West Columbia is a city located in Lexington County South Carolina. West Columbia has a 2024 population of 18,581. West Columbia is currently growing at a rate of 1.45% annually and its population has increased by 6.06% since the most recent census, which recorded a population of 17,519 in 2020.
The average household income in West Columbia is $73,419 with a poverty rate of 14.18%. The median age in West Columbia is 37.3 years: 35.9 years for males, and 37.8 years for females.
According to the most recent ACS, the racial composition of West Columbia was:
Race | Population | Percentage (of total) |
|---|---|---|
| White | 11,772 | 67.43% |
| Black or African American | 3,102 | 17.77% |
| Two or more races | 1,649 | 9.44% |
| Asian | 594 | 3.4% |
| Other race | 244 | 1.4% |
| Native American | 73 | 0.42% |
| Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander | 25 | 0.14% |
White
Black or African American
Two or more races
Asian
Other race
Native American
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander
Household Type | Count | Average Size | Owner | Renter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All | 8,162 | 2.1 | 56.4 | 43.6 |
| Non Family | 4,262 | 1.3 | 49.9 | 50.1 |
| Married | 2,639 | 2.9 | 75.3 | 24.7 |
| Female | 987 | 3.14 | 34.1 | 65.9 |
| Male | 274 | 3.01 | 55.1 | 44.9 |
2.91
Average Family Size
2.1
Average Household Size
56.4%
Rate of Home Ownership
Married
Male
Female
NonFamily
owner
renter
Male
Female
Education Attained | Count | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| 9th to 12th Grade | 780 | 6.21% |
| Associates Degree | 1,197 | 9.54% |
| Bachelors Degree | 2,743 | 21.85% |
| Graduate Degree | 1,850 | 14.74% |
| High School Graduate | 3,381 | 26.94% |
| Less Than 9th Grade | 448 | 3.57% |
| Some College | 2,153 | 17.15% |
Less Than 9th Grade
9th to 12th Grade
High School Graduate
Some College
Associates Degree
Bachelors Degree
Graduate Degree
High School Graduation Rate
Bachelors Rate
Race | Total | High School | Bachelors |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 9,013 | 8,346 | 3,737 |
| Black | 2,044 | 1,784 | 253 |
| Hispanic | 956 | 666 | 197 |
| 2+ Races | 773 | 541 | 219 |
| Asian | 365 | 357 | 326 |
| Other Race | 158 | 100 | 6 |
| Islander | 25 | 25 | 0 |
| Native American | 23 | 20 | 6 |
The highest rate of high school graduation is among islander people with a rate of 100%.
The highest rate of bachelors degrees is among asian people with a rate of 89.32%.
All
Male
Female
Name | Average | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelors Degree | $43,160 | $58,480 | $39,359 |
| Graduate Degree | $54,173 | $59,708 | $53,134 |
| High School Graduate | $36,145 | $36,532 | $29,361 |
| Less Than 9th Grade | $33,497 | $37,904 | $20,172 |
| Overall | $40,189 | $45,220 | $38,105 |
| Some College | $42,182 | $47,045 | $37,333 |
$40,189
Average Earnings
$45,220
Average Male
$38,105
Average Female
Only English
Spanish
Other Indo-European Languages
Asian and Pacific Island Languages
Other Languages
86.67% of West Columbia residents speak only English, while 13.33% speak other languages. The non-English language spoken by the largest group is Spanish, which is spoken by 9.28% of the population.
rate
Name | Total | In Poverty | Poverty Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 11,099 | 1,151 | 10.37% |
| Black | 3,043 | 609 | 20.01% |
| Hispanic | 1,929 | 483 | 25.04% |
| Multiple | 1,610 | 286 | 17.76% |
| Asian | 590 | 137 | 23.22% |
14.18%
Overall Poverty Rate
11.99%
Male Poverty Rate
16.01%
Female Poverty Rate
The race most likely to be in poverty in West Columbia is Hispanic, with 25.04% below the poverty level.
The race least likely to be in poverty in West Columbia is White, with 10.37% below the poverty level.
