Marion County is located in northeastern South Carolina, part of the Pee Dee region, bordering North Carolina and situated east of Florence County and west of Horry County. Established in 1798 and named for Revolutionary War officer Francis Marion, the county has long reflected the agricultural and small-town development patterns of the inland coastal plain. It is a small county by population, with roughly 30,000 residents, and is characterized by a predominantly rural landscape of farmland, pine forests, and low-lying wetlands shaped by rivers and creeks in the Lumber River basin. The economy centers on agriculture, local services, and public-sector employment, with manufacturing and transportation also present on a limited scale. Cultural life is rooted in the traditions of the Pee Dee, including church-centered community institutions and regional foodways. The county seat is Marion.

Marion County Local Demographic Profile

Marion County is located in northeastern South Carolina, bordering North Carolina and situated within the Pee Dee region. The county seat is Marion, and local government information is available via the Marion County official website.

Population Size

According to the U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts for Marion County, South Carolina, the county’s population size is reported in the “Population estimates” and “Population, Census” fields (most commonly the 2020 Census total and the latest annual estimate).

Age & Gender

Age distribution and gender composition for Marion County are published by the U.S. Census Bureau and summarized in the QuickFacts demographic profile, including:

  • Percentages by major age groups (e.g., under 18, 18–64, 65+)
  • Female and male shares of the population (used to derive the gender ratio)

For a standardized age-by-sex table format (including detailed age brackets), the U.S. Census Bureau provides county data through data.census.gov (commonly via ACS “Age and Sex” tables).

Racial & Ethnic Composition

Race and ethnicity measures (including categories such as White, Black or African American, Asian, and Hispanic or Latino of any race) are reported for Marion County in the U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts profile. The same concepts and more detailed breakdowns are also available in table form via data.census.gov (ACS race/ethnicity tables and decennial census race tables).

Household & Housing Data

Household characteristics and housing indicators for Marion County are available in the U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts profile, including commonly reported measures such as:

  • Number of households
  • Average household size
  • Owner-occupied housing rate vs. renter-occupied
  • Housing unit counts and related housing characteristics (as published in QuickFacts)

More detailed household and housing tabulations (e.g., household type, vacancy, tenure by household characteristics) are available through data.census.gov using American Community Survey (ACS) county-level tables.

Email Usage

Marion County, South Carolina is largely rural with small towns, so longer last‑mile distances and lower population density can constrain fixed broadband buildout and, by extension, routine email access.

Direct county-level email usage rates are not routinely published; broadband and device access from the U.S. Census Bureau (data.census.gov) serve as standard proxies because email requires reliable internet service and a usable computing device. Relevant indicators include household broadband internet subscriptions and the share of households with a computer (desktop/laptop/tablet). Lower subscription or computer access generally corresponds to lower capacity for frequent email use, especially for tasks requiring attachments or account verification.

Age distribution influences adoption because older populations tend to have lower rates of account creation and daily use than working-age adults. Marion County’s age profile and related measures can be referenced via U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts (Marion County).

Gender distribution is typically a weaker driver of email access than age, income, and connectivity; county sex composition is available in the same QuickFacts tables.

Connectivity limitations are reflected in availability and performance constraints documented through the FCC National Broadband Map, including gaps in fixed service and limited provider competition in rural areas.

Mobile Phone Usage

Marion County is in northeastern South Carolina in the Pee Dee region, with a predominantly rural land-use pattern, small population centers (including the City of Marion), and extensive agricultural/forested areas. This rural geography and comparatively low population density tend to increase the cost per mile of mobile network buildout and can contribute to coverage gaps or weaker indoor signal in sparsely served areas, particularly away from major highways and town centers. Basic county context is available through the county government and federal geography/population profiles such as the Marion County government website and Census.gov (data.census.gov).

Key distinction: availability vs. adoption

  • Network availability (supply-side): Where mobile providers report that service (voice/LTE/5G) is technically available.
  • Household adoption (demand-side): Whether residents subscribe to mobile service, have smartphones, and use mobile broadband for internet access (including as a substitute for wired home internet).

County-level availability data is generally more granular and frequently updated than county-level adoption statistics. Adoption measures often rely on surveys and are more commonly reported at state or multi-county geographies; when county-specific estimates exist, they typically come from modeled datasets or small-area estimates rather than direct measurement.

