Population 34,289 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Elgin
Household size in Elgin
| Period | Elgin | Columbia area | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.76 | 2.51 | 2.54 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.72 | 2.55 | 2.59 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.81 | 2.55 | 2.57 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.68 | 2.46 | 2.50 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.07 | −0.05 | −0.04 | −0.03 |
At 2.68 people per household, Elgin sits close to the national average of 2.65. The typical household here is bigger than in the Columbia area overall, where it has 2.46 people. Since 2006–10, household size has edged down from 2.76, as it has nationally.
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 Elgin
| Period | Elgin | Columbia area | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 34.8 | 37.1 | 38.3 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 38.0 | 37.8 | 39.3 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 37.4 | 38.6 | 40.6 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 38.8 | 39.4 | 41.2 | 40.1 |
| Change | +3.9 | +2.3 | +2.9 | +2.3 |
Half of the people in Elgin are younger than 38.8 and half are older, close to the national median of 40.1. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 34.8, in line with the national trend. The youngest areas are in the center, the oldest in the west.
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 Elgin
| Period | Elgin | Columbia area | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.6% | 13.2% | 13.0% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 10.2% | 13.4% | 13.0% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 12.9% | 12.9% | 11.8% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 13.4% | 12.9% | 11.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | +1.8 pts | −0.3 pts | −1.3 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are a bit more common in Elgin than nationally: 13.4%, against 11.6%. The picture is much the same across the Columbia area. The single-parent share has risen 1.8 points since 2006–10, even as the national share fell.
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 Elgin
Renters in Elgin
| Period | Elgin | Columbia area | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 18.9% | 31.2% | 30.1% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 22.1% | 32.8% | 31.4% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 19.0% | 32.1% | 30.6% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 15.3% | 30.6% | 28.1% | 34.8% |
| Change | −3.7 pts | −0.6 pts | −2.0 pts | +1.5 pts |
Elgin is largely a place of homeowners: only 15.3% of households rent, far below the national share of 34.8%. Owner-heavy areas like this tend to see less turnover. More than a quarter of owners (26.8%) have paid off their mortgages, well below the national share of 39.8%. The renter share has fallen 3.7 points since 2006–10, even as the national share rose.
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 Elgin
| Period | Elgin | Columbia area | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.9% | 10.7% | 14.2% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 7.7% | 12.0% | 14.2% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 7.6% | 11.8% | 13.3% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 7.0% | 10.3% | 11.8% | 9.6% |
| Change | +1.1 pts | −0.4 pts | −2.5 pts | −1.8 pts |
Fewer homes sit empty in Elgin than nationally: 7.0%, against 9.6% for the U.S. Vacancy has edged up 1.1 points since 2006–10, even as the national rate fell. Elgin has a lower vacancy rate than at least four in five South Carolina cities.
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 Elgin
| Period | Elgin | Columbia area | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1997 | 1984 | 1984 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1997 | 1985 | 1985 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1999 | 1986 | 1987 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 2003 | 1990 | 1991 | 1980 |
| Change | +6 | +6 | +7 | +6 |
Elgin has newer housing than the country as a whole: the median home was built in 2003, versus 1980 nationally. The median year built has moved up from 1997 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the south, the oldest in the east. Only ten of the 172 South Carolina cities with 5,000+ people have newer homes.
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 Elgin
| Period | Elgin | Columbia area | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $914 | $831 | $780 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,015 | $908 | $859 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,107 | $1,021 | $984 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,370 | $1,285 | $1,294 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$456 | +$453 | +$514 | +$606 |
Rent in Elgin runs $1,370 a month at the median, utilities included, below the U.S. median of $1,571. Still, rents here are higher than in the Columbia area as a whole ($1,285). Rents are up $456 a month from 2006–10, a 50% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 29.3% of the typical renter's income, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent.
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 Elgin
Bachelor's degrees in Elgin
| Period | Elgin | Columbia area | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 30.2% | 31.5% | 25.2% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 29.1% | 31.8% | 26.5% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 33.9% | 34.1% | 28.9% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 34.9% | 35.9% | 32.6% | 35.6% |
| Change | +4.7 pts | +4.4 pts | +7.4 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are about as common in Elgin as nationally: 34.9% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%. The share with a degree has risen 4.7 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally. College graduates are most concentrated in the south 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 Elgin
| Period | Elgin | Columbia area | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 88.2% | 88.1% | 84.0% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 88.9% | 88.7% | 85.7% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 93.6% | 90.2% | 87.8% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 93.1% | 91.4% | 90.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +4.9 pts | +3.3 pts | +6.2 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Elgin is above the national rate: 93.1% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%. The share with a diploma has risen 4.9 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Elgin has a higher share of high school graduates than at least four in five South Carolina cities.
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 Elgin
| Period | Elgin | Columbia area | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.5% | 7.6% | 9.1% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 7.8% | 9.7% | 10.6% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.4% | 6.0% | 5.8% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.5% | 5.4% | 4.9% | 5.4% |
| Change | −1.0 pts | −2.2 pts | −4.2 pts | −2.7 pts |
At 5.5%, unemployment in Elgin is close to the national rate of 5.4%. Unemployment is down 1.0 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's 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).
Elgin 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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% |
| Lugoff | 2.61 | 42.6 | 8.1% | 13.4% | 9.8% | 1994 | $1,054 | 23.0% | 90.8% | 2.5% |
| Killian | 2.08 | 36.3 | 9.6% | 49.4% | 8.5% | 2011 | $1,397 | 50.8% | 93.2% | 0.0% |
| Blythewood | 2.69 | 41.3 | 10.5% | 19.4% | 8.2% | 2006 | $1,406 | 49.0% | 96.1% | 5.3% |
| Smallwood | 2.38 | 48.7 | 4.8% | 10.4% | 12.6% | 1986 | $953 | 20.4% | 86.2% | 4.0% |
| Dentsville | 2.41 | 36.4 | 19.6% | 59.4% | 9.0% | 1980 | $1,331 | 19.6% | 84.9% | 4.1% |
| Woodfield | 2.24 | 41.6 | 31.2% | 48.6% | 5.0% | 1973 | $1,220 | 20.8% | 90.7% | 7.2% |
| Arcadia Lakes | 2.10 | 45.1 | 15.5% | 34.8% | 13.8% | 1980 | $1,707 | 54.5% | 90.4% | 0.4% |
| Hollywood Hills | 2.80 | 41.7 | 12.3% | 6.6% | 7.7% | 1997 | $679 | 42.0% | 99.0% | 3.7% |
| Columbia area | 2.46 | 39.4 | 12.9% | 30.6% | 10.3% | 1990 | $1,285 | 35.9% | 91.4% | 5.4% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Grandville, MI · Livingston, NJ · Lewis Center, OH · Aberdeen, SD · Jasper, AL · Jacksonville Beach, FL · Immokalee, FL · Hobart, IN · Hiram, GA · Henderson, NC
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 Elgin. 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.
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