West Columbia, SC

Census Place

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2023 Population

17,723

1.51% 1-year growth

US Senator

Lindsey Graham

Republican Party

US Senator

Tim Scott

Republican Party

2023 Median Age

37.2

0.268% 1-year decrease

2023 Poverty Rate

14.1%

0.539% 1-year decrease

2023 Median Household Income

$54,152

2.86% 1-year growth

2023 Median Property Value

$186,200

4.61% 1-year growth

2023 Employed Population

8,963

1.69% 1-year decline

About

In 2023, West Columbia, SC had a population of 17.7k people with a median age of 37.2 and a median household income of $54,152. Between 2022 and 2023 the population of West Columbia, SC grew from 17,459 to 17,723, a 1.51% increase and its median household income grew from $52,648 to $54,152, a 2.86% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in West Columbia, SC are White (Non-Hispanic) (64.7%), Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (16%), Two+ (Hispanic) (8.46%), Two+ (Non-Hispanic) (3.94%), and Asian (Non-Hispanic) (3.49%).

None of the households in West Columbia, SC reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

92.7% of the residents in West Columbia, SC are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in N/A are Columbia Academy of Cosmetology (7 degrees awarded in 2017).

In 2023, the median property value in West Columbia, SC was $186,200, and the homeownership rate was 56.7%.

Most people in West Columbia, SC drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 18.1 minutes. The average car ownership in West Columbia, SC was 2 cars per household.

United States South Carolina Lexington County, SC Columbia, SC Lexington (North and East) County--Irmo (West) & West Columbia Cities PUMA, SC Lexington (South & West) County and Cayce PUMA, SC Richland County (Central)--Columbia City PUMA, SC

Population & Diversity

West Columbia, SC is home to a population of 17.7k people, from which 92.7% are citizens. As of 2023, 9.04% of West Columbia, SC residents were born outside of the country (1.6k people).

In 2023, there were 4.05 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (11.5k people) in West Columbia, SC than any other race or ethnicity. There were 2.83k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 1.5k Two+ (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

92.7%

2023 Citizenship

92.9%

2022 Citizenship

As of 2023, 92.7% of West Columbia, SC residents were US citizens, which is lower than the national average of 93.4%. In 2022, the percentage of US citizens in West Columbia, SC was 92.9%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in West Columbia, SC compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in West Columbia, SC

White (Non-Hispanic)
11.5k ± 744
Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
2.83k ± 512
Two+ (Hispanic)
1.5k ± 636

11.6%

Hispanic Population

2.06k people

11.6% of the people in West Columbia, SC are hispanic (2.06k people).

The following chart shows the 7 races represented in West Columbia, SC as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the Place level, so we are showing data for South Carolina.

Most Common Origin

Mexico
58,419 ± 5,900 people
India
18,341 ± 3,319 people
Honduras
13,844 ± 2,885 people

In 2022, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of South Carolina was Mexico, the natal country of 58,419 South Carolina residents, followed by India with 18,341 and Honduras with 13,844.

Foreign-Born Population

9.04%

2023 Foreign-Born Population

1.6k people

8.61%

2022 Foreign-Born Population

1.5k people

As of 2023, 9.04% of West Columbia, SC residents (1.6k people) were born outside of the United States, which is lower than the national average of 13.8%. In 2022, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in West Columbia, SC was 8.61%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in West Columbia, SC compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
415 ± 109
Gulf War (2001-)
410 ± 188
Gulf War (1990s)
180 ± 83

West Columbia, SC has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.01 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of West Columbia, SC employs 8.96k people. The largest industries in West Columbia, SC are Educational Services (1,259 people), Retail Trade (1,226 people), and Health Care & Social Assistance (1,006 people), and the highest paying industries are Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting, & Mining ($83,750), Utilities ($79,650), and Wholesale Trade ($63,056).

Males in South Carolina have an average income that is 1.37 times higher than the average income of females, which is $52,636. The income inequality in South Carolina (measured using the Gini index) is 0.464, which is lower than than the national average.

Employment

Occupations

8.96k

2023 Value

± 783

−1.69%

1 Year decline

± 12.3%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in West Columbia, SC declined at a rate of −1.69%, from 9.12k employees to 8.96k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in West Columbia, SC, are Sales & Related Occupations (1,048 people), Education Instruction, & Library Occupations (1,040 people), and Office & Administrative Support Occupations (1,028 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of West Columbia, SC.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for false.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in South Carolina (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

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Industries

Employment by Industries

8.96k

2023 Value

± 783

−1.69%

1 Year decline

± 12.3%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in West Columbia, SC declined at a rate of −1.69%, from 9.12k employees to 8.96k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in West Columbia, SC, are Educational Services (1,259 people), Retail Trade (1,226 people), and Health Care & Social Assistance (1,006 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of West Columbia, SC, though some of these residents may live in West Columbia, SC and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$43,087

Median earning men ± $5,955

$36,135

Median earning women ± $3,970

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2023 are Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting, & Mining ($83,750), Information ($67,273), and Wholesale Trade ($64,583).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2023 are Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($55,298), Wholesale Trade ($48,625), and Professional, Scientific, & Management, & Administrative & Waste Management Services ($46,591).

Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for South Carolina.

Y-Axis

2.54%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 2.26M people employed in South Carolina. This represents a 2.54% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

Right after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, during April 2020, a general dip can be seen across industry sectors, resulting in an overall decline in employment by 13.4%.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in South Carolina.

