Population 304,887 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Lexington County
Household size in Lexington County
| Period | Lexington County | Columbia area | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.53 | 2.51 | 2.54 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.58 | 2.55 | 2.59 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.58 | 2.55 | 2.57 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.53 | 2.46 | 2.50 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.00 | −0.05 | −0.04 | −0.03 |
Households in Lexington County run a little small, averaging 2.53 people against 2.65 nationally, which usually means more singles and couples and fewer children. That is in line with the rest of the Columbia area. The biggest households, usually families with children, are concentrated in the west.
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 Lexington County
| Period | Lexington County | Columbia area | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 38.1 | 37.1 | 38.3 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 38.7 | 37.8 | 39.3 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 40.1 | 38.6 | 40.6 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 40.8 | 39.4 | 41.2 | 40.1 |
| Change | +2.7 | +2.3 | +2.9 | +2.3 |
Half of the people in Lexington County are younger than 40.8 and half are older, close to the national median of 40.1. The median age has climbed from 38.1 in 2006–10, mirroring the country. The youngest areas are in the south, the oldest in the northwest.
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 Lexington County
| Period | Lexington County | Columbia area | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.6% | 13.2% | 13.0% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 11.9% | 13.4% | 13.0% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 11.5% | 12.9% | 11.8% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 11.5% | 12.9% | 11.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | −0.1 pts | −0.3 pts | −1.3 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head nearly one in eight households in Lexington County (11.5%), close to the national share of 11.6%. Single parents are less common here than in the Columbia area overall (12.9%).
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 Lexington County
Renters in Lexington County
| Period | Lexington County | Columbia area | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 25.2% | 31.2% | 30.1% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 26.2% | 32.8% | 31.4% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 25.8% | 32.1% | 30.6% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 22.6% | 30.6% | 28.1% | 34.8% |
| Change | −2.6 pts | −0.6 pts | −2.0 pts | +1.5 pts |
Only 22.6% of households in Lexington County rent their homes, far below the national share of 34.8%, so most residents are owners who tend to stay put. Among homeowners, 37.6% have no mortgage at all, about the same as nationally. Rentals cluster in the northeast; owners are most common in the northwest. The renter share is down 2.6 points from 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 Lexington County
| Period | Lexington County | Columbia area | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.9% | 10.7% | 14.2% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 9.5% | 12.0% | 14.2% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 9.0% | 11.8% | 13.3% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 8.5% | 10.3% | 11.8% | 9.6% |
| Change | −0.4 pts | −0.4 pts | −2.5 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy in Lexington County is close to the national rate: 8.5% of homes are empty, against 9.6%. The rate is lower than in the wider Columbia area (10.3%). Few South Carolina counties have a lower vacancy rate: only four of 46.
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 Lexington County
| Period | Lexington County | Columbia area | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1987 | 1984 | 1984 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1988 | 1985 | 1985 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1989 | 1986 | 1987 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1993 | 1990 | 1991 | 1980 |
| Change | +6 | +6 | +7 | +6 |
Lexington County has newer housing than the country as a whole: the median home was built in 1993, versus 1980 nationally. The median year built has moved up from 1987 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the west, while the east 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 Lexington County
| Period | Lexington County | Columbia area | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $820 | $831 | $780 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $899 | $908 | $859 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,036 | $1,021 | $984 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,248 | $1,285 | $1,294 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$428 | +$453 | +$514 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Lexington County costs $1,248 a month with utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $428 a month from 2006–10, a 52% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 29.9% of household income on rent, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally. The priciest rents are in the northwest; the most affordable are in the southwest.
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 Lexington County
Bachelor's degrees in Lexington County
| Period | Lexington County | Columbia area | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 28.2% | 31.5% | 25.2% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 29.2% | 31.8% | 26.5% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 30.9% | 34.1% | 28.9% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 34.1% | 35.9% | 32.6% | 35.6% |
| Change | +5.9 pts | +4.4 pts | +7.4 pts | +7.2 pts |
About a third of adults 25 and older in Lexington County (34.1%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, close to the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree has risen 5.9 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend. College graduates are most concentrated in the north and least in the southwest.
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 Lexington County
| Period | Lexington County | Columbia area | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 88.4% | 88.1% | 84.0% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 88.7% | 88.7% | 85.7% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 89.8% | 90.2% | 87.8% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 92.0% | 91.4% | 90.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +3.6 pts | +3.3 pts | +6.2 pts | +4.3 pts |
About nine in ten adults in Lexington County have finished high school (92.0%), a bit above the national rate of 89.3%. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 3.6 points, in line with the national trend. Lexington County has a higher share of high school graduates than the great majority of South Carolina counties.
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 Lexington County
| Period | Lexington County | Columbia area | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.3% | 7.6% | 9.1% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 8.6% | 9.7% | 10.6% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.2% | 6.0% | 5.8% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.3% | 5.4% | 4.9% | 5.4% |
| Change | −2.0 pts | −2.2 pts | −4.2 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been a little easier to find in Lexington County than nationally: unemployment was 4.3%, against 5.4%. Since 2006–10, unemployment has fallen 2.0 points, mirroring the country. 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).
Lexington County compared with nearby counties
| County | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lexington County | 2.53 | 40.8 | 11.5% | 22.6% | 8.5% | 1993 | $1,248 | 34.1% | 92.0% | 4.3% |
| Richland County | 2.40 | 37.1 | 14.3% | 39.7% | 10.9% | 1988 | $1,377 | 40.9% | 92.1% | 6.3% |
| Saluda County | 2.49 | 44.4 | 13.0% | 21.3% | 19.1% | 1986 | $1,002 | 20.9% | 84.3% | 3.2% |
| Sumter County | 2.53 | 39.9 | 12.8% | 31.9% | 13.2% | 1987 | $1,161 | 23.9% | 89.6% | 6.6% |
| McCormick County | 2.09 | 57.8 | 7.7% | 12.1% | 24.7% | 1987 | $1,152 | 25.1% | 86.9% | 5.2% |
| Oglethorpe County | 2.94 | 43.2 | 11.5% | 16.2% | 17.3% | 1990 | $855 | 25.1% | 88.5% | 3.3% |
| Clarke County | 2.22 | 33.2 | 12.6% | 58.6% | 6.9% | 1987 | $1,250 | 46.2% | 89.0% | 5.3% |
| Oconee County | 2.91 | 41.4 | 6.6% | 18.7% | 5.4% | 1999 | $1,568 | 57.1% | 96.5% | 2.7% |
| Barrow County | 2.95 | 36.4 | 13.0% | 21.5% | 5.0% | 2000 | $1,488 | 21.4% | 88.9% | 3.7% |
| Gwinnett County | 3.09 | 36.6 | 13.2% | 33.7% | 5.5% | 1996 | $2,020 | 38.6% | 87.6% | 4.2% |
| Brunswick County | 2.24 | 53.2 | 8.2% | 15.4% | 20.4% | 2002 | $1,409 | 33.9% | 93.2% | 4.5% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Richmond City, VA · Alachua County, FL · Lane County, OR · Larimer County, CO · Lehigh County, PA · Leon County, FL · Okaloosa County, FL · Oneida County, NY · Onslow County, NC · Lake County, OH
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 Lexington County. 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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