Network availability in Marion County (voice/LTE/5G)

Primary sources for availability mapping

  • The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) publishes provider-reported mobile coverage in the National Broadband Map, including 4G LTE and 5G layers and download/upload performance tiers. The most authoritative public interface is the FCC National Broadband Map.
  • The FCC’s broader program and methodology documentation is available via the FCC Broadband Data Collection (BDC) portal.

What the FCC map can show for Marion County

  • 4G LTE availability: Typically widespread in populated corridors and around towns, with potential reductions in consistency or speed in low-density areas. The FCC map allows checking census-location coverage by provider and technology.
  • 5G availability: In rural counties, 5G coverage frequently appears as a mix of:
    • Low-band 5G (wider area, modest performance gains vs LTE), often present along broader areas where carriers have upgraded radios.
    • Mid-band and high-band 5G (faster but shorter range) usually concentrated in higher-traffic areas and larger cities; coverage in rural counties is often limited to select corridors or town centers.
  • Indoor vs. outdoor service: Provider-reported availability generally reflects modeled outdoor signal levels at a location and does not guarantee indoor performance in every structure. Building materials, distance from towers, and local terrain/vegetation can affect in-building reception.

Limitations

  • FCC mobile availability is provider-reported and model-based. Although the FCC has challenge processes, mapped availability is not the same as measured user experience everywhere.
  • Publicly available, consistently updated countywide 5G “percent covered” metrics are not always published as simple county summary tables; the FCC map is the standard way to evaluate coverage location-by-location.

Mobile internet usage and household adoption (smartphones, mobile broadband substitution)

County-level adoption indicators

  • The most commonly cited official measure of household internet subscription and device types comes from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS). Relevant tables include items on internet subscriptions (including cellular data plans) and computer/device availability. These can be accessed and filtered for Marion County through Census.gov (ACS tables on internet subscriptions and devices).
  • ACS measures adoption/usage at the household level, such as whether a household has:
    • A cellular data plan (mobile broadband subscription)
    • Broadband of any type
    • Devices such as a smartphone, desktop/laptop, or tablet

How to interpret ACS for “mobile-only” patterns

  • ACS can indicate households that rely on a cellular data plan and may lack wired broadband, but it does not directly measure network quality (LTE vs 5G) or actual speeds experienced.
  • Rural counties often show higher shares of households for which mobile service is a primary internet option, especially where wired broadband is limited, but county-specific conclusions must be drawn directly from the ACS tables for Marion County rather than inferred.

State-level context

  • South Carolina broadband planning and mapping efforts are commonly coordinated through state broadband leadership structures; statewide context and programs are typically documented through South Carolina’s broadband resources. A central reference point is the South Carolina broadband office (broadband.sc.gov).

Common device types (smartphones vs. other devices)

What is typically measurable

  • Smartphone presence at the household level is measurable via ACS device questions (smartphone, tablet, desktop/laptop, etc.) through Census.gov.
  • Non-phone mobile devices (tablets, mobile hotspots, fixed wireless receivers) are less consistently described in public county-level tables. Some surveys capture mobile hotspot usage, but routine county reporting is limited.

Typical pattern in rural counties (with limits acknowledged)

  • The most defensible county-specific statements come from ACS device-availability tables:
    • The share of households with smartphones versus computers (desktop/laptop) can indicate whether internet access is more phone-centric.
    • Households without traditional computers may still access the internet via smartphones, which matters for telehealth, online learning, and job applications that may be less usable on phones.

Demographic and geographic factors influencing mobile usage and connectivity

Geography and settlement

  • Rural dispersion: More distance between users and cell sites can reduce signal strength and capacity per user in outlying areas.
  • Vegetation and building attenuation: Forested areas and certain building materials can reduce indoor coverage reliability, even when outdoor coverage is mapped as available.
  • Transportation corridors and town centers: Mobile performance commonly concentrates along highways and in municipal centers where carriers prioritize capacity and backhaul.

