Tri-County population increases to nearly 800K

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) - Newly released data shows that Berkeley County is now the second fastest growing county in South Carolina.

Berkeley County’s population increased by 29.2 percent between 2010 and 2020, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Only Horry County had a higher growth rate.

Although some parts of Berkeley County such as Cross, St. Stephen, and Jamestown remain sparsely populated, development in southern parts of the county like Goose Creek, Hanahan, Daniel Island, and Nexton has caused the county’s overall population to skyrocket.

The population of the entire Tri-County area is now just shy of 800,000.

However, while population growth has continued in counties such as Berkeley, Charleston, and Dorchester, other parts of the region are losing residents. The Census Bureau reported that Williamsburg County’s population decreased by nearly 10 percent while Colleton County and Orangeburg County also saw population losses.