Sumter County is one of about 3,141 counties and county equivalents in the United States. It has 545.7 sq. miles in land area and a population density of 136.9 per square mile. In the last three decades of the 1900s its population grew by 259.5%. On the 2000 census form, 98.5% of the population reported only one race, with 13.8% of these reporting African-American. The population of this county is 6.3% Hispanic (of any race). The average household size is 2.27 persons compared to an average family size of 2.62 persons. In 2008 retail trade was the largest of 20 major sectors. It had an average wage per job of $21,623. Per capita income grew by 45.4% between 1997 and 2007 (adjusted for inflation).

People & Income Overview (By Place of Residence)	Value	Rank in U.S.	Industry Overview (2008) (By Place of Work)	Value	Rank in U.S.
Population (2008)	74,721	712	Covered Employment	18,709	924
Growth (%) since 1990	136.6%	25	Avg wage per job	$32,495	1336
Households (2000)	20,779	854	Manufacturing - % all jobs in County	6.6%	2038
Labor Force (persons) (2008)	31,325	809	Avg wage per job	$39,202	1356
Unemployment Rate (2008)	5.4	1641	Transportation & Warehousing - % all jobs in County	2.1%	1586
Per Capita Personal Income (2007)	$26,481	2112	Avg wage per job	$29,865	2865
Median Household Income (2007)	$42,828	1271	Health Care, Social Assist. - % all jobs in County	10.6%	1152
Poverty Rate (2007)	12.9	1812	Avg wage per job	$34,983	889
H.S. Diploma or More - % of Adults 25+ (2000)	77.3	1,799	Finance and Insurance - % all jobs in County	2.3%	1698
Bachelor's Deg. or More - % of Adults 25+ (2000)	12.2	2,091	Avg wage per job	$40,856	1012