Socioeconomic and demographic factors (measurable via ACS) County-level demographics that frequently correlate with mobile adoption and mobile-only reliance can be measured directly using ACS profiles on Census.gov, including:

  • Income and poverty rates (affect affordability of plans/devices)
  • Age distribution (older populations often show lower smartphone adoption on average)
  • Educational attainment (correlates with broadband adoption and device ownership)
  • Household composition (families with school-age children often show stronger demand for home connectivity, sometimes substituting with mobile when wired service is unavailable)

Local institutional factors

  • Public access points (libraries, schools) can influence how residents supplement home connectivity, but standardized, countywide metrics on reliance on these resources are not typically published as mobile usage statistics. County and municipal resources are generally documented through local government channels such as the Marion County government website.

Practical way to report Marion County’s status using authoritative sources (without conflating availability and adoption)

  • Availability (network supply): Use the FCC National Broadband Map to document which providers report LTE and 5G availability at locations within Marion County, distinguishing LTE, 5G, and any reported performance tiers.
  • Adoption (household demand): Use ACS tables on Census.gov to report:
    • Share of households with cellular data plans
    • Share with any broadband subscription
    • Device availability (smartphone vs. computers/tablets)
  • Limitations statement (county-level): FCC availability is modeled/provider-reported; ACS adoption is survey-based and does not identify LTE vs 5G usage or real-world speeds. This separation prevents treating coverage maps as proof of subscription or daily use.

Social Media Trends

Marion County is in northeastern South Carolina, anchored by the City of Marion and influenced by the broader Pee Dee region’s rural/small-town settlement pattern, agriculture and light manufacturing, and proximity to the Myrtle Beach tourism economy. These characteristics tend to align local social media use with national rural patterns: near-universal smartphone access for many daily tasks, strong reliance on a small number of high-reach platforms (especially Facebook and YouTube), and comparatively lower use of some newer or more urban-skewing apps.

User statistics (penetration / share of residents using social media)

  • County-level social media penetration is not published as a standard statistic by major survey programs; most reputable datasets (Pew, U.S. Census, CDC) report at the national or state level, not by county.
  • Nationally, about 7 in 10 U.S. adults use social media according to the Pew Research Center social media fact sheet. This provides the most commonly cited baseline for estimating “percent of residents active on social platforms” in small geographies where direct measurement is unavailable.
  • For local context relevant to Marion County’s rural profile, Pew’s work on urban/rural differences indicates rural adults are broadly comparable to urban/suburban adults on several major platforms but can lag on some newer or niche services; see Pew’s platform-by-demographic reporting in the same fact sheet.

Age group trends (who uses social media most)

National age patterns are consistently strong predictors of local usage patterns:

  • 18–29: highest overall social media adoption; heavy use across multiple platforms, with strong representation on visually oriented and short-form video apps.
  • 30–49: high multi-platform usage; Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram typically remain prominent.
  • 50–64: majority use social media, concentrated on Facebook and YouTube.
  • 65+: lower overall adoption than younger cohorts but still substantial; Facebook and YouTube dominate.
    Source for age-by-platform patterns: Pew Research Center.

Gender breakdown

  • At the national level, women are more likely than men to use several social platforms (notably Pinterest and, in many survey waves, Facebook and Instagram), while YouTube and X (Twitter) tend to be closer to parity.
    Source: Pew Research Center platform demographics.

Most-used platforms (with percentages where possible)

Pew publishes U.S.-adult platform reach (not county-specific). These figures are the most reliable, widely cited reference points for likely platform ordering in Marion County:

Local implication for Marion County: Given the county’s rural/small-town context and age structure typical of many rural counties, Facebook and YouTube are the most likely “universal reach” platforms, with Instagram and TikTok skewing younger, and LinkedIn concentrated among college-educated and professional segments.

Behavioral trends (engagement patterns and preferences)

  • Video-first consumption is dominant: YouTube’s high reach and TikTok’s growth reflect a broader shift toward video for news, entertainment, and how-to content; this is consistent with Pew’s cross-platform reach patterns (Pew).
  • Community information flows often concentrate on Facebook in small and rural communities: local announcements, events, school and sports updates, and informal commerce (buy/sell) commonly cluster on Facebook pages and groups, aligning with Facebook’s strong reach among older adults and rural users in Pew’s demographic breakdowns (Pew).
  • Younger residents show multi-platform behavior: higher usage rates among 18–29 and 30–49 groups correlate with more frequent use of Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat alongside YouTube; older groups typically concentrate time on fewer platforms (especially Facebook and YouTube). Source: Pew Research Center.
  • Messaging and private sharing are central to engagement: national research shows substantial social interaction occurs via direct messages and private groups rather than public posting, particularly on platforms integrated with messaging (Facebook/Instagram/WhatsApp). This complements observed declines in public posting frequency in many user segments while overall time spent remains high; baseline platform adoption and messaging penetration are documented in Pew’s platform reporting (Pew).

