1st Advantage Mortgage73% of Chesterfield County homes are owned and the median household earns $49,235. Compare personal loan offers by APR and total cost, confirm every fee in dollars, and check the lender's South Carolina license. Your own income, debts and credit decide what you qualify for.
On this page
- The basics on Chesterfield County
- Paychecks in Chesterfield County
- Who lives in Chesterfield County
- Budget math at the median in Chesterfield County
- Reading the Chesterfield County data as a borrower
- Chesterfield County against similar places
- Local background
- Steps to take first in Chesterfield County
- How Chesterfield County's population is spread
- Houses, apartments and mobile homes in Chesterfield County
- Chesterfield County income ladder
- Neighbors of Chesterfield County: people and schooling
- Ranking Chesterfield County against other South Carolina counties
- Frequently asked questions
The basics on Chesterfield County
Source: Census Bureau ACS 5-year estimates, 2020 to 2024, for Chesterfield County. Estimates carry margins of error, and your own income, credit and debts decide what a lender offers.
Paychecks in Chesterfield County
The Census Bureau's industry counts show where Chesterfield County residents earn a living: manufacturing employs 25% of workers, education and health care 20% and retail 9%. Compared with the median place in our Carolina county set, Chesterfield County leans toward manufacturing: 25% of workers against a median of 14%.
At the top of the scale, 3% of Chesterfield County households earn $200,000 or more; at the bottom, 36% earn under $35,000. That is 5 points below the Carolina county median on six-figure households and 6 above it on households under $35,000. Income inequality, measured by the Gini index, is 0.48.
Who lives in Chesterfield County
The median resident of Chesterfield County is 42.0 years old, and 14% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or more. That makes Chesterfield County 0.2 years younger than the middle place in our Carolina county set, with a degree share 10 points lower.
The housing stock in Chesterfield County breaks down as 55% detached houses, 3% apartments in larger buildings and 38% mobile homes, per the ACS. Chesterfield County has fewer large-building apartments than the middle of our set, by 1.3 points. Housing stock is also a clue to commute length and to how much maintenance falls on the household.
Budget math at the median in Chesterfield County
Median rent in Chesterfield County ($762) runs 19% of the median monthly household income ($4,103 before taxes). The 30% yardstick works out to $1,231. For total debt payments, 36% of gross income is a common benchmark. At the median that is about $1,477 a month, though lenders choose their own cutoffs. The price-to-income ratio for housing is roughly 2.4. Taxes, insurance, transport and food come out of the same paycheck, so the room left over is smaller than the percentages suggest.
Reading the Chesterfield County data as a borrower
At 2% remote, Chesterfield County is a commute-to-work place. Fuel and vehicle costs belong in any loan budget.
Chesterfield County's 2.4 price-to-income ratio is gentle. Lower housing pressure often leaves more cash flow for debt payments.
The Census Bureau's estimate for unemployment among Chesterfield County's labor force is 7.5%, higher than in most of the 146 Carolina county places we cover. If your income is uneven, borrow less, choose a payment you can sustain in a thin month and read the hardship terms.
Chesterfield County against similar places
In the 146 Carolina county places in our dataset, Chesterfield County has a median household income of $49,235 (120th highest of 146), a median gross rent of $762 (124th highest of 146), and a median home value of $116,200 (129th highest of 146). These ranks describe a place, not a household.
Two reference points among South Carolina places of similar population: Colleton County ($51,114 income, $949 rent), where Chesterfield County runs 4% below on income and 20% below on rent and Newberry County ($61,780 income, $872 rent), where Chesterfield County runs 20% below on income and 13% below on rent. If your budget looks like your neighbors', the checklist questions are the same; if it does not, size the payment to your own numbers.
Local background
Chesterfield County takes in 9 Census places, 8 of them incorporated towns or cities; the largest are Cheraw, Pageland, Chesterfield, McBee. Everyone in Chesterfield County, from McBee to Cheraw, is covered by this guide.
Steps to take first in Chesterfield County
- Verify before you share details with the South Carolina Commissioner of Consumer Finance; complaints go here.
- Refuse any upfront fee. Real lenders take fees out of the loan or bill them later; the scam guide shows the common pitches.
- Take a day to review a contract. A lender that rushes you has told you something.
- Compare three written offers by APR, fees and total cost, using the side-by-side calculator.
- Run the offer checklist before you sign.
