Olympia Armory · National Register of Historic Places
Olympia’s story
Olympia in pictures
The archive holds 3 maps from 1944 on.
4 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Explore the history →OlympiaSC
A town of 935.
2 bordering townsMap →
Olympia Armory · Photo: Upstateherd · CC BY-SA 4.0
Population
935
Census survey, 2020–24
Household income
$30K
median
Median age
24.2
years
Jobs based here
211
Balanced
Is Olympia a good place to live?
77% of residents live below the poverty line in Olympia, above both South Carolina’s towns (17%) and U.S. towns (9.6%). Only 1 of the 170 South Carolina towns we compare have a lower share of households owning their home than Olympia. Olympia’s trail density is 7.7 miles per square mile, above both the South Carolina town median (0.3) and the median of U.S. towns (0.4). Olympia has 4 places on the National Register of Historic Places, among them Olympia Armory and Olympia Union Hall. Olympia has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
935 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
ColumbiaCayceOlympia
Getting set up
Moving to Olympia: who provides what
Olympia is unincorporated, so Richland County and regional agencies provide most services.
PowerDominion Energy South Carolina16.4¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterColumbia City of (Sc4010001) water system1 health-based violation in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet4 providers98% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & county servicesRichland CountyRichland County provides services here
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 code2920129201 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 Olympia.
Climate
A typical July afternoon in Olympia is hotter than in most of South Carolina or the rest of the country
Olympia’s July high is 93°F. Olympia has mild winters and hot summers.
1″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter36–59°
Spring52–77°
Summer70–91°
Fall53–76°
Nov 7
typical first frost
Mar 25
typical last frost
+1.1°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Work & commute
With 1.2 jobs for every working resident, Olympia draws in 211 commuters
Most working residents leave Olympia for work: only 0% work in town. The median household income in Olympia is $30,000. Jobs based in Olympia fell to 211 in 2023, 336 fewer than in 2013.
0%work in town
| Olympia | South Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $30,000 | $57,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 26 minutes | 24 minutes | 25 minutes |
Where working residents work
In Olympia0%
Columbia26%
Cayce5%
Greenville3%
Charleston3%
14 mi
median commute distance
211
jobs based in Olympia
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Health
A larger share of adults in Olympia report frequent mental distress than in the typical South Carolina or U.S. town
27% of adults report frequent mental distress in Olympia. Among 170 South Carolina towns, just 6 have a higher share of adults who feel lonely than Olympia. 29% of adults say their health is fair or poor in Olympia.
| Olympia | South Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 27% | 18% | 17% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 34% | 23% | 23% |
| Food insecurity (CDC PLACES) | 34% | 21% | 14% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 15% | 16% |
32 measures vs. South Carolina
7 better3 too close to call22 worse
| What stands out | Olympia | SC |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults who have had cancer | 3.9% | 8.6% |
| Fewer adults with arthritis | 20.2% | 28.5% |
| More adults without reliable transportation | 21.3% | 8.6% |
MUSC Health Columbia Medical Center Downtown
3.1 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Natural hazards
Inland flooding leads a moderate hazard risk in Olympia
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 57% of U.S. communities. Since 1997, 11 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Olympia.
43risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingHurricanesTornadoes
11
paid flood claims since 1997
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
1.1%conserved
1.1%
conserved · 5 of 474 acres
5.4 mi
of trails · 7.7 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Olympia Park | 0.1 mi | 11 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Nearby attractions
All 11 attractions →Williams-Brice Stadium and 7 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Olympia. Close and well known come first.
in town Stadium & arenaWilliams-Brice Stadium
14 mi National ParkCongaree National Park288K visitors a year9 mi LakeAlcohol and Drug Abuse Lake
18 mi LakeLake Murray
2 mi Stadium & arenaColonial Life Arena
3 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 Olympia
15pages on Olympia
The big questions
Out and about
Day to day
After high school
Colleges nearby
7 within 15 miles of the center of Olympia
University of South Carolina-ColumbiaUniversity or college · Public · Columbia1.7 mi$12,688 in-state tuitionAllen UniversityUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Columbia2.7 mi$14,304 tuitionMidlands Technical CollegeCommunity college · Public · West Columbia4.9 mi$5,100 in-state tuition
College town 32 of every 100 Olympia residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across South Carolina.
Landmarks
4 places in Olympia on the National Register of Historic Places.
About Olympia
Census-designated place in South Carolina, United States
Olympia is an urban unincorporated area and census-designated place (CDP) in Richland County, South Carolina, United States. It was first listed as a CDP prior to the 2020 census with a population of 1,087. The CDP is in western Richland County, bordered to the north by the city of Columbia, the state capital, and to the west, across the Congaree River, by the city of Cayce. The eastern half of the CDP is residential, while the western half is occupied by the Columbia Quarry of Vulcan Materials. Four locations in the CDP are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Olympia Armory is on Granby Lane in the northeast part of the CDP, the Olympia Mill School is on Olympia Avenue …
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 0.7 sq mi
- Elevation
- 164 ft
Questions about Olympia
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Olympia, SC a good place to live?
Olympia has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.