Education

In 2017, universities in West Columbia, SC awarded 7 degrees. The student population of West Columbia, SC in 2017 is skewed towards women, with 2 male students and 26 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in West Columbia, SC are Black or African American (7 and 100%), followed by Asian (0 and 0%), Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders (0 and 0%), and Hispanic or Latino (0 and 0%).

The largest universities in West Columbia, SC by number of degrees awarded are Columbia Academy of Cosmetology (7 and 100%).

Admissions & Enrollments

Enrollments by Gender and Races

In 2017 there were 28 students enrolled in West Columbia, SC, 7.14% men and 92.9% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in Black or African American with 19 records, of which 100% were women and 0% men.

Completions

Universities

Gender

Race

Columbia Academy of Cosmetology

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

7 degrees awarded

In 2017, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Columbia Academy of Cosmetology with 7 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

In 2017, 0 men were awarded degrees from institutions in West Columbia, SC, which is 0 times less than the 7 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2017 the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was Black or African American students. These 7 degrees mean that there were NaNy times more degrees awarded to Black or African American students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Asian, with 0 degrees awarded.

Awarded Degrees over Time

The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

Working Population

Educational Pyramid

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for South Carolina.

Measure

In 2022, 0.83% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 0.688% of women were in the same situation.

This visualization shows the gender distribution of the population according to the academic level reached.

Educational Attainment

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for South Carolina.

Race

The most common educational levels obtained by the working population in 2022 were High School or Equivalent (1.18M), Some college (892k), and Bachelors Degree (705k).

This visualization illustrates the percentage distribution of the population according to the highest educational level reached. You can filter the data by race by using the selector above.

Housing & Living

The median property value in West Columbia, SC was $186,200 in 2023, which is 0.614 times smaller than the national average of $303,400. Between 2022 and 2023 the median property value increased from $178,000 to $186,200, a 4.61% increase. The homeownership rate in West Columbia, SC is 56.7%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 65%.

People in West Columbia, SC have an average commute time of 18.1 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in West Columbia, SC is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Median household income in West Columbia, SC is $54,152. In 2023, the place with the highest median household income in West Columbia, SC was Census Tract 205.08 with a value of $75,901, followed by Census Tract 205.06 and Census Tract 205.09, with respective values of $65,694 and $59,091.

Housing

Property

$186,200

Median Property Value 2023

±$8,320

$4,688

Median Property Taxes

±$463

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In West Columbia, SC the largest share of households pay taxes in the < $800 range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in West Columbia, SC compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

Rent vs Own

56.7%

Homeownership

2023

68.8%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2023

In 2023, 56.7% of the housing units in West Columbia, SC were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 56.4%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in West Columbia, SC compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Equity

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.

Race/Ethnicity

Highest Median Household Income (Total)

Census Tract 205.08
Census Tract 205.06
Census Tract 205.09

In 2023, the place with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in West Columbia, SC was Census Tract 205.08 with a value of $75,901, followed by Census Tract 205.06 and Census Tract 205.09, with respective values of $65,694 and $59,091.

The following map shows all of the places in West Columbia, SC colored by their Median Household Income (Total).

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$54,152

Median Household Income

± $4,160

8.27k

Number of Households

± 666

In 2023, the median household income of the 8.27k households in West Columbia, SC grew to $54,152 from the previous year's value of $52,648.

The following chart displays the households in West Columbia, SC distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $75k - $100k range.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for West Columbia, SC is from South Carolina.

0.464

2022 Wage GINI in South Carolina

0.463

2021 Wage GINI in South Carolina

In 2022, the income inequality in South Carolina was 0.464 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.334% growth from 2021 to 2022, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat less even. The GINI for South Carolina was lower than than the national average of 0.478. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in South Carolina in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in South Carolina across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2023

Drove Alone (79.8%)
Worked At Home (8.12%)
Carpooled (7.5%)

In 2023, 79.8% of workers in West Columbia, SC drove alone to work, followed by those who worked at home (8.12%) and those who carpooled to work (7.5%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

Commute Time

18.1 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in West Columbia, SC have a shorter commute time (18.1 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.6 minutes). Additionally, 0.534% of the workforce in West Columbia, SC have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in West Columbia, SC compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in West Columbia, SC distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in West Columbia, SC have 2 cars.

Poverty

Poverty & Diversity

14.1% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in West Columbia, SC (2.45k out of 17.4k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.4%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 18 - 24, followed by Females 25 - 34 and then Females 55 - 64.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in West Columbia, SC is White, followed by Black and Two Or More.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals
Florida
4,915 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798. New York has the second highest (5,087), followed by Florida (4,915).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

Health

87.8% of the population of West Columbia, SC has health coverage, with 41.5% on employee plans, 15.1% on Medicaid, 13.6% on Medicare, 15.6% on non-group plans, and 2.05% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Lexington County, SC see 1567 patients per year on average, which represents a 1.94% decrease from the previous year (1598 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1988 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 524 patients per year.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

Data is only available at the country level. Showing data for Lexington County, SC.

1,567 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Lexington County, SC

Primary care physicians in Lexington County, SC see an average of 1,567 patients per year. This represents a 1.94% decrease from the previous year (1,598 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Lexington County, SC in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

Health Care Diversity

In 2023, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 18.8% under 18 years, 28.3% between 18 and 34 years, 33.8% between 35 and 64 years, and 19.1% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 43.1% were men and 56.9% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

Uninsured People

12.2%

Uninsured

41.5%

Employer Coverage

15.1%

Medicaid

13.6%

Medicare

15.6%

Non-Group

2.05%

Military or VA

Between 2022 and 2023, the percent of uninsured citizens in West Columbia, SC declined by 0.837% from 12.3% to 12.2%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in West Columbia, SC changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.

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