Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
33% of residents live below the poverty line in Ridgeway, where South Carolina’s towns sit at 17% and U.S. towns at 9.6%. Only 7 of the 167 South Carolina towns we compare have a lower rent at the middle of the market than Ridgeway. Its National Register listings include Hunter House and Mount Hope. Ridgeway has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Where Ridgeway beats most towns.
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Census counts: 249 in 1890, a peak of 437 in 1970, 266 in 2020. The archive holds 10 old photos and papers going back to 2004 and 3 maps from 1942 on.
5 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Ridgeway, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Sep 12, 2025.
Ordered by what stands out in Ridgeway.
People 65 and older are just over a third of residents (19% statewide); adults 35 to 64 are 26% of residents (38% statewide). Ridgeway’s age of the median resident is 55.9 years. 254 people lived in Ridgeway by the Census Bureau’s 2025 estimate, 4.9% fewer than in 2020. Here, 24% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree, against 32% in South Carolina as a whole.
| Ridgeway | South Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 55.9 years | 38.9 years | 40.5 years |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 24% | 23% | 29% |
53% women, 47% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±9.1 points. Across South Carolina, 51.3% of residents are women.
| Ridgeway | SC | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 10.7% | 11.4% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 0.4% | 10.1% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 7.7% | 9.1% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 20.7% | 12.8% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 2.7% | 12.5% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 6.1% | 12% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 17.6% | 13.2% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 22.6% | 11.4% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 11.5% | 7.4% | 7% |
| No diploma | 20.8% | 9.9% | 10.4% |
| High school | 32.5% | 28.2% | 26% |
| Some college | 13.7% | 19.8% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 9% | 10% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 12.7% | 19.8% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 11.3% | 12.3% | 14.1% |
Census population estimates, 2025 · U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 300, single groups can be off by several points
The public schools here belong to the Fairfield 01 school district. Its one school is below. Enrollment at Ridgeway’s public school: 262 students.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Geiger ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–6 | Grades PK–6 | 262 | C |
NCES · EDFacts
The share of working residents in Ridgeway who work locally: 0.9%. The top destinations are Columbia (21%), Winnsboro (5%) and Greenville (4%). The town’s typical household income comes in at $44,000. The median commute is under 20 miles.
| Ridgeway | South Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $44,000 | $57,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 0.9% | 6.1% | 8% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Federal aid has come to Ridgeway households in 3 declared disasters; the latest was in 2024. Storm and flood damage is expected to run lower than in 73% of U.S. communities. Expected losses in Ridgeway break down as 33% from inland flooding and 23% from tornadoes.
FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
No violent or property crimes were reported in Ridgeway in 2023. In a town this small, a few incidents move the numbers a lot, so rates aren't shown.
Ridgeway is small, so we show counts rather than rates.
FBI crime data, 2023 · crimes reported to police
13% of adults binge drink in Ridgeway. Of 32 CDC measures, Ridgeway beats the South Carolina average on 5 and trails it on 9. Among adults here, 18% have diabetes and 84% had a checkup this year.
| Ridgeway | South Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 47% | 40% | 35% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 15% | 12% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 84% | 80% | 79% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 13% | 15% | 16% |
| What stands out | Ridgeway | SC |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer binge drinkers | 12.9% | 15.7% |
| More adults screened for colon cancer | 74.6% | 69.3% |
| More adults who have had a stroke | 5.1% | 3.9% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Walkers can cover 0.2 miles of trail in 1 park or preserve. Ridgeway’s trail density stands at 0.4 miles per square mile.
| Ridgeway | South Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conserved land | 1.6% | 1.8% | 4.3% |
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.4 miles per square mile | 0.3 | 0.4 |
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Ridgeway Park | 0.2 mi | 5 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Home values are up 1.8% over the year to September 2026. Ridgeway: 63% of households live in a home they own.
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
1 within 15 miles of the center of Ridgeway
About 1 of every 100 Ridgeway residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across South Carolina.
Where Ridgeway’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
5 places in Ridgeway on the National Register of Historic Places.
3 notable people were born in Ridgeway.
Town in South Carolina, United States
Ridgeway is a town in southeast Fairfield County, South Carolina, United States. As of the 2020 census, Ridgeway had a population of 266. It is part of the Columbia, South Carolina metropolitan statistical area.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Ridgeway has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
3 notable people were born here, including Lee M. Thomas and Mamie Johnson.
