How many people live in Richland County, SC?
Updated Apr. 6, 2026Refreshed annually
In 2024, there were about 430,700 people living in Richland County, SC. That makes Richland County the third-most populous county in South Carolina. It is home to 7.7% of people living in the state.
431K
population of Richland County, SC (2024)
7.7%
County share of the South Carolina population (2024)
About 430,700 people lived in Richland County, SC in 2024.
Population estimates, 2000–2024
What are Richland County, SC’s age demographics?
About 64,000 Richland County residents are aged 65 and older in 2024. That represents 14.9% of its population. For comparison, the age group represents 19.8% of South Carolina’s population and 18% in the US overall.
Another 91,000 Richland County residents, or 21.1% of the population, were children under 18. For comparison, the age group represents 21.2% of South Carolina’s population and 21.6% in the US overall.
A higher share of Richland County, SC's population is aged 18–24 than the US as a whole.
Population estimates by age group, (2024)
What are Richland County, SC’s racial and ethnic demographics?
Non-Hispanic Black or African American residents make up 48.1% of the Richland County, SC population, higher than the national share of 12.6%.
In contrast, Richland County’s non-Hispanic white population accounts for 39.2%, below the 57.5% nationwide, and the Hispanic population makes up 6.7% of the county, compared with 20% nationally.
Racial and ethnic make up differ based on location. These figures reflect how people identified their race alone (not in combination with other races), and separate out Hispanic or Latino ethnicity, following Census reporting standards.
Richland County, SC has a higher share of a non-Hispanic Black or African American population than South Carolina as a whole.
Population estimates by race and ethnicity, (2024)
The largest city or town in Richland County, SC is Columbia with about 144,200 residents in 2024.
Cities and towns in Richland County, SC ranked by population
Population (2024), includes only portions within county
| City or town | Population | |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Columbia (pt.) | 144,151 |
| 2. | Forest Acres | 10,438 |
| 3. | Irmo (pt.) | 7,891 |
| 4. | Blythewood (pt.) | 6,600 |
| 5. | Arcadia Lakes | 856 |
| 6. | Eastover | 628 |
| 7. | Cayce (pt.) | 497 |
| 8. | West Columbia (pt.) | |
| 9. | Balance of Richland County | 259,590 |
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Methodology
USAFacts standardizes data, in areas such as time and demographics, to make it easier to understand and compare.
The analysis was generated with the help of AI and reviewed by USAFacts for accuracy.
Page sources
USAFacts endeavors to share the most up-to-date information available. We sourced the data on this page directly from government agencies; however, the intervals at which agencies publish updated data vary.