Family & Associates Records

Marion County family and associate-related public records are maintained through a mix of state and county offices. Vital records (birth and death certificates) for Marion County are created and issued by the South Carolina Department of Public Health (DPH), Vital Records, rather than the county. Marriage and divorce records are handled through the county court system, with filings maintained by the Marion County Clerk of Court; older marriage records may also be available through the county’s record book indexes.

Adoption records are generally sealed under state law and are not available as public records; access is limited to authorized parties through the courts and state agencies. Probate-related family association records (estates, guardianships, name changes in probate contexts) are maintained by the Marion County Probate Court.

Public online access for court indexes and some case information is commonly provided through the South Carolina Judicial Branch’s Case Records Search, while certified copies and complete files are typically obtained in person or by request from the originating office. Privacy restrictions commonly apply to certified vital records (limited to eligible requesters), juvenile matters, adoption, and certain domestic relations filings, with redaction practices for protected personal identifiers.

Marriage & Divorce Records

Types of records available

  • Marriage license records

    • Marion County issues marriage licenses through the county Probate Court.
    • Public-facing evidence of a marriage may also appear as a marriage license and, where returned/recorded, a marriage certificate/return associated with the license.

  • Divorce records

    • Divorce decrees (final orders) and related case filings are maintained as Family Court records within South Carolina’s unified judicial system (the Circuit Court/Family Court level) for cases filed in Marion County.

  • Annulment records

    • Annulments are handled as Family Court matters in South Carolina. Orders and case filings are maintained in the Family Court record for the county where filed.

Where records are filed and how they can be accessed

  • Marriage licenses (county level)

    • Filed/maintained by: Marion County Probate Court (marriage license office).
    • Access methods: In-person request through the Probate Court; the office maintains the local marriage license index and associated records.

  • Divorce and annulment case files (court level)

    • Filed/maintained by: Marion County Clerk of Court as custodian of Family Court case records (divorce and annulment actions).
    • Access methods: On-site review and copying through the Clerk of Court, subject to court access rules and any sealing or statutory confidentiality. Basic case information and some docket details may be available through the South Carolina Judicial Branch’s public case information resources where enabled for that county.
    • State-level vital record copies (divorce): South Carolina maintains divorce information as a state vital record. Requests for certified divorce reports are handled by the South Carolina Department of Public Health (DPH), Vital Records.

Typical information included in these records

  • Marriage license records

    • Full names of the parties
    • Date and place of license issuance
    • Ages/dates of birth (or age at time of application), and sometimes birthplaces
    • Residence information (often county/state)
    • Names of parents may appear depending on the form used and era
    • Officiant name and ceremony date/location may appear on the completed return/certificate portion when recorded

  • Divorce decrees and Family Court case files

    • Names of parties and case number
    • Filing date and court venue (Marion County Family Court)
    • Grounds and findings (as stated in pleadings/orders)
    • Date of final decree and judge’s signature
    • Terms addressing property division, alimony, child custody/visitation, child support, name change, and other relief (when applicable)

  • Annulment orders and case files

    • Names of parties and case number
    • Basis for annulment (as alleged and found)
    • Date of order and disposition
    • Related orders on costs, restoration of name, and other relief (when applicable)

Privacy or legal restrictions

  • Marriage licenses

    • Marriage licenses are generally treated as public records at the county level, though access can be limited by record format, identification requirements for certified copies, and redactions of sensitive personal identifiers where applicable.

  • Divorce and annulment records

    • Family Court records are subject to South Carolina court rules and statutes that restrict public access to certain categories of information. Records involving minors, adoption, juvenile matters, and certain family-law filings may be confidential or partially restricted.
    • Individual divorce or annulment case files can be sealed by court order, limiting public inspection.
    • Even where a file is viewable, sensitive data (for example, Social Security numbers and certain financial account identifiers) is commonly protected through redaction policies and court rule requirements.

