On Assignment: Jasper County, SC
Photos by Sean Rayford for The New York Times (March 30-April 1, 2026) in Jasper County, South Carolina — unless noted otherwise.
Jasper County, S.C., along the coast, has seen a crush of newcomers in recent years, drawn by its proximity to beaches and low taxes. Locals fear they may be losing their rural way of life.
Grant McClure, the south coast office director for the Coastal Conservation League, left, and Michael Bruner depart for a trip on the Broad River into Jasper County from the Edgar C. Glenn boat ramp in Okatie, South Carolina Wednesday April 1, 2026. Here, we are in Beaufort County, but just on the other side of the bridge and boat ramp — is Jasper County.
From my experience over the years, most of Jasper County is pine trees and two lane roads.
But since 2020, the the fastest growing county in the nation has ballooned from 29,000 in 2020 to 38,000. Most of this growth is in Hardeeville on the edge of Beaufort County and in particular, a large private community, Latitude Margaritaville.
I spent a couple days on assignment for the New York Times in the southeast corner of the Palmetto State, exploring the growth and natural resources. Here are photos that ran and some photos that didn’t make the cut for publication.
“The serenity is gone,” said Reginald White, 58, who was born and raised in Jasper County, and whose family owns about 200 acres near Ridgeland, South Carolina.
