Before entering the civil war, confederates states tried to spread a propaganda that only 1% of Southerners own slaves. But, According to the census that conducted by the US government 1860, around 25% of southerners own slaves.
Not a lot of them were being put in plantation as workers (usually only wealthy business owners can afford this). Most of slave owners at that time own slaves as an equivalent of a housemaid. They helped with the chores, taking care of stables, cook, etc.
