Ridgeway, South Carolina Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 261, Ridgeway's ACS estimates come from a small number of survey responses and carry wide margins of error. Individual percentages below — particularly rates that round to 0% or 100% — are approximations, not precise measurements. See data.census.gov for the published margins of error.

Population Overview

Ridgeway is a small community located in South Carolina, within Fairfield County. The total population is 261. It ranks as the 390th most populous out of 474 Census-designated places in South Carolina.

Age Demographics

The median age in Ridgeway is 55.9 years. This is 39% higher than the state median of 40.2 years. Only 11.1% of residents are under 18, indicating fewer families with children. 11.5% of residents are 75 or older, suggesting a significant retirement-age population with implications for healthcare services and senior housing.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Ridgeway is $44,107. This is 36% lower than the state median of $69,324. It is also 45% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 32.6%. This is 131% higher than the state poverty rate of 14.1%. With more than one in five residents living below the poverty line, economic hardship is a significant challenge for the community. The unemployment rate is 3.6%. This is 26% lower than the state rate of 4.9%. The median home value is $169,800. Housing costs are 34% lower than the state median of $259,000. The home-value-to-income ratio is 3.8x. 62.8% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 13% lower than the state average of 71.9%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Ridgeway is White (non-Hispanic), making up 69.7% of the population. Black or African American residents account for 27.6%. The Hispanic or Latino population (2.7%) is well below the state average of 7.4%.

Education

24.1% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 25% lower 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 79.3%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Ridgeway, South Carolina is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates. The ACS collects data from approximately 3.5 million households annually and pools five years of responses so that even small communities can be measured, though the margin of error widens as the population falls. Comparisons are made against South Carolina state averages and national averages calculated from the same dataset. Rankings reflect the city's position among all 474 Census-designated places in South Carolina. Read more about how these figures are produced on our methodology page, or visit data.census.gov for official data.