ACFloraHS, 2010
Forest Acres’s story
Forest Acres in pictures
Census counts: 323 in 1940, 10,617 in 2020. The archive holds 7 old photos and papers going back to 2010 and 3 maps from 1953 on.
Explore the history →
Photo: Dr. Blazer · CC BY-SA 4.0
Population
10,390
2025 Census estimate · −2.2% since 2020
Median home value
$279K
Census ACS
Household income
$78K
median
Median age
41.5
years
Jobs based here
5,696
Balanced
TownGrade
C
#103 of 167 in SC
Is Forest Acres a good place to live?
Forest Acres grades C overall, 103rd of 167 graded towns in South Carolina, with clear strengths and some subjects that lag. It is healthier than 90% of U.S. towns and it is easier to get around on foot or by transit than 79% of U.S. towns. On the other side, its police reported 40 violent crimes reported to the FBI in 2025, a higher rate per resident than 89% of U.S. towns. 62% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor’s degree or more in Forest Acres, against 23% in South Carolina’s towns and 29% across U.S. towns. Among 169 South Carolina towns, just 8 have a higher July high than Forest Acres. Homes are expensive, about $279K for a typical one and 4.1 times the Columbia metro’s $68K median household income.
What makes Forest Acres stand out
Where Forest Acres beats most towns.
32 measures vs. South Carolina
21 better10 too close to call1 worse
| Widest gap | Forest Acres | SC |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 9% | 17.4% |
HealthA
Healthier than 91% of U.S. towns
Beats SC on 21 of 32 CDC measures, trails it on 1
Less healthyHealthier
CDC PLACES 2025 estimates.
WalkabilityA−
More walkable than 79% of U.S. towns
2.4% of workers walk, bike or ride transit
EPA National Walkability Index; Census ACS.
How Forest Acres grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within South Carolina), ordered by how far Forest Acres is from typical.
HealthMUSC Health Columbia Medical Center Downtown 2.6 miles awayAOpen →SafetyDOpen →Hazard riskinland flooding tops the listC−Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 11.7 of 20; 3.9% of households have no carA−Open →SchoolsCOpen →Cost of livingCOpen →Jobs & income$78K median household incomeB+Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors1 mile of trail; 1% conserved landCOpen →History1 notable person born hereDOpen →Civic life2.1 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsC−Open →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Forest Acres: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Forest Acres, and how to reach them.
PowerDominion Energy South Carolina16.4¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterColumbia City of (Sc4010001) water system1 health-based violation in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet5 providers98% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpBy addressTown pickup · day by addressTown site
Register to voteOnlineIn South Carolina you can register online until 30 days before Election Day, in person until 30 days before Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 30 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereRichland Board of Voter RegistrationRichland County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jan 2024
ZIP codes29206, 2920429206 67% · 29204 33%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Sep 12, 2025.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Forest Acres.
Forest Acres trades workers with Columbia and other neighbors and has less food insecurity than most of South Carolina, but it trails Dentsville and its other neighbors on schools.
HealthA
Fewer of Forest Acres’ adults get no exercise outside work than in the typical South Carolina or U.S. town
Its widest gap with South Carolina is food insecurity: 9% of its 8,356 adults worry about having enough food, against 17.4% statewide. Its A for health tops all 3 graded neighbors; Columbia (B−) comes closest.
17% of adults get no exercise outside work in Forest Acres. Only 6 of the 169 South Carolina towns we compare have a lower share of adults who smoke cigarettes than Forest Acres. 35% of adults sleep under 7 hours in Forest Acres.
91%healthier than U.S. townsAHealth Grade
| Forest Acres | South Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 13% | 18% | 17% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 28% | 25% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 8.4% | 15% | 14% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 12% | 15% | 14% |
32 measures vs. South Carolina
21 better10 too close to call1 worse
| What stands out | Forest Acres | SC |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 9% | 17.4% |
| Fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth | 7.4% | 13.9% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 10% | 8.6% |
MUSC Health Columbia Medical Center Downtown
2.6 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
95th
percentile among SC towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
SchoolsC
Forest Acres’ schools rank behind 71% of South Carolina districts
Each of its 3 graded neighbors has a higher School Grade than its C, Dentsville highest at B+.
Its public schools are run by the Richland 01 school district. Three of its 12 schools are below, each with why it’s listed.
29%of SC districts it outscoresCSchool Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dent MiddleLargest public middle schoolGrades 6–8 | Grades 6–8 | 1,059 | C+ |
| A. C. Flora HighLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 1,328 | A |
| Brockman ElementaryTop results in townGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 297 | A |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within SC on state tests and graduation
SafetyD
Forest Acres’ grade for safety is a D
Forest Acres’ property crime rate is 33.2 per 1,000 residents. Forest Acres reports more crime per resident than most U.S. towns we grade: about 89% report less. Forest Acres’ violent crime rate is 3.8 per 1,000 residents.
