Forest Acres is a city in Richland County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 10,617 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Columbia, South Carolina metropolitan area and is an enclave of the city of Columbia.
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which is land and , or 7.46%, is water.
Demographics
Racial and ethnic composition
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;"
|+Forest Acres city, South Carolina – Racial and ethnic composition<br><small></small>
!Race / Ethnicity <small>(NH = Non-Hispanic)</small>
!Pop 2000
!Pop 2010
!style="background-color: #ffffb3;" |Pop 2020
!% 2000
!% 2010
!style="background-color: #ffffb3;" |% 2020
|-
|White alone (NH)
|8,410
|7,732
|style='background: #ffffe6; |7,799
|79.66%
|74.63%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |73.46%
|-
|Black or African American alone (NH)
|1,631
|1,983
|style='background: #ffffe6; |1,824
|15.45%
|19.14%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |17.18%
|-
|Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)
|12
|14
|style='background: #ffffe6; |17
|0.11%
|0.14%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.16%
|-
|Asian alone (NH)
|119
|151
|style='background: #ffffe6; |174
|1.13%
|1.46%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |1.64%
|-
|Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH)
|1
|6
|style='background: #ffffe6; |12
|0.01%
|0.06%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.11%
|-
|Other race alone (NH)
|14
|11
|style='background: #ffffe6; |31
|0.13%
|0.11%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.29%
|-
|Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)
|103
|151
|style='background: #ffffe6; |378
|0.98%
|1.46%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |3.56%
|-
|Hispanic or Latino (any race)
|268
|313
|style='background: #ffffe6; |382
|2.54%
|3.02%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |3.60%
|-
|Total
|10,558
|10,361
|style='background: #ffffe6; |10,617
|100.00%
|100.00%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |100.00%
|}
2020 census
As of the 2020 census, Forest Acres had a population of 10,617, 4,938 households, and 2,716 families residing in the city.
The median age was 41.7 years, 21.3% of residents were under the age of 18, and 21.2% were 65 years of age or older.
There were 4,938 households in Forest Acres, of which 26.5% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 40.3% were married-couple households, 18.5% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 36.9% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 38.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 17.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.
Council members:
- Haskell Kibler – served on city council since July 1, 2021; re-elected in 2025
- David Black – served on city council since July 1, 2021; re-elected in 2025
- Stephen Oliver – elected in 2023
- Ryan Newton – elected in 2023
Notable people
- Jordan Anderson, NASCAR driver
- Edgar L. McGowan, Commissioner of the South Carolina Department of Labor (1971–1989)