US-Truck|78|dab1=Aiken}}
* {{Jct|state=SC|US|278}}
* {{Jct|state=SC|SC|4}}
* {{Jct|state=SC|SC-Truck|4|dab1=Aiken–Kitchings Mill}}
* {{Jct|state=SC|SC|5}}
* {{Jct|state=SC|SC|19}}
* {{Jct|state=SC|SC-Conn|19|dab1=Aiken}}
* {{Jct|state=SC|SC-Truck|19|dab1=Aiken}}
* {{Jct|state=SC|SC|34}}
* {{Jct|state=SC|SC|39}}
* {{Jct|state=SC|SC-Conn|39|dab1=Jones Crossroads}}
* {{Jct|state=SC|SC|73}}
* {{Jct|state=SC|SC|121}}
* {{Jct|state=SC|SC|125}}
* {{Jct|state=SC|SC-Conn|125|dab1=North Augusta}}
* {{Jct|state=SC|SC-Truck|125|dab1=North Augusta}}
* {{Jct|state=SC|SC|191}}
* {{Jct|state=SC|SC|230}}
* {{Jct|state=SC|SC|302}}
* {{Jct|state=SC|SC|394}}
{{div col end}}

===Major infrastructure===
* [[Aiken Regional Airport]]
* [[Savannah River Site]] (part)

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1880= 28112
|1890= 31822
|1900= 39032
|1910= 41849
|1920= 45574
|1930= 47403
|1940= 49916
|1950= 53137
|1960= 81038
|1970= 91023
|1980= 105625
|1990= 120940
|2000= 142552
|2010= 160099
|2020= 168808
|estyear=2023
|estimate=177130
|estref=<ref name="2020CensusQuickFacts"/>
|align-fn=center
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html |title=U.S. Decennial Census |publisher=United States Census Bureau |access-date=March 15, 2015 }}</ref><br />1790–1960<ref>{{cite web|url=http://mapserver.lib.virginia.edu|title=Historical Census Browser|publisher=University of Virginia Library|access-date=March 15, 2015}}</ref> 1900–1990<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/population/cencounts/sc190090.txt|title=Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990|publisher=United States Census Bureau|editor-last=Forstall|editor-first=Richard L.|date=March 27, 1995|access-date=March 15, 2015}}</ref><br />1990–2000<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/https://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf |archive-date=October 9, 2022 |url-status=live|title=Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000|publisher=United States Census Bureau|date=April 2, 2001|access-date=March 15, 2015}}</ref> 2010<ref name="QF"/> 2020<ref name="2020CensusQuickFacts">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/aikencountysouthcarolina|title=QuickFacts: Aiken County, South Carolina.|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=March 22, 2024}}</ref>
}}

===2020 census===
{| class="wikitable"
|+Aiken County racial composition<ref>{{Cite web|title=Explore Census Data|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?g=0500000US45003&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2|access-date=December 14, 2021|website=data.census.gov}}</ref>
!Race
!Num.
!Perc.
|-
|[[White (U.S. Census)|White]] (non-Hispanic)
|107,918
|63.93%
|-
|[[African American (U.S. Census)|Black or African American]] (non-Hispanic)
|39,465
|23.38%
|-
|[[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]]
|530
|0.31%
|-
|[[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]]
|1,773
|1.05%
|-
|[[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]]
|96
|0.06%
|-
|[[Race (United States Census)|Other/Mixed]]
|7,500
|4.44%
|-
|[[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]]
|11,526
|6.83%
|}

As of the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]], there were 168,808 people, 67,889 households, and 43,932 families residing in the county.

