© OpenMapTiles © OpenStreetMap
Living in
Oak Grove.
Oak Grove is an unincorporated community in Lexington County, SC. It has no city government: the county runs it, and the Census counts it as its own place.
About
Life in Oak Grove
Oak Grove is a community of 12,031 people in South Carolina. The median household income is $74,554, median rent runs about $1,045 per month, and median home values are around $210,300. Unemployment is low at 3.8%, suggesting a relatively healthy local job market.
Oak Grove at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
37.0 yrs
Poverty Rate
12.6%
Foreign-Born
7.2%
Broadband Internet
94.1%
of households
Population Growth
+11.0%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics7.2% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Oak Grove: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Oak Grove, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (50.7%), and 8.7% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
24.9%
of residents
65 and Older
16.2%
of residents
Households with Kids
30.6%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
28.9%
of households
Married Couples
45.2%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.41
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 11% below SC average
Rent, home values, and income in Oak Grove
In Oak Grove, rent runs 11% below the SC average, and home values are 19% below the SC average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
41.5%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
21.9%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
93.7
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$974
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
81.0%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1991
median year built
Vacant Homes
8.5%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $239,835 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.7 pts below SC average
Unemployment in Oak Grove
Unemployment in Lexington County, which includes Oak Grove, is 0.7 percentage points lower than the SC average.
Unemployment rate
Oak Grove: Lexington County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Lexington County (county-wide) · Annual averages
Oak Grove is about 4% of Lexington County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
What Oak Grove Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute21.7 min avg
How Oak Grove residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Oak Grove, most residents drive alone to work (79%), and 81% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 3 mi
Columbia Metropolitan Airport (CAE)
Small hub663k passengers boarded in 2025
- 86 mi
Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT)
Major hub25.9M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 32% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in the area policed by the Lexington County Sheriff's Office, which covers Oak Grove, runs 32% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
224.9
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,365.4
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Policed by Lexington County Sheriff's Office (county-wide rate)
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 22 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Moderate
90.9 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Lexington County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Lexington County, which includes Oak Grove, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 22 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 22 | Thunderstorm Wind | $50,000 |
| 2024 | 20 | Thunderstorm Wind | $16.0M |
| 2023 | 21 | Thunderstorm Wind | $532,800 |
| 2022 | 30 | Thunderstorm Wind | $6,350 |
| 2021 | 10 | Thunderstorm Wind | $41,030 |
| 2020 | 17 | Thunderstorm Wind | $14,160 |
| 2019 | 15 | Thunderstorm Wind | $750 |
| 2018 | 19 | Thunderstorm Wind | $85,600 |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
4 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Lexington County, county-wide
Oak Grove is about 4% of Lexington County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Air Quality47 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Richland County, SC (the nearest EPA-monitored county, about 15 miles from Oak Grove) is typically good — 212 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
47
Good Days
212
per year
Moderate Days
153
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Nearest EPA monitor county: Richland County, SC (15 mi away)
Climate91°F summers, 36°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Oak Grove has hot summers (avg high 91°F) and mild winters (avg low 36°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
76°/52°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
91°/71°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
76°/53°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
59°/36°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
48.5"
Annual Snowfall
1.2"
Hot Days/Year
81
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
47
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
109
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 57°F | 35°F | 3.49" |
| Feb | 61°F | 37°F | 3.39" |
| Mar | 68°F | 44°F | 3.57" |
| Apr | 77°F | 52°F | 2.83" |
| May | 84°F | 61°F | 3.49" |
| Jun | 90°F | 69°F | 4.97" |
| Jul | 93°F | 72°F | 5.35" |
| Aug | 91°F | 71°F | 4.65" |
| Sep | 86°F | 65°F | 3.91" |
| Oct | 77°F | 53°F | 3.13" |
| Nov | 66°F | 42°F | 2.76" |
| Dec | 59°F | 37°F | 3.70" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Oak Grove
Uninsured
11.1%
of residents
No hospitals inside Oak Grove's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Three Rivers Behavioral Health
Psychiatric · 2.5 mi away · West Columbia
Lexington Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 2.8 mi away · West Columbia
Prisma Health Baptist
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 7 mi away · Columbia
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education12.6:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Oak Grove
Oak Grove's student/teacher ratio is 12.6:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 32.6% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
1
within city limits
Private Schools
0
within city limits
College Degree Rate
32.6%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
12.6:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Oak Grove (within 15 miles)
University of South Carolina-Columbia
7.1 mi awayPublic · 4-year · 29,820 students · in-state tuition $12,688 · 77% graduate · median earnings $69,024 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 1,536 students · in-state tuition $18,103 · 26% graduate · median earnings $36,562 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 1,343 students · in-state tuition $24,436 · 57% graduate · median earnings $46,266 (10 yrs after entry)
Columbia International University
8 mi awayPrivate nonprofit · 4-year · 716 students · in-state tuition $27,900 · 67% graduate · median earnings $44,657 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 576 students · in-state tuition $14,304 · 22% graduate · median earnings $32,754 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Congaree National Park, 26 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Oak Grove
Oak Grove has 5 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Congaree National Park (26 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Congaree National Park
National Park
26 mi awayNinety Six National Historic Site
National Historic Site
51 mi awayKings Mountain National Military Park
National Military Park
81 mi awayOvermountain Victory National Historic Trail
National Historic Trail
81 mi awayCowpens National Battlefield
National Battlefield
88 mi awayCities Near Oak Grove
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Oak Grove?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Oak Grove FAQ
Is Oak Grove, South Carolina affordable?⌄
Oak Grove's median rent is $1,045/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $74,554/year. Median home value is $210,300.
Is Oak Grove, South Carolina safe?⌄
Oak Grove is policed by the Lexington County Sheriff's Office, whose violent crime rate across its service area was 225 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is below the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1365 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Oak Grove, South Carolina?⌄
Lexington County, which includes Oak Grove, has an unemployment rate of 3.8%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Oak Grove, South Carolina?⌄
The cost of living in Oak Grove is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,045/month and median household income is $74,554/year. The median home value is $210,300. About 42% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Oak Grove, South Carolina?⌄
The average commute in Oak Grove is 22 minutes, which is about average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from