Population 21,495 · Census ACS 2020–24
Choose a measure to map it.Tap a measure to map it. Swipe the row for more. Arrows show the change since 2006–10.
Median age by neighborhoodHistory and comparison ↓︎
Younger residents
Older residents
Colorblind friendly
off
More maps of Camden: Best Neighborhoods · Walk Grade · Household income · Home prices · Race · Politics · Traffic noise · Internet
Population and households in Camden
Household size in Camden
| Period | Camden | Columbia area | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.36 | 2.51 | 2.54 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.38 | 2.55 | 2.59 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.48 | 2.55 | 2.57 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.42 | 2.46 | 2.50 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.05 | −0.05 | −0.04 | −0.03 |
Households in Camden run small, averaging 2.42 people against 2.65 nationally, which usually means more singles and couples and fewer children. The Columbia area as a whole looks much the same. Household size has crept up from 2.36 in 2006–10, even as the national average fell.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Camden
| Period | Camden | Columbia area | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 43.6 | 37.1 | 38.3 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 44.5 | 37.8 | 39.3 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 44.9 | 38.6 | 40.6 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 44.7 | 39.4 | 41.2 | 40.1 |
| Change | +1.0 | +2.3 | +2.9 | +2.3 |
Camden skews older: half of its residents are older than 44.7, well above the national median of 40.1. That usually means more empty nesters and retirees, and fewer young families. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 43.6, as it has nationally.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Camden
| Period | Camden | Columbia area | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.0% | 13.2% | 13.0% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 13.9% | 13.4% | 13.0% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 11.3% | 12.9% | 11.8% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 9.6% | 12.9% | 11.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | −2.3 pts | −0.3 pts | −1.3 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head about one in ten households in Camden (9.6%), a little below the national share of 11.6%. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has fallen 2.3 points, a much bigger shift than nationally.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Camden
Renters in Camden
| Period | Camden | Columbia area | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 23.3% | 31.2% | 30.1% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 29.5% | 32.8% | 31.4% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 23.8% | 32.1% | 30.6% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 25.7% | 30.6% | 28.1% | 34.8% |
| Change | +2.4 pts | −0.6 pts | −2.0 pts | +1.5 pts |
About a quarter of households in Camden rent their homes (25.7%), below the national share of 34.8%; the rest own. Among homeowners, 46.9% have no mortgage at all, above the national share of 39.8%. Rentals cluster in the southwest; owners are most common in the northwest. The renter share has risen 2.4 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Camden
| Period | Camden | Columbia area | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 14.0% | 10.7% | 14.2% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 16.1% | 12.0% | 14.2% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 14.9% | 11.8% | 13.3% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 13.7% | 10.3% | 11.8% | 9.6% |
| Change | −0.2 pts | −0.4 pts | −2.5 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is high in Camden: 13.7% of homes are empty, far above the national rate of 9.6%. In resort and lake areas that usually means seasonal and vacation homes; elsewhere it can point to weak demand.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Camden
| Period | Camden | Columbia area | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1975 | 1984 | 1984 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1977 | 1985 | 1985 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1978 | 1986 | 1987 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1982 | 1990 | 1991 | 1980 |
| Change | +7 | +6 | +7 | +6 |
The typical home in Camden was built around 1982, about the same vintage as the country's housing overall (1980). Homes here are older than in the wider Columbia area, where the median home dates to 1990. The median year built has moved up from 1975 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the southwest, while the center has the oldest housing.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Camden
| Period | Camden | Columbia area | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $578 | $831 | $780 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $751 | $908 | $859 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $723 | $1,021 | $984 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $944 | $1,285 | $1,294 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$366 | +$453 | +$514 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Camden costs $944 a month with utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $366 a month since 2006–10, up 63%, roughly in step with the nation. Rent takes 36.2% of the typical renter's income, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched. The priciest rents are in the south; the most affordable are in the north.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Camden
Bachelor's degrees in Camden
| Period | Camden | Columbia area | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 23.1% | 31.5% | 25.2% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 22.3% | 31.8% | 26.5% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 23.8% | 34.1% | 28.9% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 27.7% | 35.9% | 32.6% | 35.6% |
| Change | +4.6 pts | +4.4 pts | +7.4 pts | +7.2 pts |
More than a quarter of adults 25 and older in Camden (27.7%) have a bachelor's degree or higher, below the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree is up 4.6 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally. College graduates are most concentrated in the west and least in the north.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Camden
| Period | Camden | Columbia area | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 82.2% | 88.1% | 84.0% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 83.3% | 88.7% | 85.7% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 85.4% | 90.2% | 87.8% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 88.4% | 91.4% | 90.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +6.2 pts | +3.3 pts | +6.2 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Camden is close to the national rate: 88.4% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%. The rate is lower than in the Columbia area overall (91.4%). The share with a diploma has risen 6.2 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Camden
| Period | Camden | Columbia area | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.7% | 7.6% | 9.1% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 10.4% | 9.7% | 10.6% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.6% | 6.0% | 5.8% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 7.8% | 5.4% | 4.9% | 5.4% |
| Change | +0.1 pts | −2.2 pts | −4.2 pts | −2.7 pts |
Finding work has been harder in Camden: 7.8% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well above the national rate of 5.4%. Camden has higher unemployment than the great majority of South Carolina cities. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Camden compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Camden | 2.42 | 44.7 | 9.6% | 25.7% | 13.7% | 1982 | $944 | 27.7% | 88.4% | 7.8% |
| Paint Hill | 2.49 | 42.7 | 18.3% | 29.4% | 8.0% | 1993 | $1,108 | 24.9% | 95.1% | 6.0% |
| Shepard | 3.08 | 40.6 | 8.8% | 15.1% | 8.5% | 1986 | $859 | 12.6% | 88.7% | 4.6% |
| Shamokin | 2.57 | 46.6 | 8.7% | 19.6% | 20.1% | 1992 | $682 | 19.4% | 86.6% | 1.6% |
| Cassatt | 2.63 | 43.9 | 10.2% | 16.6% | 12.0% | 1989 | $876 | 12.5% | 84.2% | 4.2% |
| Lugoff | 2.61 | 42.6 | 8.1% | 13.4% | 9.8% | 1994 | $1,054 | 23.0% | 90.8% | 2.5% |
| Pisgah | 2.20 | 50.0 | 17.1% | 14.2% | 12.0% | 1989 | $1,102 | 15.9% | 92.3% | 8.6% |
| Spring Hill | 2.52 | 45.2 | 18.9% | 5.5% | 18.9% | 1982 | $816 | 5.6% | 86.3% | 17.7% |
| Lucknow | 2.47 | 42.3 | 13.7% | 22.1% | 7.5% | 1984 | $881 | 9.6% | 75.2% | 2.5% |
| Elgin | 2.68 | 38.8 | 13.4% | 15.3% | 7.0% | 2003 | $1,370 | 34.9% | 93.1% | 5.5% |
| Pontiac | 2.63 | 40.6 | 7.3% | 18.6% | 7.8% | 2006 | $1,240 | 37.7% | 91.3% | 5.3% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Amherst, OH · Beeville, TX · North Myrtle Beach, SC · Merchantville, NJ · Merrimack, NH · Mesquite, NV · Milford, MI · Millersville, MD · Mineola, NY · Montgomery, IL
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Camden. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
No other site shows detail at this level for free. We are able to keep this site free by receiving a small commission from the referring links on this page. Please share or cite this page if you aren’t able to otherwise support our work.