===2010 census===
At the [[2010 United States census|2010 census]], there were 160,099&nbsp;people, 64,253&nbsp;households, and 43,931&nbsp;families living in the county.<ref name="census-dp1">{{cite web
  |url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/DPDP1/0500000US45003
  |title=DP-1 Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Demographic Profile Data
  |access-date=March 9, 2016
  |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]
  |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213034245/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/DPDP1/0500000US45003
  |archive-date=February 13, 2020
  |url-status=dead
  }}</ref><ref name="QF">{{cite web |title=State & County QuickFacts |url=http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/45/45003.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110606125450/http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/45/45003.html |archive-date=June 6, 2011 |access-date=November 22, 2013 |publisher=United States Census Bureau}}</ref> The population density was {{convert|149.5|PD/sqmi}}. There were 72,249 housing units at an average density of {{convert|67.5|/sqmi}}.<ref name="census-density">{{cite web
  |url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/GCTPH1.CY07/0500000US45003
  |access-date=March 9, 2016
  |title=Population, Housing Units, Area, and Density: 2010 - County
  |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]
  |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213183223/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/GCTPH1.CY07/0500000US45003
  |archive-date=February 13, 2020
  |url-status=dead
  }}</ref> The racial makeup of the county was 69.6% white, 24.6% black or African American, 0.8% Asian, 0.4% American Indian, 2.6% from other races, and 1.9% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 4.9% of the population.<ref name="census-dp1"/> In terms of ancestry, 20.6% were [[Americans|American]], 10.0% were [[English people|English]], 9.9% were [[Germans|German]], and 8.6% were [[Irish people|Irish]].<ref name="census-dp2">{{cite web
  |url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/10_5YR/DP02/0500000US45003
  |title=DP02 SELECTED SOCIAL CHARACTERISTICS IN THE UNITED STATES – 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates
  |access-date=March 9, 2016
  |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]
  |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213014838/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/10_5YR/DP02/0500000US45003
  |archive-date=February 13, 2020
  |url-status=dead
  }}</ref>

Of the 64,253&nbsp;households, 31.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.3% were married couples living together, 14.4% had a female householder with no husband present, 31.6% were non-families, and 26.9% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.45 and the average family size was 2.96. The median age was 40.0 years.<ref name="census-dp1"/>

The median income for a household in the county was $44,468 and the median income for a family was $57,064. Males had a median income of $44,436 versus $33,207 for females. The per capita income for the county was $24,172. About 13.4% of families and 16.6% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 23.7% of those under age 18 and 13.3% of those age 65 or over.<ref name="census-dp3">{{cite web
  |url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/10_5YR/DP03/0500000US45003
  |title=DP03 SELECTED ECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS – 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates
  |access-date=March 9, 2016
  |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]
  |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213025413/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/10_5YR/DP03/0500000US45003
  |archive-date=February 13, 2020
  |url-status=dead
  }}</ref>

The following is from the 2010 Census Total Population : 160,099 (100.00%)

Population by Race
American Indian and Alaska native alone 682 (0.43%)
Asian alone 1,329 (0.83%)
Black or African American alone 39,354 (24.58%)
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific native alone 61 (0.04%)
Some other race alone 4,126 (2.58%)
Two or more races 3,090 (1.93%)
White alone 111,457 (69.62%)

Population by Hispanic or Latino Origin (of any race)
Persons Not of Hispanic or Latino Origin 152,275 (95.11%)
Persons of Hispanic or Latino Origin 7,824 (4.89%)

Population by Gender
Female 82,549 (51.56%)
Male 77,550 (48.44%)

Population by Age
Persons 0 to 4 years 10,046 (6.27%)
Persons 5 to 17 years 26,782 (16.73%)
Persons 18 to 64 years (98,652) 61.62%
Persons 65 years and over 24,619 (15.38%)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://censusviewer.com/county/SC/Aiken/2010 |title=2010 Census Population of Aiken County, South Carolina |publisher=CensusViewer |access-date=July 31, 2014}}</ref>

===2000 census===
At the [[2000 United States census|2000 census]],<ref name="GR8">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=May 14, 2011 |title=U.S. Census website }}</ref> there were 142,552 people, 55,587 households, and 39,411 families living in the county. The [[population density]] was {{convert|133|PD/sqmi|/km2}}. There were 61,987 housing units at an average density of {{convert|58|/mi2|/km2}}. The racial makeup of the county was 71.37% [[Race (United States Census)|White]], 25.56% [[Race (United States Census)|Black]] or [[Race (United States Census)|African American]], 0.40% [[Race (United States Census)|Native American]], 0.63% [[Race (United States Census)|Asian]], 0.03% Pacific Islander, and 1.18% from two or more races. 2.12% of the population were [[Race (United States Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Race (United States Census)|Latino]] of any race. 22.0% were of [[United States|American]], 9.7% [[English people|English]], 8.4% [[Germans|German]] and 7.9% [[Irish people|Irish]] ancestry according to [[Census 2000]].