  • Certified copies vs. informational access

    • Courts and vital records agencies typically distinguish between (1) public inspection of nonconfidential filings and docket information and (2) issuance of certified copies, which often requires a formal request process and payment of statutory fees, and may be limited for certain record types or sealed matters.

Education, Employment and Housing

Marion County is in northeastern South Carolina (Pee Dee region), with Marion as the county seat and communities such as Mullins, Nichols, and Brittons Neck. The county is predominantly rural, with a relatively small population base compared with South Carolina overall and a community context shaped by agriculture, manufacturing/logistics along regional highways, and public-sector services. Demographic and socioeconomic indicators for the county typically show lower educational attainment and household incomes than state averages, alongside higher poverty and a higher share of residents commuting to jobs outside the county.

Education Indicators

Public schools (counts and names)

Marion County is served primarily by Marion County School District. A current, authoritative list of district schools is maintained on the district site (school openings/closures and grade configurations can change over time), including schools in Marion, Mullins, Nichols, and rural areas. See the district’s official directory: Marion County School District.

Data note: A single definitive “number of public schools” varies depending on whether charter schools, alternative programs, and early childhood centers are included. The district directory is the most reliable source for the up-to-date count and school names.

Student–teacher ratios and graduation rates

  • Student–teacher ratio: County-level ratios are commonly reported via federal datasets; the most consistent source is the U.S. Census Bureau’s ACS “Educational Attainment/School Enrollment” tables and related school district reporting, but the ratio is typically presented by school/district rather than county in a single standardized figure. For standardized district indicators, the South Carolina report-card system is the reference source: South Carolina School Report Cards.
  • Graduation rate: The state publishes four-year adjusted cohort graduation rates at the high school and district levels through the same report-card system. Marion County’s district and high school graduation rates can be retrieved directly from those report cards (most recent reporting year available in the portal).

Data note: Because graduation rates are formally calculated and published at the school/district level, countywide roll-ups are best represented by the district rate rather than an ACS proxy.

Adult educational attainment

The most comparable countywide measures come from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS):

  • High school diploma or higher (age 25+): ACS county estimate (most recent 5-year release).
  • Bachelor’s degree or higher (age 25+): ACS county estimate (most recent 5-year release).

Authoritative county profiles with these percentages are available through:

Community context: Marion County’s adult attainment profile is generally characterized by a high share of residents with a high school credential and a comparatively low share with a bachelor’s degree or higher relative to state and national averages, consistent with rural Pee Dee patterns.

Notable programs (STEM, vocational training, AP)

  • Career and technical education (CTE)/vocational training: South Carolina districts commonly operate CTE pathways aligned to state career clusters (e.g., health science, automotive/transportation, welding/manufacturing, IT). District and school report cards and program pages provide the most accurate, current list of pathways: SC School Report Cards (programs and performance context).
  • Advanced Placement (AP) / dual credit: AP participation and performance indicators are frequently referenced in school improvement reporting; dual enrollment/dual credit is typically coordinated with regional technical colleges in the Pee Dee. Program availability is documented at the school level through district publications and report cards.
  • STEM initiatives: STEM is often integrated through coursework, electives, and statewide initiatives; the most dependable confirmation of specific STEM academies, labs, or grants is via district/school publications rather than countywide datasets.

Data note: A single public dataset does not comprehensively enumerate STEM/CTE/AP offerings for every school; the state report cards and district program pages are the reliable references.

School safety measures and counseling resources

South Carolina districts generally implement layered safety practices such as controlled building access, visitor management, emergency response drills, and coordination with school resource officers (SROs) where available. Student supports commonly include school counseling and multi-tiered behavioral/mental-health supports, with staffing and services varying by school. School- and district-level safety and student support information is most reliably documented in district policy manuals, school handbooks, and state report-card narrative/context sections: Marion County School District resources and SC School Report Cards.

Employment and Economic Conditions

Unemployment rate (most recent year available)

The standard local-area unemployment rate is produced by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS) program. The most recent annual average and current monthly values for Marion County are published here: BLS LAUS (county unemployment data).

