Signals
West Columbia
Oak Grove
Opportunity
75 · Top 14%
vs79 · Top 8%
Climate
72 · Top 43%
vs72 · Top 43%
Physical resilience
58 · Bottom 49%
vs58 · Bottom 49%
Housing affordability
77 · Bottom 44%
vs100 · Top 8%
Schools
54 · Top 47%
vs35 · Bottom 28%
Access
98 · Top 19%
vs98 · Top 19%
Economic stability
50 · Bottom 31%
vs56 · Bottom 41%
Measured values
| Metric | West Columbia | Oak Grove | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 17,963 | 12,256 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $56,912 | $74,554 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $36,920 | $35,527 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,908/sq mi | 1,619/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $201,700 | $210,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,201 | $1,045 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 55.3% | 81.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.7% | 3.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 2.6% | 2.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 40.9% | 32.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 13.7% | 12.6% | 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 | 4 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 21.2 min | 23.4 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.6 | 37.0 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 6 | 6 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 14.57 | 14.09 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 38.1% | 31.3% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 45.7% | 38.6% | 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.
Oak Grove
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane, earthquake.
Your best match
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West Columbia
69
Your Score
68
Area Score
Oak Grove
71
Your Score
—
Area Score
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Full profiles: West Columbia, SC · Oak Grove, SC · How this is calculated: methodology