Sell My Land in Dillon County SC - What Landowners Need to Know
Key Takeaways
- Dillon County's population has fallen from 32,062 in 2010 to 28,292 in 2020 and an estimated 27,600 in 2024, a loss of roughly 4,400 residents — about 14% — in one of the steeper declines in South Carolina's rural Pee Dee region, according to U.S. Census Bureau data
- South Carolina's deed recording fee is $1.85 per $500 of sale price, with a $1.30 state portion and $0.55 county portion, customarily paid by the seller, according to the SC Department of Revenue Deed Recording Fee Manual 2024
- Vacant and non-owner-occupied land is assessed at 6% of fair market value in South Carolina under SC Code § 12-43-220, compared to 4% for primary residences and qualifying agricultural use — making dormant land a higher-cost category to hold
How Can You Sell Land in Dillon County South Carolina?
Selling land in Dillon County, South Carolina means navigating a process shaped by the state's attorney-supervised closing requirement, a deed recording fee that functions as a transfer tax, and a Pee Dee agricultural economy built on tobacco, cotton, soybeans, corn, and the timber bottomlands along the Little Pee Dee River. The county covers roughly 407 square miles in the northeastern corner of the state, bordering Robeson and Columbus counties in North Carolina to the north and tied to a farming tradition that dates to the early cotton-and-tobacco era.
For landowners considering a sale, this guide covers the full tax picture for vacant parcels, how attorney-supervised closings work in South Carolina, how Dillon compares to its neighbors, and why a shrinking rural population and absentee ownership shape the local land market. For a broader look at the state's rules, see our South Carolina land selling guide.
What Are the Tax and Carrying Costs of Holding Vacant Land in Dillon County?
South Carolina uses a tiered assessment ratio system under SC Code § 12-43-220. Owner-occupied primary residences are assessed at 4% of fair market value, while all other real property — including vacant land, investment parcels, and non-owner-occupied lots — is assessed at 6% of fair market value. This means a vacant parcel carries a 50% higher assessment ratio than a home the owner lives in.
Dillon County's property tax burden is modest in absolute dollars but high relative to local property values, a common pattern in low-value rural markets. The median annual property tax bill in Dillon County is approximately $372 to $379, according to Ownwell and tax-rates.org — among the lowest dollar amounts in the state because median property values are low. The effective rate, however, runs well above the South Carolina average; Ownwell reports a county median effective tax rate of roughly 2.15% of market value, while tax-rates.org reports the county collects about 0.62% of assessed fair market value on average. The gap reflects how exemptions, low base values, and local levies interact across different parcels.
How Property Tax Bills Add Up for Vacant Land
For a vacant parcel assessed at $50,000 market value, the 6% assessment ratio produces an assessed value of $3,000. Applied against a combined millage rate (county, school, and special-district levies together), the annual tax bill typically lands in the several-hundred-dollar range. For larger parcels — 50 or 100 acres at higher valuations — these costs compound year after year on land that produces no income while it sits.
South Carolina requires countywide reassessments every five years. Taxes are due by January 15 each year; unpaid taxes accrue penalties and can ultimately result in a tax sale. For absentee landowners — particularly those who inherited Pee Dee farmland and now live out of state — monitoring due dates from afar adds another layer of risk.
If the land qualifies for agricultural use under SC Code § 12-43-232 (generally at least five acres actively farmed or producing timber), it may receive the 4% agricultural assessment ratio based on use value rather than market value. Timberland along the Little Pee Dee held by individuals or family partnerships is also eligible for agricultural-use classification at 4%, rather than the 6% rate applied to dormant vacant parcels. Be aware that converting agricultural-use land to a non-qualifying use can trigger rollback taxes — a recapture of the tax savings for the prior years. Landowners should verify eligibility and rollback exposure with the Dillon County Tax Assessor (401 W. Main Street, Room 202, Dillon, SC 29536; 843-774-1412).
For more on how back taxes affect a land sale, see our guide on selling land with back taxes.
What Closing and Zoning Requirements Apply to Land Sales in Dillon County?
South Carolina is an attorney-closing state. Under the precedent established in State v. Buyers Service Co., 357 S.E.2d 15 (S.C. 1986), the South Carolina Supreme Court held that real estate closings constitute the practice of law. Every deed transfer — including vacant land, cash transactions, and inherited property conveyances — must be supervised by a licensed South Carolina attorney. There are no exceptions for cash sales or simple transactions.
