Population 11,305 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Forest Acres
Household size in Forest Acres
| Period | Forest Acres | Columbia area | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.25 | 2.51 | 2.54 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.19 | 2.55 | 2.59 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.26 | 2.55 | 2.57 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.14 | 2.46 | 2.50 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.11 | −0.05 | −0.04 | −0.03 |
Forest Acres is a place of small households, averaging 2.14 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. Household size has dropped from 2.25 in 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Of the 172 South Carolina cities with 5,000+ people, only eight have smaller households.
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 Forest Acres
| Period | Forest Acres | Columbia area | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 42.0 | 37.1 | 38.3 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 43.8 | 37.8 | 39.3 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 43.0 | 38.6 | 40.6 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 43.4 | 39.4 | 41.2 | 40.1 |
| Change | +1.3 | +2.3 | +2.9 | +2.3 |
Forest Acres skews older than the country: its median age is 43.4, against 40.1 nationally. The median age has climbed from 42.0 in 2006–10, in line with the national trend. The youngest areas are in the south, the oldest in the northeast.
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 Forest Acres
| Period | Forest Acres | Columbia area | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.4% | 13.2% | 13.0% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 8.7% | 13.4% | 13.0% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 8.8% | 12.9% | 11.8% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 8.2% | 12.9% | 11.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | −1.2 pts | −0.3 pts | −1.3 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in Forest Acres: 8.2% of households, against 11.6% nationally. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has edged down 1.2 points, in line with the national trend. Forest Acres has a lower share of single-parent households than at least four in five South Carolina cities.
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 Forest Acres
Renters in Forest Acres
| Period | Forest Acres | Columbia area | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 24.6% | 31.2% | 30.1% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 28.0% | 32.8% | 31.4% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 23.4% | 32.1% | 30.6% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 22.6% | 30.6% | 28.1% | 34.8% |
| Change | −2.0 pts | −0.6 pts | −2.0 pts | +1.5 pts |
Forest Acres is largely a place of homeowners: only 22.6% of households rent, far below the national share of 34.8%. Owner-heavy areas like this tend to see less turnover. Among homeowners, 38.8% have no mortgage at all, about the same as nationally. The renter share has fallen 2.0 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 Forest Acres
| Period | Forest Acres | Columbia area | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.6% | 10.7% | 14.2% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 14.0% | 12.0% | 14.2% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 10.5% | 11.8% | 13.3% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 8.2% | 10.3% | 11.8% | 9.6% |
| Change | −2.4 pts | −0.4 pts | −2.5 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy in Forest Acres is close to the national rate: 8.2% of homes are empty, against 9.6%. The rate is lower than in the wider Columbia area (10.3%). Since 2006–10, vacancy has fallen 2.4 points, as it has nationally.
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 Forest Acres
| Period | Forest Acres | Columbia area | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1964 | 1984 | 1984 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1965 | 1985 | 1985 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1966 | 1986 | 1987 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1968 | 1990 | 1991 | 1980 |
| Change | +3 | +6 | +7 | +6 |
Forest Acres is a place of older homes: half were built before 1968, while the national median is 1980. That means established neighborhoods, and more houses that may need updating. The newest homes are mostly in the southeast, the oldest in the center. Of the 172 South Carolina cities with 5,000+ people, only three have older 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 Forest Acres
| Period | Forest Acres | Columbia area | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $806 | $831 | $780 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $892 | $908 | $859 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $989 | $1,021 | $984 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,381 | $1,285 | $1,294 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$575 | +$453 | +$514 | +$606 |
Rent in Forest Acres runs $1,381 a month at the median, utilities included, below the U.S. median of $1,571. Still, rents here are higher than in the wider Columbia area ($1,285). Rents are up $575 a month from 2006–10, a 71% jump, faster than rents rose nationally. The typical renter here spends 32.1% of household income on rent, just over 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 Forest Acres
Bachelor's degrees in Forest Acres
| Period | Forest Acres | Columbia area | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 57.5% | 31.5% | 25.2% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 58.1% | 31.8% | 26.5% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 60.8% | 34.1% | 28.9% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 63.3% | 35.9% | 32.6% | 35.6% |
| Change | +5.8 pts | +4.4 pts | +7.4 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in Forest Acres: 63.3% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's degree or higher, against 35.6% nationally. Education tends to track local incomes and the kinds of jobs nearby. The share with a degree is up 5.8 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Of the 172 South Carolina cities with 5,000+ people, only five have a higher share of college graduates.
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 Forest Acres
| Period | Forest Acres | Columbia area | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 95.9% | 88.1% | 84.0% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 95.6% | 88.7% | 85.7% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 96.6% | 90.2% | 87.8% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 96.2% | 91.4% | 90.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +0.3 pts | +3.3 pts | +6.2 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Forest Acres: 96.2% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. Only nine of the 172 South Carolina cities with 5,000+ people have a higher share of high school graduates.
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 Forest Acres
| Period | Forest Acres | Columbia area | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 4.9% | 7.6% | 9.1% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 6.9% | 9.7% | 10.6% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.6% | 6.0% | 5.8% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.7% | 5.4% | 4.9% | 5.4% |
| Change | −1.2 pts | −2.2 pts | −4.2 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Forest Acres runs below the national rate: 3.7% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% nationally. Since 2006–10, unemployment has edged down 1.2 points, as it has nationally. 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).
Forest Acres 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forest Acres | 2.14 | 43.4 | 8.2% | 22.6% | 8.2% | 1968 | $1,381 | 63.3% | 96.2% | 3.7% |
| Arcadia Lakes | 2.10 | 45.1 | 15.5% | 34.8% | 13.8% | 1980 | $1,707 | 54.5% | 90.4% | 0.4% |
| Columbia area | 2.46 | 39.4 | 12.9% | 30.6% | 10.3% | 1990 | $1,285 | 35.9% | 91.4% | 5.4% |
| Woodfield | 2.24 | 41.6 | 31.2% | 48.6% | 5.0% | 1973 | $1,220 | 20.8% | 90.7% | 7.2% |
| Dentsville | 2.41 | 36.4 | 19.6% | 59.4% | 9.0% | 1980 | $1,331 | 19.6% | 84.9% | 4.1% |
| Olympia | 2.76 | 24.2 | 13.0% | 78.8% | 21.2% | 1945 | $1,171 | 16.6% | 65.2% | 6.1% |
| Hollywood Hills | 2.80 | 41.7 | 12.3% | 6.6% | 7.7% | 1997 | $679 | 42.0% | 99.0% | 3.7% |
| Killian | 2.08 | 36.3 | 9.6% | 49.4% | 8.5% | 2011 | $1,397 | 50.8% | 93.2% | 0.0% |
| Cayce | 2.13 | 41.4 | 12.4% | 37.3% | 8.0% | 1978 | $1,259 | 34.3% | 92.9% | 4.8% |
| St. Andrews | 1.99 | 33.1 | 15.4% | 71.5% | 11.0% | 1979 | $1,148 | 28.1% | 91.7% | 7.9% |
| Springdale | 2.65 | 35.8 | 13.3% | 32.0% | 11.3% | 1972 | $1,135 | 24.8% | 92.0% | 5.3% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: North Logan, UT · Natrona Heights, PA · Navasota, TX · Nevada, MO · New Baltimore, VA · New Brighton, PA · New London, WI · New Prague, MN · Newalla, OK · Norfolk, MA
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 Forest Acres. 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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