Farms and land in Georgetown County are gaining in investment stature due to the rush to develop along the coast that has drawn thousands of newcomers. Most of the county’s 63,000 residents are now living and working along the shores of the Atlantic Ocean, leaving the remainder of the county sparsely populated and just waiting for development. While tourism and commercial fishing are mainstays along the coast, much of the rest of the county is used for farming, timber and manufacturing and other recreational endeavors. International Paper Co. is the largest single employer in the county. The 1,035-square-mile county still boasts 80,000 acres in farmland with 77% of that total left in woodlands that can be used for timber or hunting. Much of the frontage along rivers, once dockage for ships bringing in rice, has not been redeveloped. Hunting and fishing throughout the state draw both residents and tourists. Guides take fishing parties into the backwaters and saltwater estuaries where they land redfish, trout, flounder and tarpon. Hunting includes deer, small game and waterfowl, the latter of which can benefit from impoundments. As coastal population outgrows available Georgetown County land, residential development more inland is becoming a hot market. Georgetown County School District provides K-12 education. Georgetown School of Arts and Science and Clemson University Extension provide higher education.