The closing process in South Carolina follows this sequence:
- Title search: The attorney examines records at the Dillon County Clerk of Court & Register of Deeds (301 W. Main Street, Dillon, SC 29536; 843-774-1425) to confirm the seller holds clear, marketable title — particularly important where inherited farmland or intestate succession is involved
- Deed preparation: The attorney drafts the warranty or quitclaim deed based on the chain of title
- Closing: Buyer, seller, and attorney meet (or sign remotely) to execute documents and transfer funds
- Recording: The attorney records the deed and pays the deed recording fee — $1.85 per $500 of sale price — to the Register of Deeds; the $1.30 state portion and $0.55 county portion are both remitted at recording
- Disbursement: The attorney disburses proceeds to the seller, less any outstanding liens, taxes, or legal fees
For sellers who need to understand what documents are required, our paperwork needed to sell land guide covers the typical set — deed, survey (if required), any easement disclosures, and property tax clearance letters.
Zoning and Land Use in Dillon County
Dillon County administers land use regulation for unincorporated areas, with municipal zoning handled separately by the City of Dillon and other incorporated towns such as Latta and Lake View. Much of the county is agricultural, and parcels near the Little Pee Dee River and its swamp bottomlands can fall within mapped flood zones — a factor that affects buildability and value. Before any sale or development project, buyers and sellers should verify the current zoning designation and flood status. Contact the Dillon County Tax Assessor's Office (843-774-1412) or the county planning staff to confirm applicable use restrictions, especially for low-lying timber tracts. For parcels in flood-prone areas, see our guide on selling land in a flood zone.
How Does Dillon County Compare to Neighboring South Carolina Counties?
Dillon County's population has declined from 32,062 in 2010 to 28,292 in 2020 and an estimated 27,600 in 2024, losing roughly 4,400 residents — about 14% — over 14 years, according to U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts and Data USA. This decline mirrors a broader Pee Dee trend: Marion and Dillon counties each lost about 12% of their populations over the last decade as agriculture stopped being the economic linchpin it once was and younger residents left for jobs and housing elsewhere, according to the Post and Courier.
| Factor | Dillon County | Marlboro County | Marion County | Horry County |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2024 est.) | ~27,600 | ~25,500 | ~28,700 | ~383,000 |
| Population trend | Declining (~14% since 2010) | Declining | Declining (~12% since 2010) | Growing rapidly |
| Region | Pee Dee | Pee Dee | Pee Dee | Grand Strand/coast |
| Dominant land use | Tobacco, row crops, timber | Row crops, timber | Tobacco, soybeans, timber | Coastal development, tourism |
| Distance to Florence | ~35 min | ~50 min | ~35 min | ~75 min |
| Key land market signal | Inherited farmland, absentee owners | Very thin local market | Inherited farmland, absentee | High demand, low rural inventory |
Dillon County sits squarely in the Pee Dee farming belt. Its agricultural economy grew out of the cotton era of the late 1700s and early 1800s, then shifted heavily toward tobacco after the boll-weevil and Depression years of the 1930s; by the late 1990s tobacco far outpaced cotton in value, and the county's working farms today still produce tobacco, corn, grains, and soybeans, according to county history sources. The land use mix — open row-crop fields broken by pine and the cypress-gum swamp timber along the Little Pee Dee River — defines the rural parcels that come to market. (Farm counts and total ag sales for the county are published in the USDA 2022 Census of Agriculture county profile, cp45033; detailed land-use breakdowns are also summarized by Data USA.)
The defining feature for sellers is a shrinking buyer pool. Unlike fast-growing coastal Horry County, where rural inventory is scarce and demand is high, Dillon and its inland Pee Dee neighbors face flat-to-falling local demand. That makes the gap between carrying costs and realistic sale timelines wider here than in the growth corridors of the state.
Inherited Farmland and Absentee Ownership
A large share of Pee Dee land is inherited farmland — parcels passed down through families as the younger generation moved away. When property passes without a will, it can end up co-owned by multiple heirs with no single clear title holder, which complicates any sale until title is cleared. Even when title is clean, out-of-state heirs often hold tobacco-allotment-era farm tracts or timber bottomland they have never farmed, paying taxes year after year on land they cannot easily monitor or sell from a distance.
