Blythewood is a town in Richland and Fairfield counties,

South Carolina )''Animis opibusque parati'' ( for, , Latin, Prepared in mind and resources, links=no) , anthem = " Carolina";" South Carolina On My Mind" , Former = Province of South Carolina , seat = Columbia , LargestCity = Charleston , LargestMetro = ...

, United States. It is a suburb of

Columbia, South Carolina Columbia is the capital of the U.S. state of South Carolina. With a population of 136,632 at the 2020 census, it is the second-largest city in South Carolina. The city serves as the county seat of Richland County, and a portion of the city ...

. The

2020 United States census The United States census of 2020 was the twenty-fourth decennial United States census. Census Day, the reference day used for the census, was April 1, 2020. Other than a pilot study during the 2000 census, this was the first U.S. census to of ...

puts the population at 4,772, up from 2,034 in 2010. Since 2000, the population has increased by 3,119 percent. It is part of the Columbia, South Carolina, Metropolitan Statistical Area. It is located around 15 miles (24 kilometers) from downtown Columbia. Blythewood Road is one of the main thoroughfares, intersecting

Interstate 77 Interstate 77 (I-77) is a north–south Interstate Highway in the eastern United States. It traverses diverse terrain, from the mountainous state of West Virginia to the rolling farmlands of North Carolina and Ohio. It largely supplants the ...

at Exit 27.

U.S. Route 21 U.S. Route 21 or U.S. Highway 21 (US 21) is a major north–south United States Numbered Highway in the Southeastern United States that travels . The southern terminus is in Hunting Island State Park, South Carolina, south of the ...

also goes through Blythewood, intersecting Interstate 77 at exit 24.

History

Blythewood was originally named "Doko", a Native American term for a watering place. The town was named after Doko Depot, which was a stop along the railroad that ran between Charlotte and Columbia. In 1865, this railroad was destroyed by General Sherman. The town was rebuilt, and changed its name to Blythewood in 1877, after a local school called The Blythewood Female Institute. The school was later renamed "Blythewood Academy". The George P. Hoffman House, built in 1855, is the oldest extant house in Blythewood and is used as the city hall. It was added to the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...

in 1986.

Geography

Blythewood is located in the

Piedmont region it, Piemontese , population_note = , population_blank1_title = , population_blank1 = , demographics_type1 = , demographics1_footnotes = , demographics1_title1 = , demographics1_info1 = , demographics1_title2 ...

of South Carolina. According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...

, the town has a total area of , of which is land and , or 0.79%. is water.

Climate

Climate is characterized by warm temperatures and moderate precipitation throughout the year. The

Köppen Climate Classification The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, notabl ...

subtype for this climate is " Cfa" (Humid Subtropical Climate).

Demographics

2020 census

As of the

, there were 4,772 people, 1,057 households, and 920 families residing in the town.

2010

As of the

census A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses incl ...

of 2010, there were 3,148 people, 996 households residing in the town. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopul ...

was 209.7 people per square mile (81.0/km²). The average median age was 39.3 The racial makeup of the town was 55%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White on ...

, 41%

African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...

, and 1.0% Asian.

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to Vic ...

Latino Latino or Latinos most often refers to: * Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America * Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States * The people or cultures of Latin America; ** Latin A ...

of any race were 3.0% of the population. There were 723 households, out of which 42.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 71.0% were headed by

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between t ...

living together, 9.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 15.9% were non-families. 13.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 4.6% were someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.81 and the average family size was 3.08. In the town, the population was spread out, with 28% below the age of 19, 15% from 20 to 29, 8% 30-39, 16% 40-49, 18% 50-59 and 15% who were 60 years of age or older. The median age was 39.3 years. 49% male and 51% female. The estimated median annual income for a household in the town was $90,444. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population. Per capita i ...

for the town was $38,077. About 1.4% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...

, including 0.0% of those under the age of 18.

Economy

The US Headquarters for

Spirax-Sarco Engineering Spirax-Sarco Engineering plc is a British manufacturer of steam management systems and peristaltic pumps and associated fluid path technologies. It is headquartered in Cheltenham, England. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a cons ...

is headquartered in Blythewood.

Education

Blythewood has a

public library A public library is a library that is accessible by the general public and is usually funded from public sources, such as taxes. It is operated by librarians and library paraprofessionals, who are also Civil service, civil servants. There are ...

, a branch of the Richland County Library. The schools in Richland School District 2 located directly in Blythewood are as follows: * Blythewood High School * Westwood High School * Blythewood Middle School * Muller Road Middle School * Bethel-Hanberry Elementary School * Round Top Elementary School * Langford Elementary School

Notable people

Elizabeth Hawley Gasque Elizabeth Gasque Van Exem (February 26, 1886 – November 2, 1989), named Elizabeth Hawley Gasque during her tenure in Congress, was an American politician who served as the U.S. representative for South Carolina's 6th congressional district fr ...

- first woman from South Carolina elected to the

United States Congress The United States Congress is the legislature of the federal government of the United States. It is bicameral, composed of a lower body, the House of Representatives, and an upper body, the Senate. It meets in the U.S. Capitol in Washing ...

Justin Bethel Justin Andrew Bethel (born June 17, 1990) is an American football cornerback and special teamer for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League (NFL). He was drafted by the Arizona Cardinals in the sixth round of the 2012 NFL Draft. He p ...

- defensive back and special teams player for the

Miami Dolphins The Miami Dolphins are a professional American football team based in the Miami metropolitan area. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member team of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division. The team pla ...

* Brandon Wilds - former NFL

running back A running back (RB) is a member of the offensive backfield in gridiron football. The primary roles of a running back are to receive American football plays#Offensive terminology, handoffs from the quarterback to Rush (American football)#Offen ...

Amaré Barno Amaré Barno (born April 26, 1999) is an American football defensive end for the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Butler Community College before transferring to Virginia Tech. Barno was draft ...

- outside linebacker for the

Carolina Panthers The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Panthers compete in the National Football League (NFL), as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. T ...

References

External links

Town of Blythewood official website
{{authority control Towns in South Carolina Towns in Fairfield County, South Carolina Towns in Richland County, South Carolina Columbia metropolitan area (South Carolina)