County · code 45079
Richland CountySouth Carolina
Richland County is a county in South Carolina with its seat in Columbia. The county was created in 1785 within Camden District and has grown through territorial gains from neighboring counties.
- Founded1785
- County seatColumbia
- Land area757 sq mi + 15 sq mi water
- Population416,147 2020 Census
- Parcels mapped184,915 checked 16 October 2026
Where it is
Richland on the map of South Carolina
South Carolina has 46 counties and county equivalents, each with its own records office. Shapes with a page are links.
History
Founded in 1785
An old deed may name a county that no longer exists, or a boundary that has since moved.
Richland County was created on March 12, 1785, within Camden District. The county experienced boundary changes throughout its early years, losing territory to Kershaw County in 1791 but regaining land from it the following year, and exchanging territory with Fairfield County in 1797. In 1868, when the state abolished judicial districts under a new constitution, Richland District was eliminated and Richland County assumed all local government functions. During the early 20th century, the county expanded by gaining land from Lexington County in 1912, 1913, and 1922, and from Fairfield County in 1913.
- 1785Richland County created Richland created within Camden District. · S.C. Statutes, 4:661-666; S.C. Acts 1797, pp. 144-145
- 1791
- 1792
- 1799Richland County created Richland District created from Camden District, with same boundaries as Richland County. · S.C. Acts 1799, p. 14
- 1868Eliminated Richland District eliminated when new state constitution abolished all judicial districts. Richland County continued and assumed all functions of local government from both judicial districts and parishes. · Swindler, 8:497
Show all 11 changes
- 1785Richland County created Richland created within Camden District. · S.C. Statutes, 4:661-666; S.C. Acts 1797, pp. 144-145
- 1791
- 1792
- 1797
- 1799Richland County created Richland District created from Camden District, with same boundaries as Richland County. · S.C. Acts 1799, p. 14
- 1868Eliminated Richland District eliminated when new state constitution abolished all judicial districts. Richland County continued and assumed all functions of local government from both judicial districts and parishes. · Swindler, 8:497
- 1912Gained territory Richland gained from Lexington. · S.C. Acts 1912, no. 457, sec. 1/pp. 821-823
- 1913Gained territory Richland gained from Lexington. · S.C. Acts 1913, no. 68, sec. 1/pp. 107-108
- 1913Gained territory Richland gained from Fairfield. · S.C. Acts 1913, no. 74, sec. 1/pp. 117-118
- 1922Gained territory Richland gained from Lexington. · S.C. Acts 1922, no. 551, sec. 1/pp. 977-978
- 1969Boundary clarified Boundary between Richland and Lexington redefined (no change).with Lexingtonno change· S.C. Acts 1969, no. 465, secs. 1-3/pp. 819-822
Land and parcels
What the maps cover in Richland
Who publishes each layer, how good it is, and when we last checked.
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Parcels Good enough
Lot lines and tax-map numbers for 184,915 parcels from Richland County. Drawn for tax purposes: usually within a few feet of a survey, but not a survey.
edited 4 November 2025 · checked 16 October 2026 -
Address points Missing
No public address points layer found for Richland County yet.
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Buildings Reference
Roof outlines traced from aerial imagery from FEMA Response Geospatial Office with Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). Good for seeing what is on a lot; not accurate enough to set a fence from.
checked 18 October 2026
- Official
- from the office that keeps the record
- Good enough
- a reliable statewide or national copy
- Fallback
- a guide only; check the official record
- Missing
- nothing public found yet
People and land
Richland by the Census
Source: US Census Bureau, 2020 Census; US Census Bureau, 2020 Gazetteer Files. Not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Rules and offices
Who to ask before you build, dig or sell
Official county pages only. We link to them; we do not copy them, because they change.
Inside a city or town, permits usually come from that city rather than the county.
Zoning and code
GIS and maps
County government
- County government
The official website of Richland County.
See your own lot on these maps
Open Richland County on Parcel Chart's free map and click your parcel. Save it with a free account; the full record of your place (site map, projects, documents) is Pro, in early access.
Questions
Common questions about Richland County
- When was Richland County founded?
- Richland County was founded in 1785.
- What is the county seat of Richland County?
- The county seat of Richland County is Columbia.
- Is there an online parcel map for Richland County?
- Yes. Richland County publishes a parcel map of 184,915 parcels, rated good enough here. You can click any parcel on it in Parcel Chart's free map, no sign-in needed.
- Has Richland County's boundary or name changed?
- Richland County was created in 1785. Since then the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries records 9 later changes, chiefly involving Lexington County, Fairfield County and Kershaw County.
- Who issues building permits in Richland County?
- The county's page on building permits: Commercial Pet Breeder Permit. Inside a city or town, ask that city first.
- Is my lot in a flood zone?
- We do not have flood maps for Richland County yet. Look up the address on FEMA's Flood Map Service Center, which shows the effective flood map for any lot.
Nearby