There were 55,587 households, out of which 33.10% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.30% were married couples living together, 13.80% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.10% were non-families. 25.20% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.20% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.53 and the average family size was 3.03.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 26.20% under the age of 18, 8.80% from 18 to 24, 28.90% from 25 to 44, 23.30% from 45 to 64, and 12.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.90 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.20 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $37,889, and the median income for a family was $45,769. Males had a median income of $36,743 versus $23,810 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the county was $18,772. About 10.60% of families and 13.80% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 18.90% of those under age 18 and 12.50% of those age 65 or over.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/ACSSAFFFacts?_event=&geo_id=05000US45003&_geoContext=01000US%7C04000US45%7C05000US45003&_street=&_county=Aiken+County&_cityTown=Aiken+County&_state=&_zip=&_lang=en&_sse=on&ActiveGeoDiv=&_useEV=&pctxt=fph&pgsl=050&_submenuId=factsheet_1&ds_name=null&_ci_nbr=null&qr_name=null&reg=null%3Anull&_keyword=&_industry=|archive-url= https://archive.today/20200211175809/http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/ACSSAFFFacts?_event=&geo_id=05000US45003&_geoContext=01000US%7C04000US45%7C05000US45003&_street=&_county=Aiken+County&_cityTown=Aiken+County&_state=&_zip=&_lang=en&_sse=on&ActiveGeoDiv=&_useEV=&pctxt=fph&pgsl=050&_submenuId=factsheet_1&ds_name=null&_ci_nbr=null&qr_name=null&reg=null:null&_keyword=&_industry=|url-status= dead|archive-date= February 11, 2020|title= US Census Bureau Demographics Data|publisher= Factfinder.census.gov|access-date= July 31, 2014}}</ref>

==Law and government==
Gary Bunker is the Chairman of the Aiken County Council. The other members and their districts are as follows:<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.aikencountysc.gov/|title=Aiken County Government|website=Aikencountysc.gov|access-date=June 8, 2019}}</ref>
* Kathy Rawls – district 1
* Camille Furgiuele – district 2
* Danny Feagin – district 3
* Chuck Smith – district 4
* Sandy Haskell – district 5
* Phil Napier – district 6
* Andrew Siders – district 7
* Willar H. Hightower Jr. – district 8<ref name="Govt">{{cite web|url=http://aikencountysc.gov/SGovernment.cfm|title=Aiken County Government|access-date=March 29, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080306020121/http://www.aikencountysc.gov/SGovernment.cfm|archive-date=March 6, 2008|url-status=dead}}</ref>
* Mike Hunt- Aiken County Sheriff<ref name="Govt2">{{cite web|url=http://www.aikencountysheriff.org/ |title=Welcome to the Aiken County Sheriff |publisher=Aikencountysheriff.org |access-date=July 31, 2014}}</ref>

===Politics===
Aiken County was one of the first counties in South Carolina to break away from a "Solid South" voting pattern. It has gone Republican in every presidential election since 1956. It even rejected [[southern Democrats]] such as [[Lyndon Johnson]] of [[Texas]], [[Jimmy Carter]] of [[Georgia (U.S. state)|Georgia]], [[Bill Clinton]] of [[Arkansas]] or [[Al Gore]] of [[Tennessee]]. Carter is the last Democrat to manage even 40 percent of the county's vote. However, it has trended more liberal in recent years, giving [[Bob Dole]] in 1996 a greater proportion of the vote than [[Donald Trump]] in 2016, despite Dole losing decisively to Bill Clinton nationally, and Donald Trump [[List of United States presidential elections by Electoral College margin| winning the Electoral College 304-227]].

