Population 44,198 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in West Columbia
Household size in West Columbia
| Period | West Columbia | Columbia area | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.34 | 2.51 | 2.54 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.37 | 2.55 | 2.59 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.40 | 2.55 | 2.57 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.28 | 2.46 | 2.50 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.07 | −0.05 | −0.04 | −0.03 |
West Columbia is a place of small households, averaging 2.28 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. Since 2006–10, household size has edged down from 2.34, mirroring the country. West Columbia has smaller households than at least four in five South Carolina cities.
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 West Columbia
| Period | West Columbia | Columbia area | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 37.9 | 37.1 | 38.3 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 38.0 | 37.8 | 39.3 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 40.6 | 38.6 | 40.6 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 39.8 | 39.4 | 41.2 | 40.1 |
| Change | +1.9 | +2.3 | +2.9 | +2.3 |
At 39.8, the median age in West Columbia is close to the national median of 40.1, so its age mix looks much like the country's. The median age has climbed from 37.9 in 2006–10, as it has nationally. The youngest areas are in the southeast, the oldest in the north.
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 West Columbia
| Period | West Columbia | Columbia area | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.1% | 13.2% | 13.0% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 11.0% | 13.4% | 13.0% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 11.0% | 12.9% | 11.8% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 10.6% | 12.9% | 11.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | −0.6 pts | −0.3 pts | −1.3 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are a bit less common in West Columbia than nationally: 10.6%, against 11.6%. The single-parent share is down 0.6 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country.
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 West Columbia
Renters in West Columbia
| Period | West Columbia | Columbia area | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 33.9% | 31.2% | 30.1% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 36.9% | 32.8% | 31.4% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 38.1% | 32.1% | 30.6% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 32.6% | 30.6% | 28.1% | 34.8% |
| Change | −1.3 pts | −0.6 pts | −2.0 pts | +1.5 pts |
About a third of households in West Columbia rent their homes (32.6%), close to the national share of 34.8%. Among homeowners, 40.8% have no mortgage at all, about the same as nationally. Rentals cluster in the northeast; owners are most common in the southwest. The renter share has edged down 1.3 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 West Columbia
| Period | West Columbia | Columbia area | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.4% | 10.7% | 14.2% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 9.7% | 12.0% | 14.2% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 8.8% | 11.8% | 13.3% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 9.3% | 10.3% | 11.8% | 9.6% |
| Change | −0.1 pts | −0.4 pts | −2.5 pts | −1.8 pts |
About as many homes sit empty in West Columbia as nationally: 9.3%, against 9.6%. West Columbia has a lower vacancy rate than most 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 West Columbia
| Period | West Columbia | Columbia area | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1980 | 1984 | 1984 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1980 | 1985 | 1985 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1981 | 1986 | 1987 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1986 | 1990 | 1991 | 1980 |
| Change | +7 | +6 | +7 | +6 |
The housing in West Columbia is younger than the country's: half of it was built after 1986, against 1980 nationally. The median year built has moved up from 1980 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the northwest, the oldest in the northeast.
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 West Columbia
| Period | West Columbia | Columbia area | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $780 | $831 | $780 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $829 | $908 | $859 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,012 | $1,021 | $984 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,138 | $1,285 | $1,294 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$358 | +$453 | +$514 | +$606 |
Rent in West Columbia runs $1,138 a month at the median, utilities included, well below the U.S. median of $1,571. Rents are up $358 a month from 2006–10, a 46% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 30.8% of household income on rent, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Rents run highest in the east and lowest in the west.
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 West Columbia
Bachelor's degrees in West Columbia
| Period | West Columbia | Columbia area | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 24.3% | 31.5% | 25.2% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 25.0% | 31.8% | 26.5% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 25.6% | 34.1% | 28.9% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 34.3% | 35.9% | 32.6% | 35.6% |
| Change | +10.0 pts | +4.4 pts | +7.4 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are about as common in West Columbia as nationally: 34.3% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 10.0 points, mirroring the country. College graduates are most concentrated in the east and least in the center.
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 West Columbia
| Period | West Columbia | Columbia area | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 85.3% | 88.1% | 84.0% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 85.8% | 88.7% | 85.7% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 87.6% | 90.2% | 87.8% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 90.0% | 91.4% | 90.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +4.7 pts | +3.3 pts | +6.2 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in West Columbia is close to the national rate: 90.0% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%. The share with a diploma is up 4.7 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
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 West Columbia
| Period | West Columbia | Columbia area | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.8% | 7.6% | 9.1% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 9.4% | 9.7% | 10.6% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.4% | 6.0% | 5.8% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.2% | 5.4% | 4.9% | 5.4% |
| Change | −1.6 pts | −2.2 pts | −4.2 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been a little easier to find in West Columbia than nationally: unemployment was 4.2%, against 5.4%. Unemployment is down 1.6 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).
West Columbia 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Columbia | 2.28 | 39.8 | 10.6% | 32.6% | 9.3% | 1986 | $1,138 | 34.3% | 90.0% | 4.2% |
| Springdale | 2.65 | 35.8 | 13.3% | 32.0% | 11.3% | 1972 | $1,135 | 24.8% | 92.0% | 5.3% |
| Cayce | 2.13 | 41.4 | 12.4% | 37.3% | 8.0% | 1978 | $1,259 | 34.3% | 92.9% | 4.8% |
| Pine Ridge | 2.41 | 39.4 | 11.2% | 23.0% | 8.8% | 1988 | $1,270 | 24.3% | 92.4% | 2.8% |
| South Congaree | 2.27 | 39.1 | 16.4% | 25.2% | 10.7% | 1983 | $1,021 | 19.2% | 86.5% | 4.2% |
| Olympia | 2.76 | 24.2 | 13.0% | 78.8% | 21.2% | 1945 | $1,171 | 16.6% | 65.2% | 6.1% |
| Seven Oaks | 2.35 | 41.8 | 14.3% | 38.1% | 7.0% | 1975 | $1,296 | 36.9% | 94.9% | 5.5% |
| St. Andrews | 1.99 | 33.1 | 15.4% | 71.5% | 11.0% | 1979 | $1,148 | 28.1% | 91.7% | 7.9% |
| Red Bank | 2.63 | 38.4 | 13.7% | 23.5% | 6.6% | 1991 | $1,261 | 20.5% | 91.5% | 5.6% |
| Lexington | 2.68 | 39.5 | 10.5% | 16.2% | 6.0% | 2001 | $1,327 | 41.9% | 94.2% | 3.6% |
| Gaston | 2.59 | 37.3 | 18.0% | 27.2% | 10.8% | 1992 | $985 | 11.7% | 83.0% | 7.5% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Bridgeton, NJ · Brookfield, WI · Waxhaw, NC · Cleveland Heights, OH · Coppell, TX · Oakland Park, FL · Prosper, TX · Prairieville, LA · Powell, OH · Pittsfield, 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 West Columbia. 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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