The poverty rate among those that worked full-time for the past 12 months was 2.85%. Among those working part-time, it was 25.04%, and for those that did not work, the poverty rate was 19.74%.
rate
Rate | Poverty |
|---|---|
| Less Than 9th Grade | 30.68% |
| Some College | 9.56% |
| High School | 7.7% |
| Bachelors or Greater | 6.25% |
rate
Rate | Poverty |
|---|---|
| Male Unemployed | 33.58% |
| Female Employed | 13.04% |
| Female Unemployed | 6.82% |
| Male Employed | 5.65% |
Households
Families
MarriedFamilies
NonFamilies
Name | Median | Mean |
|---|---|---|
| Families | $69,181 | $87,812 |
| Households | $52,648 | $73,419 |
| Married Families | $87,635 | $-999,999,999 |
| Non Families | $40,723 | $58,536 |
mean
median
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
38.2%
Overall Marriage Rate
43.0%
Male Marriage Rate
34.3%
Female Marriage Rate
male
female
The age group where males are most likely to be married is Over 65, while the female age group most likely to be married is 35-44.
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
Second Gulf War
First Gulf War
Vietnam
Korea
World War II
1,147
Number of Veterans
1,044
Male Veterans
103
Female Veterans
War | Veterans |
|---|---|
| Vietnam | 504 |
| Second Gulf War | 319 |
| First Gulf War | 292 |
| Korea | 61 |
| World War II | 21 |
count
Age Group | Veterans |
|---|---|
| 75+ | 341 |
| 35 to 54 | 266 |
| 65 to 74 | 259 |
| 55 to 64 | 216 |
| 18 to 34 | 65 |
count
Name | Veterans | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| White | 981 | 9.5% |
| Black | 98 | 4.16% |
| Hispanic | 61 | 5.26% |
| 2+ Races | 35 | 3.48% |
| Islander | 25 | 100% |
| Other Race | 8 | 3.96% |
Less Than 9th Grade
High School Graduate
Some College
Bachelors or Greater
5.72%
Veteran Poverty Rate
33.96%
Veteran Disability Rate
LaborForceParticipation
64.6%
Labor Force Participation
62%
Employment Rate
2.9%
Unemployment Rate
LaborForceParticipation
LaborForceParticipation
Europe
Asia
Africa
Oceania
Latin America
North America
Non citizens include legal permanent residents (green card holders), international students, temporary workers, humanitarian migrants, and illegal immigrants.
Europe
Asia
Africa
Oceania
Latin America
North America
60.95%
Born in West Columbia
91.39%
Native Born
8.61%
Foreign Born
7.09%
Non Citizen
1.52%
Naturalized
91.39% of West Columbia residents were born in the United States, with 60.95% having been born in South Carolina. 7.09% of residents are not US citizens. Of those not born in the United States, the largest percentage are from Latin America.
Year | Population | Growth | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2029 | 19,910 | 266 | 1.35% |
| 2028 | 19,644 | 266 | 1.37% |
| 2027 | 19,378 | 265 | 1.39% |
| 2026 | 19,113 | 266 | 1.41% |
| 2025 | 18,847 | 266 | 1.43% |
| 2024 | 18,581 | 265 | 1.45% |
| 2023 | 18,316 | 605 | 3.42% |
| 2022 | 17,711 | 64 | 0.36% |
| 2021 | 17,647 | 128 | 0.73% |
| 2020 | 17,519 | -488 | -2.71% |
| 2019 | 18,007 | 41 | 0.23% |
| 2018 | 17,966 | 490 | 2.8% |
| 2017 | 17,476 | 72 | 0.41% |
| 2016 | 17,404 | 145 | 0.84% |
| 2015 | 17,259 | 161 | 0.94% |
| 2014 | 17,098 | 166 | 0.98% |
| 2013 | 16,932 | 72 | 0.43% |
| 2012 | 16,860 | 122 | 0.73% |
| 2011 | 16,738 | 39 | 0.23% |
| 2010 | 16,699 | 0 | 0% |
| 2000 | 13,064 | 2,476 | 23.38% |
| 1990 | 10,588 | 179 | 1.72% |
| 1980 | 10,409 | 2,571 | 32.8% |
| 1970 | 7,838 | 1,428 | 22.28% |
| 1960 | 6,410 | 4,710 | 277.06% |
| 1940 | 1,700 | -18,210 | -91.46% |