The Town FilesOlympia, South Carolina
Community in Richland County · population 1,087 (2020 Census)
- Household income
- $29,663
- Jan low / Jul high
- 37° / 96°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 23
- Median age
- 24.2
Olympia is a community of 1,087 people in Richland County, South Carolina. It ranks more walkable than 100% of South Carolina towns, more vibrant than 100% of South Carolina towns, hipper than 100% of South Carolina towns.
How Olympia ranks
Percentile among South Carolina towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of South Carolina towns.
Homes and cost of living
21.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | Olympia | Typical South Carolina town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | — | $183,100 |
| Median rent | — | $937 |
| Median household income | $29,663 | $53,875 |
| Home value ÷ income | —× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 21.2% | 68.0% |
| Median year built | 1945 | 1981 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Olympia
| People | Olympia | Typical South Carolina town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 24.2 | 40.0 |
| Age 65 and over | 3.3% | 17.9% |
| Under 18 | 13.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 0.0% | 20.0% |
| Below the poverty line | 77.1% | 17.8% |
| Veterans | 2.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 6.3% | — |
| Work from home | 0.0% | 6.8% |
| Average commute | 26.1 min | 25.3 min |
| Homes with broadband | 100.0% | 87.8% |
Weather in Olympia
July highs average 95.6°F and January lows 36.7°F. About 48.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.2 inches of snow (typical South Carolina town: 0.8 in). Expect about 108 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 33 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
23 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Olympia since 1950, compared with 17 for the typical South Carolina town. 3 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on July 23, 1997 about 6.6 miles from the town center and killed 1. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 2 deaths and 18 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on January 4, 2023.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 107 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on May 2, 1984.
Severe weather in Richland County since 1996
Richland County has been included in 26 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| January 23, 2026 | Winter Storm | EM-3632: Severe Winter Storm |
| September 29, 2024 | Hurricane | DR-4829: Hurricane Helene |
| September 26, 2024 | Tropical Storm | EM-3619: Hurricane Helene |
| August 5, 2024 | Tropical Storm | EM-3606: Hurricane Debby |
| August 31, 2023 | Hurricane | EM-3597: Hurricane Idalia |
Jobs and pay in Richland County
Richland County had 227,771 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $62,784 a year. Unemployment was 3% in 2023; in Olympia itself the ACS puts it at 6.1%.
Towns near Olympia
- Cayce, SC1.6 mi · 13,781 people · home $166,800
- Arthurtown, SC2.1 mi · 2,294 people · home $120,100
- West Columbia, SC3.8 mi · 17,416 people · home $201,700
- Springdale, SC4.5 mi · 2,744 people · home $221,700
- Forest Acres, SC5.5 mi · 10,617 people · home $279,300
- Pine Ridge, SC5.9 mi · 2,167 people · home $227,900
- Capitol View, SC6.5 mi · 4,653 people · home $187,600
- Oak Grove, SC6.6 mi · 12,899 people · home $210,300
Olympia questions
Is Olympia, South Carolina a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Olympia scores better for retirees than 0% of South Carolina towns and quieter than 1%. 3.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 24.2).
What is the weather like in Olympia?
July highs average 95.6°F and January lows 36.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 48.1 inches of precipitation a year and 0.2 inches of snow.
Does Olympia get tornadoes?
23 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Olympia since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on July 23, 1997. The typical South Carolina town has had 17.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)