Signals
West Columbia
Irmo
Opportunity
75 · Top 14%
vs72 · Top 19%
Climate
72 · Top 43%
vs72 · Top 43%
Physical resilience
58 · Bottom 49%
vs65 · Top 44%
Housing affordability
77 · Bottom 44%
vs91 · Top 30%
Schools
54 · Top 47%
vs81 · Top 13%
Access
98 · Top 19%
vs97 · Top 29%
Economic stability
50 · Bottom 31%
vs65 · Top 39%
Measured values
| Metric | West Columbia | Irmo | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 17,963 | 11,813 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $56,912 | $80,489 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $36,920 | $40,333 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,908/sq mi | 1,730/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $201,700 | $203,400 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,201 | $1,477 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 55.3% | 81.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.7% | 4.5% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 2.6% | 2.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 40.9% | 39.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 13.7% | 9.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Average July high | 93°F | 93°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 35°F | 35°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 45.2" | 45.2" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 4 mi | 12 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 21.2 min | 25.9 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.6 | 40.3 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 6 | 9 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 14.57 | 12.00 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 38.1% | 49.4% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 45.7% | 54.6% | 2019-20 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
West Columbia
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane, earthquake.
Irmo
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane, earthquake.
Your best match
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West Columbia
69
Your Score
68
Area Score
Irmo
77
Your Score
—
Area Score
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Full profiles: West Columbia, SC · Irmo, SC · How this is calculated: methodology