South Carolina

South Carolina is a rural state with 5.4 million people living within its borders, from the coastal environments along the Atlantic Ocean to the upstate region and the southern Appalachian Mountains. Allendale County, established in 1919, is the youngest of the state’s 46 counties. The county is small in land area (408 square miles), and in population (7,300 people), with less than 20 people per square mile—the lowest density in the state. The county and town of Allendale (population 2,490) have experienced declining populations since 2000, affecting residents’ livelihoods. Our outreach includes all sectors of the county, ranging from farmers to educators, health care providers, and the local chamber of commerce. Non-profit organizations and individuals with local historical knowledge are helping us understand the dynamics that have occurred in Allendale and the challenges they face in the future.

Prior to fieldwork, our team conducted an extensive archival analysis of Allendale County to examine the human changes in landscape to understand past adaptation to change and its constraints/drivers (e.g., political, economic, agricultural, and demographic). During this period, our team also established connections with several stakeholders across the county to host HOBOware instruments to collect weather data including temperature, humidity, and soil moisture.

From August 2 to September 15, 2025, our team engaged residents of Allendale County through a series of in-person survey efforts conducted over six visits.

USC Salk instrument, Greg
  • SC Survey Team
  • AllHands Giant Tractor
  • Outlines indicators of heat cramps, heat exhaustion, and heat stroke

Community Survey

  • Collected 451 in-person surveys from Allendale County residents
  • Used a convenience sampling approach to recruit participants
  • Conducted surveys at multiple community locations, including:
    • A local farmers market in a county hospital parking lot
    • The Allendale County Library
    • A Dollar General parking lot in the town of Fairfax

Outreach & Recruitment

We promoted the survey by:

  • Sharing information through community gatekeepers, including:
    • A non-profit organization, The Good Fruit Foundation
    • A local community organization, Allendale County HEALing Partners
    • The Southern Palmetto Chamber of Commerce
    • A local regional campus USC Salkehatchie
  • Posting flyers on social media with survey dates, times, and locations
  • Word-of-mouth on days we were visiting the community

Perceptions of Heat in Allendale

Although we asked about three different types of hazards (i.e., heat, precipitation, and fire), heat was the most recognizable hazard among the community. 

Most residents believe it is getting hotter overall and during the summer. Residents also believe the heat season is lasting longer and there are more frequent hot days during the summer, though there was no unified consensus on when the heat season begins and ends. Also, stronger heat perceptions were consistently associated with greater perceived heat impacts and higher engagement in adaptive behaviors.