Data note: LAUS is the authoritative source for county unemployment; the specific “most recent year” rate is updated regularly and is best cited directly from the latest LAUS annual average.

Major industries and employment sectors

County-level sector employment shares are most consistently drawn from the ACS “Industry by Occupation/Industry by Class of Worker” profiles:

  • Education, health care, and social assistance (public schools, health services, social services)
  • Manufacturing (regionally significant in the Pee Dee)
  • Retail trade and accommodation/food services
  • Transportation/warehousing and logistics (often tied to regional corridors)
  • Agriculture/forestry and related rural industries (smaller employment share but visible locally)

Source for sector distribution:

Common occupations and workforce breakdown

ACS occupational groupings for Marion County typically show higher shares in:

  • Production, transportation, and material moving
  • Office and administrative support
  • Sales and related
  • Service occupations (food service, personal care, protective service)
  • Healthcare support and practitioner roles (smaller but material share)

Authoritative occupational distributions:

Commuting patterns and mean commute times

  • Mean travel time to work: Reported by the ACS and accessible through county commuting tables (journey-to-work). Marion County’s mean commute generally reflects a rural commuting pattern with many workers traveling to job centers outside the county.
  • Mode of commute: The ACS typically shows a predominance of driving alone, limited public transit usage, and a smaller share working from home compared with urban counties.

Primary source:

Local employment versus out-of-county work

Marion County’s labor market is closely tied to nearby counties in the Pee Dee and to larger employment centers (including Florence-area jobs and other regional hubs). The most direct, standardized measure of inflow/outflow commuting comes from:

Data note: OnTheMap provides the clearest split between residents working inside Marion County versus out-commuters, along with primary destination counties.

Housing and Real Estate

Homeownership rate and rental share

The ACS provides countywide tenure:

  • Owner-occupied share vs. renter-occupied share (occupied housing units).

Primary sources:

Community context: Rural South Carolina counties like Marion commonly have majority homeownership, with rental concentrated near town centers (Marion, Mullins) and along key corridors.

Median property values and recent trends

  • Median value of owner-occupied housing units: Reported by ACS (median and distribution).
  • Trend context: Recent years across South Carolina saw broad-based price increases (2020–2022) followed by slower growth as mortgage rates rose; Marion County generally tracks regional movements but at lower price points than coastal and metro markets.

Primary sources:

Data note: ACS is the standard for official median value; Zillow is a common market-trend proxy.

Typical rent prices

  • Median gross rent: Reported by ACS for renter-occupied units.

Primary sources:

Community context: Rents tend to be lower than South Carolina metro areas, with limited multifamily inventory relative to larger cities.

Types of housing

Marion County’s housing stock is predominantly:

  • Single-family detached homes (largest share)
  • Manufactured/mobile homes (common in rural areas)
  • Small multifamily/apartments concentrated in incorporated towns
  • Rural lots and farm-adjacent residences outside town limits

These distributions are documented in ACS “Units in Structure” tables:

Neighborhood characteristics (proximity to schools or amenities)

  • Town-centered neighborhoods (Marion, Mullins, Nichols): Closer proximity to schools, municipal services, and local retail; higher share of rentals and older housing stock is typical of small-town cores.
  • Unincorporated/rural areas (e.g., Brittons Neck and surrounding communities): Larger lots, longer drive times to schools/healthcare, and housing dominated by single-family homes and manufactured housing.

Data note: “Neighborhood” characteristics are not standardized at the county level; the description reflects the county’s incorporated places versus rural unincorporated areas.

Property tax overview (average rate and typical homeowner cost)

South Carolina property taxes are based on assessed value (assessment ratios differ by property type) multiplied by local millage rates (county, school district, and any municipal millage where applicable). Owner-occupied primary residences may receive the legal residence tax benefit (including the School Operations portion exemption for qualified owner-occupants). County-specific millage and example tax calculations are published by the county auditor/treasurer and the South Carolina Department of Revenue guidance:

Data note: A single “average property tax rate” is not uniform within Marion County because millage varies by taxing district (municipal limits vs. unincorporated areas) and exemptions vary by homeowner eligibility; the most accurate “typical homeowner cost” is obtained from county tax bills and published millage schedules.*

Table of Contents

Other Counties in South Carolina