Midlands of South Carolina

The Midlands roughly refers to an area in the middle of South Carolina. This term is used mostly by Columbia-based media outlets that wish to appeal to audiences outside of the Columbia metropolitan area. Columbia is the largest city in the region and location of the state government. The midlands is the halfway point between the upstate and low country making it halfway between the mountains and beach.

Counties

There are eight counties included in the midlands area of South Carolina, but not limited to:

• Calhoun
• Fairfield
• Kershaw
• Lexington
• Orangeburg
• Richland
• Saluda
• Sumter

Cities

Columbia skyline coming from North Main St.

Primary cities

(including county and 2006 census bureau population estimates)

• Columbia, Richland and Lexington 122,819
• Sumter, Sumter 39,159
• Orangeburg, Orangeburg 13,563

Suburban towns and cities over 10,000 in population

(including county and 2006 census bureau population estimates)

• Cayce, Lexington 12,597
• Forest Acres Richland 10,558
• Irmo, Richland and Lexington 11,338
• Lexington, Lexington 14,110
• Newberry, Newberry 10,874
• West Columbia Lexington 13,670

Suburbs with less than 10,000 inhabitants

(including county and 2006 census bureau population estimates)

• Arcadia Lakes, Richland 828
• Ballentine, Richland
• Batesburg-Leesville, Lexington 5,610
• Blythewood, Richland 170
• Camden, Kershaw 7,022
• Chapin, Lexington 689
• Eastover, Richland 774
• Elgin, Kershaw 1,042
• Gaston, Lexington 1,393
• Gilbert, Lexington 571
• Little Mountain, Newberry 262
• Lugoff, Kershaw 6,278

• North, Orangeburg 782
• Pelion, Lexington 594
• Pine Ridge, Lexington 1,739
• Prosperity, Newberry 1,063
• Red Bank, Lexington 8,811
• Ridgeway, Fairfield 321
• Saluda, Saluda 2,989
• Silverstreet, Newberry 225
• St. Matthews, Calhoun 2,009
• Springdale, Lexington 2,946
• Swansea, Lexington 533
• South Congaree, Lexington 2,397
• Winnsboro, Fairfield 3,647

Unincorporated communities

(2000 Census Figures)

• Dentsville, Richland 13,009
• Gadsden, Richland
• Hopkins, Richland 26,050
• Lake Murray of Richland, Richland 3,526
• Seven Oaks, Lexington 15,755
• St. Andrews, Richland 21,814
• Woodfield, Richland 9,238

Higher education

• Allen University
• Benedict College
• Beta Tech
• Central Carolina Technical College
• Claflin University
• Columbia College
• Columbia International University
• Columbia Junior College of Business
• Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary
• Midlands Technical College
• Newberry College
• Morris College
• Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College
• South Carolina State University
• South University
• Southern Methodist College
• University of South Carolina
• University of South Carolina at Sumter