Sumter County, South Carolina: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Sumter
No data center or power plant project is on record in Sumter County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Sumter County is home to Sumter and Mayesville. Unemployment was 5.4% in August 2026, against 3.3% in 2019. Next door, Richland County has 3 data centers. Employers here counted 35,348 jobs in 2025, down 5.1% from 2019. Duke Energy Progress - (NC) is the largest utility serving Sumter County, one of 4 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 14.88¢/kWh in 2024.
Cities and towns in Sumter County
Sumter County is home to Sumter and Mayesville.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Cane Savannah, Cherryvale, Dalzell, East Sumter, Lakewood, Mulberry, Oakland, Oswego, Privateer, Rembert, Shiloh, South Sumter, Stateburg, Wedgefield.
Residents are 2025 Census estimates for the part of each city, town or township inside this county. Census publishes no annual estimate for unincorporated communities.
What changed in Sumter County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in South Carolina |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 105,409 | 105,067 | ▼ 0.3% | 16th of 46 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 37,261 | 35,348 | ▼ 5.1% | 36th of 46 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $39,996 | $54,501 | ▲ 36.3% | — |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 180 | 155 | ▼ 13.9% | — |
| Electric utility jobs (2019 → 2025) | 110 | 121 | ▲ 10.0% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.3% | 5.4% | ▲ 2.1pts | — |
Electrical contractors employ 155, down 13.9% since 2019 against up 10.4% statewide, at an average $69,516 a year. 105,067 people live here, down 0.3% since 2020.
Who powers Sumter County
Utilities with service territory in Sumter County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Duke Energy Progress - (NC) | Investor Owned | Bundled | 143,713 | 14.88¢ | 28% |
| Black River Electric Coop, Inc - (SC) | Cooperative | Bundled | 30,610 | 13.47¢ | 18% |
| Tri-County Electric Coop, Inc (SC) | Cooperative | Bundled | 17,672 | 18.51¢ | 13% |
| City of Camden | — | — | — | — | — |
Customer counts, prices and sales shares cover each utility's whole system in the state, not only this county. Commercial sales include data centers.
No operating power plant is located in Sumter County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Sumter County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 35,348 | $54,501 | 1.00 |
| Electrical contractors | 155 | $69,516 | 0.61 |
| Electric utilities | 121 | $95,932 | 1.26 |
Concentration is the BLS location quotient: 1.0 means the industry holds the same share of local jobs as it does nationally. Industry rows count private employers; cells BLS suppresses are left out.
Data centers and local rules in Sumter County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Sumter County. South Carolina has 22 local measures on record statewide, and 2 neighboring counties have one: Clarendon County, Kershaw County.
Sumter County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Sumter County, Richland County carries the most build-out activity: data centers, planned generation and operating plants combined.
| County | Population | Jobs since 2019 | Operating MW | Planned MW | Data centers | Local measures |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sumter County | 105,067 | ▼ 5.1% | — | — | — | — |
| Calhoun County | 14,188 | ▼ 1.9% | 907 MW | — | — | — |
| Clarendon County | 31,043 | ▼ 3.6% | 8 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Florence County | 138,504 | ▲ 5.5% | 116 MW | — | — | — |
| Kershaw County | 73,166 | ▲ 5.0% | 110 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Lee County | 15,730 | ▼ 2.5% | 50 MW | 60 MW | — | — |
| Richland County | 434,956 | ▲ 2.7% | 992 MW | — | 3 | — |
More of South Carolina
Sumter County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Sumter County, South Carolina?
4 utilities have service territory in Sumter County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Duke Energy Progress - (NC), Black River Electric Coop, Inc - (SC), Tri-County Electric Coop, Inc (SC), City of Camden. The largest, Duke Energy Progress - (NC), charged residential customers 14.88¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Sumter, SC in?
Sumter is in Sumter County, South Carolina. About 43,094 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
Are there data centers in Sumter County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Sumter County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Richland County.
Is Sumter County adding jobs?
Employers counted 35,348 jobs in 2025 against 37,261 in 2019 (-5.1%, BLS QCEW).
Does Sumter County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Sumter County. South Carolina has 22 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.