West Columbia, SC

City in Lexington County, SC, US

By Neilsberg Research

Last updated May 1, 2026

Key Indicators

A quick look at key numbers

Population

17,963

Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS) 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates

Median Age

38.6

years ∙ half population younger than 38.6, half older

Diversity Index

55.2%

chance two random people differ in race and ethnicity

Nativity

10.3%

foreign-born population

89.7%Native

10.3% Foreign-born

Geographic Context

Location, size, and surroundings

About

West Columbia is a city within Lexington County, South Carolina, United States.

Location

City in Lexington County, SC, US

Co-ordinates

DEC33.990130° N, 81.099354° W

DMS33° 59′ 24.47″ N, 81° 05′ 57.67″ W

Population Density & area

1,909/sq mi (736.8/km²)

Total Area

9.58 sq mi (24.82 km²)

Land Area

9.41 sq mi (24.38 km²) · 98.2%

Water Area

0.17 sq mi (0.44 km²) · 1.8%

Demographics & Living

Who lives here, how households are formed, and community composition

Population Composition

Key characteristics of the population

Sex Distribution

45% male

Male 45%

Female 55%

males per 100 females

West Columbia 81.8

Lexington County 95.2

South Carolina 94.8

Nativity

10.3%

foreign-born population

89.7%Native

10.3% Foreign-born

% Foreign-born

West Columbia 10.3%

Lexington County 6.5%

South Carolina 5.8%

Age Distribution

How the population is spread across age groups

Median Age

38.6

years ∙ half population younger than 38.6, half older

West Columbia

38.6

Lexington County

39.8

South Carolina

40.2

Dependency ratio

63.8

dependents per 100 working-age adults

West Columbia 63.8

Lexington County 66.8

South Carolina 67.5

AGE DISTRIBUTION

Distribution of age group

Median age

	West Columbia	Lexington County	South Carolina
Age Group
Children (Under 18)	17.1%	23%	21.4%
Working age (18-64)	61%	59.9%	59.7%
Senior (65+)	21.9%	17.1%	18.9%
Dependency ratio
Total dependency ratio	63.8	66.8	67.5
Child dependency ratio	28	38.3	35.9
Old-age dependency ratio	35.8	28.5	31.6

Racial & Ethnic Composition

Racial and ethnic makeup and how it compares

Race & Ethnicity

White

63.5%

Black

16.1%

Asian

4.3%

Hispanic

12.4%

Other

3.7%

Note: White, Black, and Asian refer to individuals belonging to a single race and not of Hispanic origin. Hispanics may be of any race.

Diversity Index

55.2%

chance two random people differ in race and ethnicity

West Columbia 55.2%

Lexington County 47.5%

South Carolina 54.9%

Note: The Diversity Index (DI), based on the Blau Index, measures the probability that two randomly selected individuals differ in race and ethnicity. Values range from 0 (no diversity) to 1 (high diversity) and are shown as percentages.

RACIAL & ETHNIC COMPOSITION

Race & Ethnicity

Percentage of West Columbia population

Racial and ethnic composition — West Columbia vs Lexington County vs South Carolina. Source: ACS 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates.
	West Columbia	Lexington County	South Carolina
Hispanic or Latino	12.4%	7.9%	7.4%
Mexican	7.1%	3.8%	3.4%
Puerto Rican	0.9%	0.9%	1%
Cuban	0.4%	0.4%	0.3%
Other Hispanic / Latino	3.9%	2.8%	2.7%
Not Hispanic or Latino	87.6%	92.1%	92.6%
One race	84%	88.3%	88.9%
White	63.5%	70.3%	61.9%
Black or African American	16.1%	15.1%	24.6%
American Indian and Alaska Native	0.2%	0.1%	0.2%
Asian	4.3%	2.2%	1.7%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander	0%	0%	0%
Some Other Race	0%	0.5%	0.5%
Two or more races (Multiracial)	3.6%	3.8%	3.7%

Household & Families Composition

Household size, type, and family structure

Household structure

45.6% family

Family 45.6%

Non family 54.4%

% family households

West Columbia 45.6%

Lexington County 67.7%

South Carolina 65%

Average household size

2.07

persons per household

West Columbia

2.07

Lexington County

2.48

South Carolina

2.44

Household & Family COMPOSITION

Households

Percentage of West Columbia population

	West Columbia	Lexington County	South Carolina
Total households	8,516	121,964	2,117,989
Average houshold size	2.07	2.48	2.44
Family households	3,880	82,536	1,377,369
Average family size	2.93	3	3.01
Married couple family	2,771	61,788	998,170
Other families	1,109	20,748	379,199
Male householder	368	6,086	95,077
Female householder	741	14,662	284,122
Non-family households	4,636	39,428	740,620
One-person households	3,734	32,469	618,603
Male householder	1,471	14,199	273,409
Senior (65+) living alone	468	4,405	86,486
Female householder	2,263	18,270	345,194
Senior (65+) living alone	979	9,070	172,484
Other living arrangements	902	6,959	122,017