The Republican trend runs through the local level as well. While conservative Democrats held most state and local offices well into the 1990s, today there are almost no elected Democrats left above the county level.

{{PresHead|place=Aiken County, South Carolina|whig=no|source1=<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS|title=Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections|last=Leip|first=David|website=uselectionatlas.org|access-date=March 13, 2018}}</ref>}}
<!-- PresRow should be {{PresRow|Year|Winning party|GOP/Whig vote #|Dem vote #|3rd party vote #|State}} -->
{{PresRow|2024|Republican|53,592|31,298|1,201|South Carolina}}
{{PresRow|2020|Republican|51,589|32,275|1,321|South Carolina}}
{{PresRow|2016|Republican|46,025|25,455|3,371|South Carolina}}
{{PresRow|2012|Republican|44,042|25,322|999|South Carolina}}
{{PresRow|2008|Republican|42,849|26,101|820|South Carolina}}
{{PresRow|2004|Republican|39,077|19,799|616|South Carolina}}
{{PresRow|2000|Republican|33,203|16,409|1,170|South Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1996|Republican|26,539|14,314|2,221|South Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1992|Republican|25,731|14,802|6,245|South Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1988|Republican|27,665|10,598|244|South Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1984|Republican|25,872|9,892|369|South Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1980|Republican|18,570|13,014|785|South Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1976|Republican|16,011|14,927|235|South Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1972|Republican|21,117|5,745|545|South Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1968|Republican|12,264|6,319|8,815|South Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1964|Republican|17,467|7,622|0|South Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1960|Republican|10,715|6,674|0|South Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1956|Republican|6,195|4,280|1,821|South Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1952|Democratic|4,282|4,346|0|South Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1948|Dixiecrat|115|572|4,612|South Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1944|Democratic|60|2,403|170|South Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1940|Democratic|89|2,772|0|South Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1936|Democratic|35|3,298|0|South Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1932|Democratic|47|3,346|0|South Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1928|Democratic|242|1,308|3|South Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1924|Democratic|16|1,488|5|South Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1920|Democratic|64|1,649|0|South Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1916|Democratic|26|1,750|11|South Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1912|Democratic|2|1,452|4|South Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1908|Democratic|48|1,990|0|South Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1904|Democratic|35|1,672|0|South Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1900|Democratic|53|1,470|0|South Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1896|Democratic|137|1,819|11|South Carolina}}
{{PresFoot|1892|Democratic|396|1,802|70|South Carolina}}