11%of U.S. towns report more crimeDSafety Grade
| Forest Acres | South Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 33.2 per 1,000 residents | 21.1 | 9.9 |
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 3.8 per 1,000 residents | 4.3 | 1.6 |
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Forest Acres3.8
South Carolina3.9
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Forest Acres33.2
South Carolina17.2
U.S.15.5
11th
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
51st
percentile among SC towns
40
violent crimes reported in 2025
345
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Climate
In Forest Acres, expect mild winters and hot summers
Forest Acres has mild winters and hot summers. The January low in Forest Acres is 35°F.
1″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter36–59°
Spring51–76°
Summer70–91°
Fall53–76°
Nov 7
typical first frost
Mar 25
typical last frost
+1.0°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Work & commuteJobs & income grade B+
About two in five of Forest Acres’ working residents commute to Columbia
Forest Acres has about as many jobs (5,696) as working residents, but only 232 people both live and work here. Jobs based here fell from 9,825 in 2013 to 5,696.
Most working residents leave Forest Acres for work: only 5% work in town. Since 2013, Forest Acres has lost 4,129 jobs, to 5,696 in 2023. 8.2% of Forest Acres residents live below the poverty line.
5%work in town
| Forest Acres | South Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 20 minutes | 24 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Below the poverty line | 8.2% | 17% | 9.6% |
| Work from home | 12% | 8.6% | 11% |
| Median household income | $78,000 | $57,000 | $80,000 |
Where working residents work
In Forest Acres5%
Columbia40%
Cayce2%
West Columbia2%
Dentsville2%
6 mi
median commute distance
5,696
jobs based in Forest Acres
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
A−
Walkability grade: more walkable than 79% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade C−
High risk in Forest Acres, with inland flooding at the top
106 flood insurance claims have been filed here, and 11 properties have flooded more than once.
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 64% of U.S. communities. Since 1981, 106 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Forest Acres.
64risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingHurricanesEarthquakes
106
paid flood claims since 1981
5
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
0.9%conserved
| Forest Acres | South Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.1 miles per square mile | 0.3 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 0.9% | 1.8% | 4.3% |
0.9%
conserved · 29 of 3,175 acres
0.7 mi
of trails · 0.1 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Trenholm Park | 0.3 mi | 11 |
| 2. Quinine Hill Park | 0.2 mi | 1 |
| 3. Citadel Park | — | 1 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Nearby attractions
All 12 attractions →Williams-Brice Stadium and 7 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Forest Acres. Close and well known come first.
5 mi Stadium & arenaWilliams-Brice Stadium4 mi LakeAlcohol and Drug Abuse Lake
15 mi National ParkCongaree National Park288K visitors a year
21 mi LakeLake Murray
5 mi Stadium & arenaColonial Life Arena
6 mi Zoo & aquariumRiverbanks ZooSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Williams-Brice Stadium: SRA MARVIN PRESTON, Public domain · Congaree National Park: Unknown, Public domain · Lake Murray: Greygh0st at English Wikipedia, Public domain · Colonial Life Arena: Dfscgt21, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Riverbanks Zoo: Carlo Giovannetti (Thief12), CC BY-SA 3.0
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Forest Acres
20pages on Forest Acres
The big questions
SchoolsCBehind 71% of SC districts · 12 schoolsSafetyD3.8 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthABetter than SC on 21 of 32 CDC measuresCost of livingCWork & commuteB+$78K median household income · 5,696 jobs hereNatural hazardsC−FEMA risk higher than 64% of U.S. communities · inland flooding
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
7 within 15 miles of the center of Forest Acres
Benedict CollegeUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Columbia3 mi$17,440 tuitionUniversity of South Carolina-ColumbiaUniversity or college · Public · Columbia4 mi$12,688 in-state tuitionMidlands Technical CollegeCommunity college · Public · West Columbia10 mi$5,100 in-state tuition
About 8 of every 100 Forest Acres residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across South Carolina.
About Forest Acres
City in South Carolina, United States
Forest Acres is a city in Richland County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 10,617 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Columbia, South Carolina metropolitan area and is an enclave of the city of Columbia.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 5.0 sq mi
- Elevation
- 253 ft
- Area code
- 803
Forest Acres’s neighbors
4 towns share a border with Forest Acres.
ColumbiaDentsvilleArcadia LakesWoodfieldForest Acres
How the neighbors grade
| Town | SC rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forest Acres | #103 | C | C | D | C | A |
| Columbia | #124 | C− | C | D | B | B− |
| Dentsville | #69 | C+ | C+ | — | B+ | C− |
| Arcadia Lakes | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Woodfield | #85 | C+ | B− | — | B+ | C− |
Dentsville and Woodfield report no FBI crime data of their own. Arcadia Lakes isn’t graded (fewer than 1,000 residents, or not enough data). Compare Forest Acres with a neighbor →
Questions about Forest Acres
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Forest Acres, SC a good place to live?
Forest Acres grades C overall, better than 29% of U.S. towns and #103 of 167 in South Carolina. It grades A for health, D for safety and C for schools. Safety is its weak spot, with a D.
Is Forest Acres, SC safe?
Within South Carolina, it does better than 51% of towns.
Is Forest Acres, SC expensive?
Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades C.