Personal loans in Hampton County, SC: data and tips for borrowers

Hampton County at a glance

All figures here are ACS 2020 to 2024 five-year estimates for Hampton County. They are estimates with margins of error, and they say nothing about any one household.

Paychecks in Hampton County

The Census Bureau's industry counts show where Hampton County residents earn a living: education and health care employs 20% of workers, manufacturing 16% and retail 12%. Agriculture and mining stands out: 5% of Hampton County workers, versus 2% for the median place we cover. A lender verifies the income your own job produces. Tips, overtime and commission are harder to document than a flat salary.

Roughly 17 in 100 Hampton County households clear $100,000 a year, while 38 in 100 take in under $35,000 and 1 in 100 reach $200,000. That is 10 points below the Carolina county median on six-figure households and 9 above it on households under $35,000. Income inequality, measured by the Gini index, is 0.45. Two neighbors can sit at opposite ends of this scale, which is why lenders ask for your numbers rather than your ZIP code.

Who lives in Hampton County

A bachelor's degree or more is held by 12% of Hampton County adults aged 25 and up, and the median age is 40.9. Relative to our Carolina county medians: -1.4 years on age, -11 points on degrees.

By structure type, 55% of Hampton County housing units are detached single-family homes and 3% are in buildings with five or more units. Detached homes run 12 points below the typical place in our set. Detached owners carry roofs, HVAC and yards, while apartment renters face deposits and moving trucks.

A median Hampton County budget

Try the arithmetic at the median. $44,711 a year is about $3,726 a month before taxes in Hampton County. Median rent of $843 is 23% of it, and the usual 30% yardstick would be about $1,118. Many lenders also look at total monthly debt payments as a share of gross income; 36% is a widely cited benchmark, worth about $1,341 a month at the median, though each lender sets its own limit. The price-to-income ratio for housing is roughly 2.5. Taxes, insurance, transport and food come out of the same paycheck, so the room left over is smaller than the percentages suggest.

Reading the Hampton County data as a borrower

At 3% remote, Hampton County is a commute-to-work place. Fuel and vehicle costs belong in any loan budget.

At 32% with 45-minute-plus commutes, Hampton County drivers log more miles than most in our Carolina county set. Long commutes mean gas, tires and repairs are a standing line in the budget, and a surprise vehicle bill is a common reason to look for a loan.

Hampton County's ACS unemployment rate, 9.5%, is high for our Carolina county set. If your income is uneven, borrow less, choose a payment you can sustain in a thin month and read the hardship terms.

How Hampton County compares

Line Hampton County up with the other 146 Carolina county places and you see a median household income of $44,711 (137th of 146, top down), a median gross rent of $843 (94th of 146, top down), and a median home value of $112,000 (133rd of 146, top down). These ranks describe a place, not a household.

Nearby in size, and also in South Carolina, are Saluda County ($51,009 income, $851 rent), where Hampton County runs 12% below on income and 1% below on rent and Lee County ($44,760 income, $823 rent), where Hampton County runs 0% below on income and 2% above on rent. Differences like these are why a loan that suits one town can strain another.

Getting to know Hampton County

Hampton County takes in 9 Census places, 9 of them incorporated towns or cities; the largest are Hampton, Varnville, Estill, Yemassee. If your town has no separate guide, this county page is the closest match; its numbers cover all 9 communities and the countryside.

Before you borrow in Hampton County

• License check for Hampton County borrowers: South Carolina's Commissioner of Consumer Finance supervises consumer lenders.
• Put the payment through the DTI calculator before you apply anywhere. Lenders set their own limits.
• Sleep on it. Pressure to sign today is a reason to walk away.
• Run the offer checklist before you sign.
• Line up three offers for Hampton County and compare APR, fees and total repayment in the side-by-side calculator.

Where people live in Hampton County

Hampton County contains 9 Census places, 9 of them incorporated. Home values differ sharply: $206,400 in Hampton against $94,100 in Estill.

Types of housing in Hampton County

Compared with South Carolina overall, Hampton County has more mobile homes (35% vs 14%) and fewer detached houses (55% vs 65%). Apartment buildings (3% of Hampton County units) mean more renters borrowing for deposits and moves.

Hampton County income ladder

Eight income steps for Hampton County: the largest group, 17% of households, is in the $50,000 to $74,999 band. The 17% of households above $100,000 are not immune: big incomes often come with big fixed costs.

Neighbors of Hampton County: people and schooling

Five neighbors within 37 miles, compared on age, schooling and poverty rather than money alone. The most educated is Jasper County at 26% with a bachelor's degree.

Hampton County's outlier numbers

Out of 46 South Carolina counties, Hampton County's most unusual ranks are on long commutes, college degrees, remote work.

• On long commutes (32%), Hampton County ranks #2 of 46 statewide, against 17% for the middle Carolina county. Car repairs are a frequent emergency here.
• On college degrees (12%), Hampton County ranks #3 lowest of 46 statewide, against 24% for the middle Carolina county. Lenders weigh income, not diplomas.
• Hampton County: 3.1% for remote work, #3 lowest of 46 in South Carolina. Most pay stubs come from local employers.