Housing Profile

Housing stock, ownership, rentals, and cost burdens

Total housing units

9,318

housing units

West Columbia 9,318

Lexington County 132,916

South Carolina 2,443,039

Occupancy status

91.4% occupied

Occupied 91.4%

Vacant 8.6%

vacancy rate

West Columbia 8.6%

Lexington County 8.2%

South Carolina 13.3%

Housing Characteristics

How the housing supply is structured and used

Types of Housing unit

63.7%

Single family houses

63.7%

Apartments in multi-unit structures

31.2%

Mobile homes

5.2%

Boat, RV, van, etc

Median Year Built

1977

Half of houses were built before 1977, and half after.

Historic ∙ 1939 or earlier

Postwar & mid-century ∙ 1940 - 1969

38.6%

Late 20th century ∙ 1970 - 1999

33.1%

Modern ∙ 2000 or later

25.3%

Note: Median year built reflects occupied units only; distribution includes all units.

Housing Characteristics

Units, rooms & bedrooms

Physical characteristics of housing units

	West Columbia	Lexington County	South Carolina
Rooms per unit
Median rooms	5	6	5.7
1–3 rooms	13.4%	5.5%	9.1%
4–6 rooms	60.5%	54.1%	55.3%
7+ rooms	26.1%	40.4%	35.5%
Bedrooms
No bedroom / studio	3.2%	0.8%	1.5%
1 bedroom	9%	3.3%	5.7%
2 bedrooms	38.5%	18.4%	22.5%
3 bedrooms	39.2%	49.7%	47.5%
4+ bedrooms	10%	27.7%	22.8%
At a glance
Median year built	1977	1994	1993
Total housing units	9,318	132,916	2,443,039

Occupancy Profile

Who is inside and how they use it

Homeownership

55.3% owners

Renter-occupied 44.7%

Owner-occupied 55.3%

homeownership rate

West Columbia 55.3%

Lexington County 77.4%

South Carolina 71.9%

Average household size

2.06

Owner-occupied

2.08

Renter-occupied

owner-occupied average size

West Columbia 2.06

Lexington County 2.51

South Carolina 2.49

Housing Characteristics

Occupied unit characteristics

Tenure, crowding, and utilities

	West Columbia	Lexington County	South Carolina
Total occupied units	8,516	121,964	2,117,989
Year moved in
2020 or later	33.1%	23.7%	25.6%
2010 to 2019	38.9%	39.8%	39.4%
2000 to 2009	9.3%	16.8%	16%
1999 or earlier	18.7%	19.7%	19%
Occupants per room
1.00 or fewer	98.3%	98.1%	98%
1.01 to 1.50	1.7%	1.6%	1.4%
1.51 or more	0.1%	0.3%	0.6%
Vehicles availability
No vehicles	12.8%	4.5%	5.7%
1 vehicle	36.4%	27.6%	32.2%
2 vehicles	36.8%	41.4%	38.5%
3 or more vehicles	14%	26.4%	23.6%
House heating fuel used
Gas	33.7%	28.6%	27.1%
Electricity	65.5%	69.3%	70.8%
Solar	0%	0.3%	0.2%
Fuel oil, kerosene etc	0.1%	0.4%	0.5%
All other fuels	0.4%	0.8%	0.6%
No fuel used	0.3%	0.6%	0.7%
Selected characteristics
Lacking complete plumbing	0.1%	0.4%	0.3%
Lacking complete kitchen	1.4%	0.9%	0.6%
No telephone service available	0.4%	0.9%	0.8%

Housing Value

What owner-occupied units are worth

Median home value

$201,700

owner-occupied units

Median value(USD)

West Columbia

$201,700

Lexington County

$234,500

South Carolina

$259,000

Housing Cost Burden

30.7%

of homeowners with a mortgage are cost-burdened

% Cost-Burdened Households

Owners with a mortgage

30.7%

Owners without a mortgage

4.2%

Renters

49.2%

Note: Households spending 30% or more of their income on housing costs are considered cost-burdened.

Financial characteristics

Property value and housing costs

Tenure, crowding, and utilities

	West Columbia	Lexington County	South Carolina
Property value
Median Value	$201,700	$234,500	$259,000
Under $100,000	11.9%	13.1%	16.8%
$100,000 - $200,000	37.4%	25.4%	19.5%
$200,000 - $300,000	33%	28%	21.8%
$300,000 - $500,000	12.5%	23.1%	25.5%
$500,000 - $1,000,000	4.2%	8.3%	12.7%
$1,000,000 and more	0.9%	2.1%	3.7%
Owner-occupied households
With a mortgage	54.8%	63%	57.1%
Without a mortgage	45.2%	37%	42.9%
Median monthly owner costs
With a mortgage	$1,244	$1,403	$1,529
Without a mortgage	$382	$422	$448
Gross rent
Median rent	$1,201	$1,178	$1,180

