Lee County is a county in South Carolina, United States, on the Coastal Plain roughly midway between Columbia and Florence. It had a population of 16,531 at the 2020 census and covers 411 square miles (1,065 km2) centred near 34°10′N 80°15′W.
Bishopville is the county seat, and its postal code is 29010. The county has two incorporated towns and several census-designated places, no organized civil townships, and sits in the Eastern time zone.
Towns & Villages in Lee County
Lee County has two incorporated towns — Bishopville and Lynchburg — plus a handful of census-designated places (CDPs) and older rural crossroads communities that appear on maps and in local use but have no separate census count. CDP figures below are from the 2020 census; unincorporated crossroads communities are listed with a population of — because the Census Bureau does not tabulate them separately.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bishopville | Town · seat | 3,024 | 29010 |
| Lynchburg | Town | 318 | 29080 |
| Ashwood | CDP | — | 29010 |
| Browntown | CDP | — | 29010 |
| Elliott | CDP | — | 29046 |
| Manville | CDP | — | 29010 |
| Saint Charles | CDP | — | 29010 |
| Wisacky | CDP | — | 29010 |
| South Lynchburg | Unincorp. | — | 29080 |
| Mechanicsville | Unincorp. | — | 29010 |
| Alcot | Unincorp. | — | 29010 |
| Ashland | Unincorp. | — | 29010 |
| Atkins | Unincorp. | — | 29010 |
| Cypress Crossroads | Unincorp. | — | 29010 |
| DuBose Crossroads | Unincorp. | — | 29010 |
| Dunlape Crossroads | Unincorp. | — | 29010 |
| English Crossroads | Unincorp. | — | 29010 |
| Hammetts Crossroads | Unincorp. | — | 29010 |
| Kiffs Crossroads | Unincorp. | — | 29010 |
| Lucknow | Unincorp. | — | 29010 |
| McCutchens Crossroads | Unincorp. | — | 29010 |
| Red Hill | Unincorp. | — | 29010 |
| Rhodes Crossroads | Unincorp. | — | 29010 |
| Rose Hill | Unincorp. | — | 29010 |
| Shannon Hill | Unincorp. | — | 29010 |
| Spring Hill | Unincorp. | — | 29010 |
| Spur | Unincorp. | — | 29010 |
| Thursa | Unincorp. | — | 29010 |
| Wells Crossroads | Unincorp. | — | 29010 |
| Woodrow | Unincorp. | — | 29010 |
| Zemp | Unincorp. | — | 29010 |
ZIP Codes
- 29010 — Bishopville (also serves most of the county’s rural crossroads communities)
- 29080 — Lynchburg (also serves South Lynchburg)
- 29046 — Elliott (PO Box delivery only)
Ashwood, Browntown, Manville, Saint Charles, and Wisacky have no ZIP code of their own and share Bishopville’s 29010.
Geography
Lee County lies on South Carolina’s Coastal Plain, a flat to gently rolling landscape of farmland and pine woods drained by Lynches River, which forms part of the county’s eastern edge, and Black River tributaries to the south. Of its 411 square miles, about 1.0 square mile is water.
Lee County borders Darlington County to the northeast, Florence County to the east, Sumter County to the south, and Kershaw County to the northwest.
Demographics
Lee County had 16,531 residents at the 2020 census, entirely classified as rural. Bishopville is the largest community, followed by Lynchburg. The county’s Black or African American population share (about 61%) is among the highest of any South Carolina county. Median household income in Lee County runs well below the South Carolina median of $67,804. Population density is about 40 people per square mile, and the county is classified as fully rural by the Census Bureau, with no urban area of its own.
Economy & Local Life
Agriculture — cotton, soybeans, and corn on the county’s flat farmland — remains central to Lee County’s economy, alongside manufacturing and food processing. Major employers include Ardagh Group (glass container manufacturing), Coca-Cola Consolidated, Food Lion, and Lee Academy, a private school in Bishopville.
History
Lee County in its current form was created on February 25, 1902, from portions of Darlington, Kershaw, and Sumter counties; an earlier, short-lived Lee County had existed briefly from 1898 to 1899. The county is named for Confederate general Robert E. Lee. Bishopville, the seat, developed around a cotton-shipping stop and grew with the arrival of the railroad in the late 19th century. Like much of the surrounding Pee Dee region, the county’s economy and population were shaped for generations by cotton and tobacco farming before diversifying into manufacturing in the 20th century.
Getting There
Interstate 20 runs through northern Lee County, and US Routes 15, 76, and 401 cross the county along with South Carolina Highways 34, 154, 341, and 441.
- Sumter — 20 miles south
- Florence — 25 miles east
- Columbia — 45 miles west
- Camden — 25 miles northwest
The nearest commercial airport is Columbia Metropolitan Airport (CAE), about 50 miles west of Bishopville.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Lee County, South Carolina?
It is in the Pee Dee region of central South Carolina, between Columbia and Florence, bordered by Darlington, Florence, Sumter, and Kershaw counties.
What is the population of Lee County?
16,531 at the 2020 census.
How big is Lee County?
411 square miles (1,065 km2), of which about 1.0 square mile is water.
What is the county seat of Lee County?
Bishopville is the county seat.
How many towns are in Lee County?
Two incorporated towns, Bishopville and Lynchburg, plus several census-designated places and rural crossroads communities.
What ZIP codes are in Lee County?
29010 (Bishopville), 29080 (Lynchburg), and 29046 (Elliott, PO Box only).
Who is Lee County named for?
Confederate general Robert E. Lee.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in South Carolina.