How Chesterfield County's population is spread
Counting both incorporated towns and CDPs, 9 named places sit inside Chesterfield County. Home values differ sharply: $186,600 in Pageland against $152,200 in Cheraw.
| Community | Government | Population | % of county | Home value (median) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cheraw | incorporated town | 4,960 | 11.3% | $152,200 |
| Pageland | incorporated town | 2,489 | 5.7% | $186,600 |
| Chesterfield | incorporated town | 1,465 | 3.3% | $184,200 |
| McBee | incorporated town | 818 | 1.9% | $89,300 |
| Cash | unincorporated (CDP) | 754 | 1.7% | $96,500 |
| Jefferson | incorporated town | 737 | 1.7% | $154,400 |
| Patrick | incorporated town | 331 | 0.8% | $51,900 |
| Ruby | incorporated town | 244 | 0.6% | $114,400 |
| Mount Croghan | incorporated town | 170 | 0.4% | $116,700 |
Houses, apartments and mobile homes in Chesterfield County
Compared with South Carolina overall, Chesterfield County has more mobile homes (38% vs 14%) and fewer detached houses (55% vs 65%). Apartment buildings (3% of Chesterfield County units) mean more renters borrowing for deposits and moves.
| Structure type | Chesterfield County | vs South Carolina |
|---|---|---|
| Single-family detached | 54.9% | -9.7 pts |
| Townhouse or attached | 0.3% | -3.3 pts |
| 2 to 4 units | 3.9% | -0.6 pts |
| 5 to 19 units | 2.7% | -4.6 pts |
| 20 or more units | 0.4% | -5.2 pts |
| Mobile home | 37.5% | +23.3 pts |
Chesterfield County income ladder
Eight income steps for Chesterfield County: the largest group, 17% of households, is in the $50,000 to $74,999 band. 15.3% of Chesterfield County households sit at $35,000 to $49,999 and 12.4% at $100,000 to $149,999; the same loan payment means very different things at each.
| Yearly income step | Chesterfield County households | Difference from South Carolina |
|---|---|---|
| Under $15,000 | 14.3% | +4.7 pts |
| $15,000 to $24,999 | 10.5% | +3.1 pts |
| $25,000 to $34,999 | 10.8% | +3.1 pts |
| $35,000 to $49,999 | 15.3% | +3.4 pts |
| $50,000 to $74,999 | 16.8% | -0.2 pts |
| $75,000 to $99,999 | 11.1% | -1.9 pts |
| $100,000 to $149,999 | 12.4% | -4.0 pts |
| $150,000 or more | 8.7% | -8.1 pts |
Neighbors of Chesterfield County: people and schooling
The five closest Carolina counties to Chesterfield County, by distance between county centers. Lancaster County is the oldest of them (median age 42.5) and Lancaster County has the largest share of college graduates (34%).
| County | Distance | Population | Median age | Bachelor's+ | Poverty |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chesterfield County | - | 43,784 | 42.0 | 14% | 20% |
| Anson County, NC | 24 mi | 22,289 | 41.9 | 10% | 22% |
| Darlington County, SC | 24 mi | 62,558 | 41.3 | 20% | 21% |
| Marlboro County, SC | 27 mi | 25,975 | 41.7 | 9% | 29% |
| Lancaster County, SC | 31 mi | 104,475 | 42.5 | 34% | 11% |
| Kershaw County, SC | 32 mi | 68,314 | 40.4 | 24% | 13% |
Ranking Chesterfield County against other South Carolina counties
Out of 46 South Carolina counties, Chesterfield County's most unusual ranks are on remote work, mobile homes, college degrees.
- On remote work (2.5%), Chesterfield County ranks #1 lowest of 46 statewide, against 8.6% for the middle Carolina county. Most pay stubs come from local employers.
- On mobile homes (37.5%), Chesterfield County ranks #2 of 46 statewide, against 19.0% for the middle Carolina county. Manufactured homes often rule out equity loans.
- College degrees puts Chesterfield County at #4 lowest of 46 among South Carolina counties (14%). Lenders weigh income, not diplomas.
| Measure | Chesterfield County | Rank in South Carolina | Middle Carolina county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Remote work | 2.5% | #1 lowest of 46 | 8.6% |
| Mobile homes | 37.5% | #2 of 46 | 19.0% |
| College degrees | 14% | #4 lowest of 46 | 24% |
Frequently asked questions
Is a personal loan possible for a Chesterfield County renter?
It is. An unsecured loan needs no collateral; the lender weighs your income, your credit file and how much you already owe each month. Without home equity to fall back on, the cheapest written offer matters more.
Do you treat Chesterfield County applicants differently from anyone else?
No. The check looks at what you borrow, your credit range, your income from any source and your monthly payments, and treats every applicant the same. A lender's own decision is separate, and fair-lending laws bind lenders.
Where do I check a lender's license in South Carolina?
For Chesterfield County borrowers, consumer lenders answer to South Carolina's Commissioner of Consumer Finance; the Department of Consumer Affairs takes broader complaints.
How long do lenders take to decide for Chesterfield County borrowers?
A soft-pull prequalification is often instant; a full decision and deposit can take from one day to about a week, depending on the lender.