==Economy==
In 2022, the GDP of Aiken County was $8.6 billion (approx. $48,344 per capita).<ref>{{Cite web |last=U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis |date=2001-01-01 |title=Gross Domestic Product: All Industries in Aiken County, SC |url=https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/GDPALL45003 |access-date=2024-04-28 |website=FRED, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis}}</ref> In [[Chained dollars|chained 2017 dollars]], its real GDP was $7.1 billion (approx. $42,060 per capita).<ref>{{Cite web |last=U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis |date=2001-01-01 |title=Real Gross Domestic Product: All Industries in Aiken County, SC |url=https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/REALGDPALL45003 |access-date=2024-04-28 |website=FRED, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis}}</ref> Between 2021 and 2024, the unemployment rate has fluctuated around 3%.<ref>{{Cite web |last=U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics |date=1990-01-01 |title=Unemployment Rate in Aiken County, SC |url=https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/SCAIKE0URN |access-date=2024-04-28 |website=FRED, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis}}</ref> {{As of|2024|April}}, some of the largest employers in the county include [[Aiken Regional Medical Center]], [[Bridgestone]], [[Hubbell Incorporated]], [[Kimberly-Clark]], [[Savannah River Site|Savanah River Nuclear Solutions (SRNS)]], [[Shaw Industries]], [[The UPS Store|UPS]], and [[Walmart]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite journal |date=April 19, 2024 |title=Aiken County |url=https://lmi.dew.sc.gov/lmi%20site/Documents/CommunityProfiles/04000003.pdf |journal=Community Profiles |publisher=S.C. Department of Employment & Workforce - Business Intelligence Department |publication-place=Columbia, SC |issue=04000003}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+ Employment and Wage Statistics by Industry in Aiken County, South Carolina<ref name=":0" />
! style="text-align:left;" | Industry
! style="text-align:right;" | Employment Counts
! style="text-align:right;" | Employment Percentage (%)
! style="text-align:right;" | Average Annual Wage ($)
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | Accommodation and Food Services || style="text-align:right;" | 6,332 || style="text-align:right;" | 9.9 || style="text-align:right;" | 19,136
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services || style="text-align:right;" | 9,749 || style="text-align:right;" | 15.2 || style="text-align:right;" | 87,516
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting || style="text-align:right;" | 246 || style="text-align:right;" | 0.4 || style="text-align:right;" | 53,404
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation || style="text-align:right;" | 1,115 || style="text-align:right;" | 1.7 || style="text-align:right;" | 21,424
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | Construction || style="text-align:right;" | 5,781 || style="text-align:right;" | 9.0 || style="text-align:right;" | 82,316
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | Educational Services || style="text-align:right;" | 4,313 || style="text-align:right;" | 6.7 || style="text-align:right;" | 52,572
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | Finance and Insurance || style="text-align:right;" | 1,011 || style="text-align:right;" | 1.6 || style="text-align:right;" | 67,808
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | Health Care and Social Assistance || style="text-align:right;" | 7,217 || style="text-align:right;" | 11.2 || style="text-align:right;" | 49,972
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | Information || style="text-align:right;" | 458 || style="text-align:right;" | 0.7 || style="text-align:right;" | 62,400
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | Management of Companies and Enterprises || style="text-align:right;" | 114 || style="text-align:right;" | 0.2 || style="text-align:right;" | 92,612
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | Manufacturing || style="text-align:right;" | 8,739 || style="text-align:right;" | 13.6 || style="text-align:right;" | 71,448
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction || style="text-align:right;" | 138 || style="text-align:right;" | 0.2 || style="text-align:right;" | 73,684
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | Other Services (except Public Administration) || style="text-align:right;" | 1,693 || style="text-align:right;" | 2.6 || style="text-align:right;" | 46,436
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services || style="text-align:right;" | 3,388 || style="text-align:right;" | 5.3 || style="text-align:right;" | 102,908
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | Public Administration || style="text-align:right;" | 2,564 || style="text-align:right;" | 4.0 || style="text-align:right;" | 63,024
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | Real Estate and Rental and Leasing || style="text-align:right;" | 462 || style="text-align:right;" | 0.7 || style="text-align:right;" | 48,984
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | Retail Trade || style="text-align:right;" | 7,320 || style="text-align:right;" | 11.4 || style="text-align:right;" | 31,824
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | Transportation and Warehousing || style="text-align:right;" | 2,417 || style="text-align:right;" | 3.8 || style="text-align:right;" | 52,260
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | Utilities || style="text-align:right;" | 374 || style="text-align:right;" | 0.6 || style="text-align:right;" | 86,372
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | Wholesale Trade || style="text-align:right;" | 825 || style="text-align:right;" | 1.3 || style="text-align:right;" | 60,060
|-
| style="text-align:left; font-weight:bold;" | '''Total''' || style="text-align:right; font-weight:bold;" | '''64,256''' || style="text-align:right; font-weight:bold;" | '''100.0%''' || style="text-align:right; font-weight:bold;" | '''60,220'''
|}

