Table 62. Selected Principal Operator Characteristics by Race: 2012 and 2007 
[For meaning of abbreviations and symbols, see introductory text.] 
Characteristics 
All principal 
operators 
American Indian or 
Alaska Native 
Asian 
Black or 
African American 
2012 
2007 
2012 
2007 
2012 
2007 
2012 
2007 
Operators number 
25,266 
25,867 
128 
126 
67 
46 
2,025 
2,108 
Sex of operator: 
Male 
21,257 
21,782 
98 
98 
49 
40 
1,814 
1,829 
Female 
4,009 
4,085 
30 
28 
18 
6 
211 
279 
Primary occupation: 
Farming 
10,361 
9,739 
73 
51 
32 
8 
985 
930 
Other 
14,905 
16,128 
55 
75 
35 
38 
1,040 
1,178 
Place of residence: 
On farm operated 
19,430 
19,429 
105 
91 
35 
41 
1,436 
1,442 
Not on farm operated 
5,836 
6,438 
23 
35 
32 
5 
589 
666 
Days of work off farm: 
None 
9,395 
9,066 
44 
55 
18 
21 
830 
782 
Any 
15,871 
16,801 
84 
71 
49 
25 
1,195 
1,326 
1 to 49 days 
1,971 
2,861 
3 
15 
4 
- 
133 
213 
50 to 99 days 
1,055 
1,434 
8 
5 
6 
- 
110 
194 
100 to 199 days 
2,126 
2,267 
6 
6 
12 
10 
208 
243 
200 days or more 
10,719 
10,239 
67 
45 
27 
15 
744 
676 
Years on present farm: 
2 years or less 
988 
994 
- 
2 
6 
4 
92 
87 
3 or 4 years 
1,145 
1,493 
32 
13 
5 
3 
59 
119 
5 to 9 years 
3,475 
4,411 
7 
27 
33 
13 
206 
345 
10 years or more 
19,658 
18,969 
89 
84 
23 
26 
1,668 
1,557 
Years operating any farm (see text): 
2 years or less 
741 
(NA) 
(NA) 
(NA) 
73 
(NA) 
3 or 4 years 
910 
(NA) 
26 
(NA) 
11 
(NA) 
49 
(NA) 
5 to 9 years 
2,997 
(NA) 
9 
(NA) 
33 
(NA) 
172 
(NA) 
10 years or more 
20,618 
(NA) 
93 
(NA) 
23 
(NA) 
1,731 
(NA) 
Age group: 
Under 25 years 
84 
83 
- 
- 
- 
- 
8 
12 
25 to 34 years 
1,013 
996 
32 
12 
- 
- 
41 
65 
35 to 44 years 
2,350 
2,754 
- 
10 
14 
3 
111 
118 
45 to 54 years 
5,097 
6,010 
33 
31 
16 
10 
369 
383 
55 to 64 years 
7,628 
7,734 
32 
37 
18 
10 
624 
765 
65 to 74 years 
5,880 
5,128 
21 
28 
13 
9 
520 
445 
75 years and over 
3,214 
3,162 
10 
8 
6 
14 
352 
320 
Average age 
59.5 
58.5 
52.7 
56.1 
57.5 
63.6 
62.4 
60.8 
Number of persons living in household 
61,757 
64,197 
247 
317 
204 
111 
4,978 
5,240 
Characteristics 
Native Plawaiian or 
Other Pacific Islander 
White 
More than one race reported 
2012 
2007 
2012 
2007 
2012 
2007 
Operators number 
- 
7 
22,954 
23,393 
92 
187 
Sex of operator: 
Male 
- 
4 
19,225 
19,652 
71 
159 
Female 
3 
3,729 
3,741 
21 
28 
Primary occupation: 
Farming 
- 
- 
9,238 
8,650 
33 
100 
Other 
" 
7 
13,716 
14,743 
59 
87 
Place of residence: 
On farm operated 
- 
3 
17,783 
17,707 
71 
145 
Not on farm operated 
- 
4 
5,171 
5,686 
21 
42 
Days of work off farm: 
None 
- 
2 
8,465 
8,134 
38 
72 
Any 
- 
5 
14,489 
15,259 
54 
115 
1 to 49 days 
- 
- 
1,824 
2,609 
7 
24 
50 to 99 days 
- 
- 
929 
1,233 
2 
2 
100 to 199 days 
- 
- 
1,884 
1,994 
16 
14 
200 days or more 
- 
5 
9,852 
9,423 
29 
75 
Years on present farm: 
2 years or less 
- 
2 
885 
881 
5 
18 
3 or 4 years 
- 
- 
1,048 
1,353 
1 
5 
5 to 9 years 
- 
- 
3,218 
3,987 
11 
39 
10 years or more 
- 
5 
17,803 
17,172 
75 
125 
Years operating any farm (see text): 
2 years or less 
(NA) 
665 
(NA) 
3 
(NA) 
3 or 4 years 
- 
(NA) 
823 
(NA) 
1 
(NA) 
5 to 9 years 
" 
(NA) 
2,773 
(NA) 
10 
(NA) 
10 years or more 
- 
(NA) 
18,693 
(NA) 
78 
(NA) 
Age group: 
Under 25 years 
- 
- 
76 
67 
- 
4 
25 to 34 years 
- 
- 
936 
910 
4 
9 
35 to 44 years 
- 
2 
2,217 
2,599 
8 
22 
45 to 54 years 
- 
- 
4,664 
5,546 
15 
40 
55 to 64 years 
- 
3 
6,925 
6,854 
29 
65 
65 to 74 years 
- 
1 
5,301 
4,621 
25 
24 
75 years and over 
- 
1 
2,835 
2,796 
11 
23 
Average age 
- 
60.0 
59.3 
58.3 
59.8 
57.3 
Number of persons living in household 
- 
11 
56,092 
58,075 
236 
443 
54 South Carolina 
2012 Census of Agriculture - State Data 
USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service 