For inherited tracts, clearing title is usually the first step — sometimes through a quiet-title action or an agreement among co-owners. Our how to sell inherited land guide and our selling land as an out-of-state owner guide explain both situations in detail.
For more county-level land analysis across South Carolina, explore our blog.
What Are Your Options for Selling Land in Dillon County?
Dillon County landowners holding vacant, inherited, or non-producing parcels face a widening gap between carrying costs and potential future value. A declining population shrinks the pool of local buyers; the 6% assessment ratio means higher tax treatment than owner-occupied or actively farmed property; and inherited-farmland title complications can stall even willing sellers for months.
Before selling, confirm your property's legal description and tax status through the Dillon County Clerk of Court & Register of Deeds (301 W. Main Street, Dillon, SC 29536; 843-774-1425) and verify any delinquent taxes through the Dillon County Tax Assessor's Office (401 W. Main Street, Room 202; 843-774-1412) and the County Treasurer. If the parcel was inherited without a will, consult a South Carolina real estate attorney about clearing title before listing. Check zoning and flood-zone status before you market a low-lying timber tract.
Sellers have several paths. Listing with a local agent familiar with Pee Dee farmland and timber provides exposure but involves commission costs and can mean a long wait in a thin market. Online platforms reach out-of-state buyers interested in hunting, timber, or investment land. For landowners who want a specific number — not a listing — request a cash offer from Jerez Land. We provide firm, parcel-specific written offers, handle the attorney-supervised closing, and can close in weeks without commissions or listing fees — with our team absorbing the carrying, marketing, and resale risk.
Understanding how to sell farmland and how much your land is worth before negotiating puts you in a stronger position regardless of which path you choose.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I sell vacant land in Dillon County SC?
Confirm your property's legal description through the Dillon County Clerk of Court & Register of Deeds (301 W. Main Street, Dillon, SC 29536; 843-774-1425) and check for any delinquent taxes through the Tax Assessor and Treasurer. South Carolina requires a licensed attorney to supervise the closing, including title examination, deed preparation, and recording. You can list with a local agent, use land-focused platforms, or request a direct cash offer from a land buyer.
What is the property tax rate for vacant land in Dillon County SC?
Vacant and non-owner-occupied land is assessed at 6% of fair market value under SC Code § 12-43-220, compared to 4% for primary residences and qualifying agricultural use. Dillon County's median annual property tax bill is roughly $372 to $379 according to Ownwell and tax-rates.org — low in dollar terms because local property values are low — though the effective rate relative to value runs above the state average.
What is South Carolina's deed recording fee and who pays it?
South Carolina charges $1.85 per $500 of sale price — a $1.30 state portion plus $0.55 county portion — recorded at closing as the Deed Recording Fee, according to the SC Department of Revenue Deed Recording Fee Manual 2024. By custom, the seller pays this fee, though parties may negotiate otherwise in the purchase contract.
Is an attorney required for land sales in Dillon County SC?
Yes. Under State v. Buyers Service Co., 357 S.E.2d 15 (S.C. 1986), the South Carolina Supreme Court held that real estate closings are the practice of law. Every deed transfer — including vacant land and cash transactions — must be supervised by a licensed South Carolina attorney, who handles title examination, deed preparation, and recording with the Clerk of Court & Register of Deeds.
Can I sell inherited farmland in Dillon County if I live out of state?
Yes, but inherited Pee Dee farmland often requires clearing title first, especially when the previous owner died without a will and the land is now co-owned by several heirs. Once title is clear, an out-of-state owner can complete the entire attorney-supervised closing remotely. Many Dillon County tracts are held by absentee heirs who pay taxes from a distance, so this is a common situation.
Is Dillon County SC population growing or declining?
Dillon County's population has declined from 32,062 in 2010 to 28,292 in 2020 to an estimated 27,600 in 2024, losing approximately 4,400 residents — about 14% — over 14 years, according to U.S. Census Bureau data. The decline reflects a broader rural Pee Dee trend driven by the fading of the tobacco-and-cotton farm economy and younger residents leaving for jobs and housing elsewhere.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal, financial, or professional advice. Laws and regulations vary by jurisdiction and change over time. Always consult with qualified professionals before making land purchase decisions. Jerez Land is not responsible for actions taken based on this information.