Olar SC, 2021
Olar’s story
134 years in pictures
Census counts: 196 in 1900, a peak of 540 in 1930, 215 in 2020. The archive holds 3 old photos and papers going back to 2004 and 3 maps from 1919 on.
- 1892Olar is settled
OlarSC
Home to 201 people, the town was settled in 1892.
Population
201
2025 Census estimate · −4.3% since 2020
Typical home
$125K
−0.6% in a year
Household income
$28K
median
Median age
40.2
years
Jobs based here
6
A commuter town
Is Olar a good place to live?
Among 112 South Carolina towns, just 4 have a lower typical home value than Olar. Olar has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
201 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Olar: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Olar, and how to reach them.
PowerDominion Energy South Carolina16.4¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterOlar Govan Water System (0510004)No health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet5 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNearest public drop-offBamberg County Limited Access Disposal Site, 3 miOpenStreetMap
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 hereBamberg Board of Voter RegistrationBamberg County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jan 2024
ZIP code2984329843 100%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 Olar.
Housing
The typical home in Olar is valued at about $125K
81% of households live in a home they own in Olar, above both South Carolina’s towns (65%) and U.S. towns (73%).
$125KZillow home value
Typical home value
Olar$125K
South Carolina$304K
−0.6%
value change, 1 year
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Work & commute
Olar has 0.1 jobs per working resident, so most workers leave town for work
In Olar, the average commute is 34 minutes. Just over a fifth of residents live below the poverty line locally, against 17% in South Carolina’s towns and 9.6% across U.S. towns. Half of commuters travel less than 40 miles. The top destinations are Columbia (8%), Barnwell (5%) and North Charleston (4%).
0%work in town
| Olar | South Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 34 minutes | 24 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Below the poverty line | 22% | 17% | 9.6% |
Where working residents work
In Olar0%
Columbia8%
Barnwell5%
North Charleston4%
Augusta4%
40 mi
median commute distance
6
jobs based in Olar
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Natural hazards
Olar has a high natural-hazard risk, chiefly from hurricanes
FEMA puts 44% of Olar’s expected hazard losses down to hurricanes, and 24% to inland flooding. Storm and flood damage is expected to run higher than in 77% of U.S. communities.
77risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
HurricanesInland floodingHail
4
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
92°summer high
Typical low → high °F
Winter37–61°
Spring51–77°
Summer69–91°
Fall53–77°
Nov 9
typical first frost
Mar 22
typical last frost
+0.9°
vs. the 20th-century average
92°
typical summer high
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Health
How healthy Olar is
40% of Olar adults have obesity. CDC measures, 32 in all: Olar beats South Carolina on 2 and trails on 18. Two figures for adults in the town: 49% have high blood pressure, 12% binge drink.
| Olar | South Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 21% | 15% | 12% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 49% | 40% | 35% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 12% | 15% | 16% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 15% | 14% |
32 measures vs. South Carolina
2 better12 too close to call18 worse
| What stands out | Olar | SC |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer binge drinkers | 12.2% | 15.7% |
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 85.5% | 80.2% |
| More adults who have had a stroke | 6.4% | 3.9% |
Allendale County Hospital
15.2 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Olar
16pages on Olar
The big questions
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
3 within 15 miles of the center of Olar
Voorhees UniversityUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Denmark9.4 mi$12,630 tuitionDenmark Technical CollegeCommunity college · Public · Denmark9.9 mi$6,315 in-state tuitionUniversity of South Carolina-SalkehatchieCommunity college · Public · Allendale13.3 mi$7,558 in-state tuition
About 1 of every 100 Olar residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across South Carolina.
A commuter town
100% of working residents leave Olar for work
Where Olar’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
6jobs based in Olar
0%of working residents work in town
40 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Olar
Town in South Carolina, United States
Olar is a town in Bamberg County, South Carolina, United States. As of the 2020 census, Olar had a population of 215.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 0.8 sq mi
- Elevation
- 187 ft
- ZIP code
- 29843
- Area code
- 803
Questions about Olar
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Olar, SC a good place to live?
Olar has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.