South Carolina

Sumter

105,556
2020 population
1790
first census record
24
census records

About Sumter

Sumter, South Carolina, first appears in the United States federal census in 1790, when it recorded a population of 4,548. At the most recent census, in 2020, its population stood at 105,556.

Its recorded population peaked at 107,456 in 2010, and has since declined by roughly 2 percent.

On the ground today, 10 documented military engagements have been recorded within the county, among them Battle of Halfway Swamp (SC, 1780), Battle of Lanneau's Ferry, Potter's Raid — Stateburg Skirmish, and 29 places are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Population by decade

Census YearPopulationChart
2020105,556
2010107,456
2000104,646
1990102,637
198088,243
197079,425
196074,941
195057,634
194052,463
193045,902
192043,040
191038,472
190051,237
189043,605
188037,037
187025,268
186023,859
185033,220
184027,892
183028,277
182025,369
181019,054
180013,103
17904,548
Source

Population data from the United States decennial census, U.S. Census Bureau (public domain).

Battles & engagements in Sumter

Military engagements that took place in Sumter, South Carolina.

Battle of Halfway Swamp (SC, 1780)
1780
Battle of Lanneau's Ferry
1781
Potter's Raid — Stateburg Skirmish
1865
Potter's Raid — Manchester SC Railroad Destruction
1865
Battle of Dingle's Mill SC
1865
Battle of Dingle's Mill
1865
Action at Stateburg / High Hills of the Santee
1865
Battle of Dingles Mill (South Carolina 1865)
1865
Action at Wateree Swamp / Stateburg Area SC
1865
Skirmish at Stateburg SC — Potter's Raid April 1865
1865

Historic places in Sumter

National Register of Historic Places listings in Sumter, South Carolina.

Holy Cross Episcopal Church
Stateburg
Lincoln High School
Sumter
Stateburg Historic District
Sumter
Heriot-Moise House
Sumter
Temple Sinai
Sumter
Sumter Historic District
Sumter
Lenoir Store
Horatio
Magnolia Hall
Hagood
Pinewood Depot
Pinewood
Millford Plantation
Pinewood
Borough House Plantation
Stateburg
Sumter Town Hall-Opera House
Sumter
Goodwill Parochial School
Mayesville
Scarborough, Henry Lee, House
Sumter
Carnegie Public Library
Sumter
Myrtle Moor
Sumter
O'Donnell House
Sumter
Sumter County Courthouse
Sumter
Mayesville Historic District
Mayesville
Orange Grove
Dalzell
Rip Raps Plantation
Sumter
St. Mark's Church
Pinewood
Singleton's Graveyard
Wedgefield
Salem Black River Presbyterian Church
Sumter
Browse all South Carolinahistoric sites ›

Other counties in South Carolina

Explore census history and historic records for more South Carolina counties.

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Everything a full report reveals about Sumter County, South Carolina

This page charts the census history of Sumter County, South Carolina. A full Aubrey report for an address here pulls together everything the historical record holds about the ground, from the earliest settlement to the twentieth century:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
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Frequently asked about Sumter

When does Sumter first appear in the US census?
Sumter, South Carolina first appears in the federal census in 1790, with a recorded population of 4,548.
What is the population of Sumter?
At the most recent federal census (2020), Sumter had a recorded population of 105,556.
When did Sumter's population peak?
Sumter's recorded population peaked at 107,456 in 2010.
Were any battles fought in Sumter?
10 documented military engagements took place in Sumter, including Battle of Halfway Swamp (SC, 1780), Battle of Lanneau's Ferry, Potter's Raid — Stateburg Skirmish.
How many historic places are in Sumter?
29 sites are listed on the National Register of Historic Places in Sumter, South Carolina.
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