Richland County, South Carolina Demographics 2026

Name: Richland County, South Carolina Demographics
Creator: U.S. Census Bureau
License: https://www.census.gov/data/developers/about/terms-of-service.html

Richland County, South Carolina has a population of 422,117, the 2nd most populous county in South Carolina. The median household income is $63,784 and the median home value is $242,800. The poverty rate is 17.2%.

Data vintage: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates · refreshed July 2026 · Methodology & source notes

Richland County Quick Facts

Population 422,117

Median Household Income $63,784

Median Home Value $242,800

Poverty Rate 17.2%

Unemployment Rate 6.5%

Median Age 34.4 years

Homeownership Rate 60.3%

Affordability Ratio 3.8x

Bachelor's Degree+ 40.7%

High School Graduation 92.2%

Cities/Places 16

Population 422,117 2nd of 46

Median Income $63,784 8% lower than state

Poverty Rate 17.2%

Unemployment 6.5%

How Richland County Changed

Change from the 2019–2023 ACS period to 2020–2024. These are rolling five-year estimates, not year-over-year measurements.

Metric	2019–2023	2020–2024	Change
Population	418,725	422,117	+0.8%
Median household income	$61,699	$63,784	+3.4%
Median home value	$224,200	$242,800	+8.3%

Median Household Income

Richland

$63,784

$69,324

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Richland

$242,800

$259,000

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 18.5%

$25K-$50K 20.9%

$50K-$100K 30.1%

$100K+ 30.5%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

7.9%

$10K-$15K

3.9%

$15K-$20K

3.3%

$20K-$25K

3.5%

$25K-$30K

4.0%

$30K-$35K

4.4%

$35K-$40K

4.2%

$40K-$45K

4.1%

$45K-$50K

4.3%

$50K-$60K

7.9%

$60K-$75K

9.4%

$75K-$100K

12.8%

$100K-$125K

8.5%

$125K-$150K

5.0%

$150K-$200K

8.1%

$200K+

8.9%

Employment

6.5% Unemployment Rate State: 4.9%|National: 5.2%

64.6% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 60.3%

Renter 39.7%

Affordability Index Affordable

3.8x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $1,228/mo 23.1% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

21.6%

18-34

29.2%

35-54

23.9%

55-74

20.0%

75+

5.3%

Race & Ethnicity

Diversity Index

High Diversity

A diverse community with significant representation from multiple racial and ethnic groups.

State average: 55 | National average: 61

Education

Educational Attainment (Adults 25+)

Cities & Places in Richland County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Columbia	139,643	$55,529	24.0%	$264,300
St. Andrews	19,868	$46,511	25.4%	$161,300
Dentsville	15,209	$45,473	15.7%	$163,700
Cayce	13,741	$62,045	13.7%	$166,800
Irmo	11,813	$80,489	9.2%	$203,400
Forest Acres	10,530	$78,306	8.2%	$279,300
Woodfield	9,465	$45,526	19.8%	$150,800
Lake Murray of Richland	7,023	$119,107	2.0%	$422,100
Blythewood	5,731	$94,167	4.8%	$384,600
Capitol View	4,374	$46,645	10.6%	$187,600
Arthurtown	3,272	$21,046	63.2%	$120,100
Hopkins	1,985	$50,063	25.7%	$99,300
Gadsden	1,443	$52,966	29.0%	$112,900
Olympia	935	$29,663	77.1%	N/A
Arcadia Lakes	901	$103,250	3.5%	$351,000
Eastover	485	$20,735	35.7%	$117,400

Explore South Carolina Rankings

Cities by Population All cities ranked by size Richest Cities Ranked by median income Most Educated By bachelor's degree rate Most Affordable By housing affordability

Population Overview

Richland County is located in South Carolina with a total population of 422,117. It is the 2nd most populous county out of 46 in South Carolina. The county encompasses 16 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Richland County is 34.4 years. This is 14% lower than the state median of 40.2 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Richland County is $63,784. This is 8% lower than the state median of $69,324. It is also 21% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 17.2%. This is 22% higher than the state poverty rate of 14.1%. The unemployment rate is 6.5%. This is 32% higher than the state rate of 4.9%. The median home value is $242,800. Housing costs are 6% lower than the state median of $259,000. The home-value-to-income ratio is 3.8x. 60.3% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 16% lower than the state average of 71.9%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Richland County is Black or African American, making up 46.9% of the population. White (non-Hispanic) residents account for 39.4%. The Black or African American population is significantly higher than the state average (46.9% vs 24.6%). The Asian population is significantly higher than the state average (3.0% vs 1.8%).

Education

40.7% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This places Richland County in the top 10% of all counties in the state for educational attainment. This is 27% higher than the state rate of 32.1%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 92.2%. Notably, 17.3% of adults hold a graduate or professional degree, indicating a highly educated workforce.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Richland County come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates, with comparisons drawn against South Carolina and national averages from the same dataset. See our methodology page for how each metric is defined, or data.census.gov for official tables with margins of error.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the population of Richland County, South Carolina?

Richland County has a population of 422,117, making it the 2nd most populous county in South Carolina.

What is the median income in Richland County?

The median household income in Richland County is $63,784 with a poverty rate of 17.2%.

How many cities are in Richland County, South Carolina?

Richland County contains 16 Census-designated places.