==Education==
The only school district covering sections of the county is [[Aiken County School District]], which covers the majority of the county. A portion of the county is not in any school district,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st45_sc/schooldistrict_maps/c45003_aiken/DC20SD_C45003.pdf|title=2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Aiken County, SC|publisher=[[U.S. Census Bureau]]|access-date=2024-10-25}} - [https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st45_sc/schooldistrict_maps/c45003_aiken/DC20SD_C45003_SD2MS.txt Text list]</ref> and the [[2010 U.S. Census]] stated that this portion was in "School District Not Defined".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/dc10map/sch_dist/st45_sc/c45003_aiken/DC10SD_C45003_001.pdf|title=SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP (2010 CENSUS): Aiken County, SC|publisher=[[U.S. Census Bureau]]|access-date=2024-10-25}} - [https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/dc10map/sch_dist/st45_sc/c45003_aiken/DC10SD_C45003_SD2MS.txt Text list] - The 2020 census shows the same boundary, but does not state "School District Not Defined". Compare to the SCDOT highway map.</ref> That undefined portion corresponds with the [[Savannah River Site]].<ref name=SCHighwayMapAikenCo>{{cite web|url=https://info2.scdot.org/GISMapping/GISMapdl/Aiken_County.pdf|title=General Highway System Aiken County South Carolina|publisher=[[South Carolina Department of Transportation]]|date=July 2023|access-date=2024-10-25}} - Compare to the school district map.</ref>

[[Aiken Technical College]] and [[University of South Carolina Aiken]] are located in Aiken County.

==Communities==
===Cities===
* [[Aiken, South Carolina|Aiken]] (county seat and largest community)
* [[New Ellenton, South Carolina|New Ellenton]]
* [[North Augusta, South Carolina|North Augusta]] (partly in Edgefield County)

===Towns===
* [[Burnettown, South Carolina|Burnettown]]
* [[Jackson, South Carolina|Jackson]]
* [[Perry, South Carolina|Perry]]
* [[Salley, South Carolina|Salley]]
* [[Monetta, South Carolina|Monetta]] (partly in Saluda County)
* [[Wagener, South Carolina|Wagener]]
* [[Windsor, South Carolina|Windsor]]

===Census-designated places===
* [[Beech Island, South Carolina|Beech Island]]
* [[Belvedere, South Carolina|Belvedere]]
* [[Clearwater, South Carolina|Clearwater]]
* [[Gloverville, South Carolina|Gloverville]]
* [[Graniteville, South Carolina|Graniteville]]
* [[Langley, South Carolina|Langley]]
* [[Warrenville, South Carolina|Warrenville]]

===Unincorporated communities===
* [[Bath, South Carolina|Bath]]
* [[Eureka, South Carolina|Eureka]]
* [[New Holland, South Carolina|New Holland]]
* [[Seivern, South Carolina|Seivern]]
* [[Spiderweb, South Carolina|Spiderweb]]
* [[Talatha, South Carolina|Talatha]]
* [[White Pond, South carolina|White Pond]]
* [[Vaucluse, South Carolina|Vaucluse]]

==Historic places==
* [[Aiken Tennis Club]]
* [[Hamburg, South Carolina|Hamburg]]
* [[Whitehall, Aiken County, South Carolina|Whitehall]]
* [[Palmetto Golf Club]]
* [[Whitney Field, Polo, Oldest in United States]]
* [[Hitchcock Woods]]

==See also==
* [[List of counties in South Carolina]]
* [[National Register of Historic Places listings in Aiken County, South Carolina]]
* [[Horse Creek Valley]]
* [[Beaver Creek Indian Tribe]], state-recognized tribe that resides in the county

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* {{osmrelation|2532496}}
* {{Official website|http://www.aikencountysc.gov}}
* [https://www.rootsandrecall.com/aiken/ Aiken County history and images]

{{Geographic Location
|Centre = Aiken County, South Carolina
|North = [[Saluda County, South Carolina|Saluda County]]
|Northeast = [[Lexington County, South Carolina|Lexington County]]
|East = [[Orangeburg County, South Carolina|Orangeburg County]]
|Southeast =
|South = [[Barnwell County, South Carolina|Barnwell County]]
|Southwest = [[Burke County, Georgia]]
|West = [[Edgefield County, South Carolina|Edgefield County]] and [[Richmond County, Georgia]]
|Northwest =
}}
{{Aiken County, South Carolina}}
{{Central Savannah River Area}}
{{Colleges and universities in the Central Savannah River Area}}
{{South Carolina}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Aiken County, South Carolina| ]]
[[Category:Augusta metropolitan area]]
[[Category:1871 establishments in South Carolina]]