Education Profile

How educated is the community and how education pays off

Adults with a college degree

40.9%

of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher

West Columbia 40.9%

Lexington County 34.1%

South Carolina 32.1%

Adults without a high school diploma

9.5%

of adults (25+) without a high school diploma

West Columbia 9.5%

Lexington County 8%

South Carolina 9.9%

School Enrollment

Who is enrolled in school and at what level

School enrollment

3,636

population (age 3+) enrolled in school

Nursery / Preschool

2.6%

K–12

50.9%

College / Undergraduate

25.4%

Graduate / Professional

21.1%

College-going rate (18-24 yr olds)

49.1%

of 18-24-year-olds in college or graduate school

West Columbia

49.1%

Lexington County

31.5%

South Carolina

37.5%

Enrollment & school type

Enrollment levels, college-going rate, and public vs private school split

Population 3+ currently enrolled in a school

	West Columbia	Lexington County	South Carolina
Total enrolled (age 3+)	3,636	70,835	1,202,992
Nursery / preschool	2.6%	5.8%	5.2%
K–12	50.9%	74.1%	69.7%
Kindergarten	2.3%	5.6%	5.5%
Elementary: Grades 1–4	15.5%	21.8%	20.6%
Elementary: Grades 5–8	19.9%	22.9%	21.4%
High School: Grades 9–12	13.2%	23.8%	22.2%
College or graduate school	46.5%	20.2%	25.1%
College, undergraduate	25.4%	15.1%	20%
Graduate, professional school	21.1%	5.1%	5%
College-going rate · 18-24 yr olds	49.1%	31.5%	37.5%
School type
Public school	85.4%	87%	82.7%
Private school	14.6%	13%	17.3%

Education Attainment by Level & Gender

What is the highest level of education completed among adults

Education attainment

12,955

population 25 years and over

Total adults (25+)

Less than 9th grade

2.8%

9th-12th, no diploma

6.7%

HS graduate

23.1%

Some college no degree

16.5%

Associates degree

9.9%

Bachelors degree

24.9%

Graduate or professional degree

16%

Attainment by gender

Male vs Female

Adults (25+) · Share within each education level

% male · % female

Less than 9th grade

53.9% · 46.1%

9th-12th, no diploma

66.4% · 33.6%

HS graduate

50.4% · 49.6%

Some college no degree

32.8% · 67.2%

Associates degree

50.8% · 49.2%

Bachelors degree

43.9% · 56.1%

Graduate or professional degree

42.1% · 57.9%

Educational Attainment Overview

Distribution and key education attainment rates for adults (25+)

Highest credential completed · adults 25+

	West Columbia	Lexington County	South Carolina
Population (25+)	12,955	211,803	3,677,078
Less than 9th grade	2.8%	2.6%	3.1%
9th–12th, no diploma	6.7%	5.4%	6.8%
High school diploma or GED	23.1%	26.8%	28.2%
Some college, no degree	16.5%	20.8%	19.8%
Associate's degree	9.9%	10.3%	10%
Bachelor's degree or higher	40.9%	34.1%	32.1%
Bachelor's degree	24.9%	20.9%	19.8%
Graduate or professional	16%	13.1%	12.3%
High School or higher	90.5%	92%	90.1%

Earnings by education level

percentage as applicable

Median Earnings

$43,344

Median earnings for adults 25+, by level

Less than HS graduate

$33,642

HS graduate

$37,175

Some college or associates

$44,151

Bachelors degree

$46,145

Graduate or professional degree

$56,391

Poverty Rate

4.8%

for ages 25+, with bachelors degree or higher

Less than HS graduate

39.9%

HS graduate

7.9%

Some college or associates

13%

Bachelors degree or higher

4.8%

Outcomes by Education Level

Earnings and poverty rates across education levels (25+)

Adults 25+

	West Columbia	Lexington County	South Carolina
Median earnings
Population 25+, with earnings	$43,344	$50,780	$47,658
Less than high school graduate	$33,642	$30,704	$30,223
High school graduate (includes equivalency)	$37,175	$40,191	$37,196
Some college or associate's degree	$44,151	$46,735	$44,160
Bachelor's degree	$46,145	$64,305	$61,860
Graduate or professional degree	$56,391	$72,061	$73,671
Poverty rates
Less than high school graduate	39.9%	28.9%	28.4%
High school graduate (includes equivalency)	7.9%	12.6%	15.6%
Some college or associate's degree	13%	8.4%	10.2%
Bachelor's degree or higher	4.8%	3.7%	4.7%

Insights for West Columbia, by topic

Income By year By race By age By gender

Population By year By race By age By gender

About Neilsberg Research

Neilsberg Research team are data scientists with expertise in processing, analysis and visualization of big data helping small businesses make right decisions.

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