Columbia, SC

Census Place

Add Comparison

2024 Population

139,643

US Senator

Lindsey Graham

Republican Party

US Senator

Tim Scott

Republican Party

2024 Median Age

28.6

0.348% 1-year decrease

2024 Poverty Rate

24%

3.11% 1-year increase

2024 Median Household Income

$55,529

0.223% 1-year decline

2024 Median Property Value

$264,300

8.54% 1-year growth

2024 Employed Population

65,501

2.03% 1-year growth

About

None of the households in Columbia, SC reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

96.3% of the residents in Columbia, SC are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Columbia, SC are University of South Carolina-Columbia (10,467 degrees awarded in 2023), Columbia International University (649 degrees), and Columbia College (217934) (475 degrees).

In 2024, the median property value in Columbia, SC was $264,300, and the homeownership rate was 45.5%.

Most people in Columbia, SC drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 17.7 minutes. The average car ownership in Columbia, SC was 2 cars per household.

Photo by Ron Cogswell

United States South Carolina Lexington County, SC Richland County, SC Columbia, SC Lexington (North and East) County--Irmo (West) & West Columbia Cities PUMA, SC Richland County (Northwest and North Central)--Irmo (East) and Blythewood Cities PUMA, SC Richland County (Central)--Columbia City PUMA, SC Richland County (South & Central)--Forest Acres & Dentsville Cities PUMA, SC

Population & Diversity

Columbia, SC is home to a population of 140k people, from which 96.3% are citizens. As of 2024, 5.72% of Columbia, SC residents were born outside of the country (7.99k people).

In 2024, there were 1.14 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (63.8k people) in Columbia, SC than any other race or ethnicity. There were 56k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 4.88k Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

96.3%

2024 Citizenship

96.8%

2023 Citizenship

As of 2024, 96.3% of Columbia, SC residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.2%. In 2023, the percentage of US citizens in Columbia, SC was 96.8%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Columbia, SC compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Columbia, SC

White (Non-Hispanic)
63.8k ± 2.13k
Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
56k ± 2.4k
Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic)
4.88k ± 939

6.2%

Hispanic Population

8.65k people

6.2% of the people in Columbia, SC are hispanic (8.65k people).

The following chart shows the 8 races represented in Columbia, SC as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the Place level, so we are showing data for South Carolina.

Most Common Origin

Mexico
63,986 ± 6,172 people
India
20,779 ± 3,532 people
Honduras
17,281 ± 3,222 people

In 2023, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of South Carolina was Mexico, the natal country of 63,986 South Carolina residents, followed by India with 20,779 and Honduras with 17,281.

Foreign-Born Population

5.72%

2024 Foreign-Born Population

7.99k people

5.06%

2023 Foreign-Born Population

6.98k people

As of 2024, 5.72% of Columbia, SC residents (7.99k people) were born outside of the United States, which is approximately the same as the national average of 14%. In 2023, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Columbia, SC was 5.06%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Columbia, SC compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Gulf War (2001-)
3,074 ± 602
Vietnam
1,830 ± 386
Gulf War (1990s)
1,057 ± 334

Columbia, SC has a large population of military personnel who served in Gulf War (2001-), 1.68 times greater than any other conflict.

The chart shows the distribution of veterans by conflict in Columbia, SC.

Economy

The economy of Columbia, SC employs 65.5k people. In 2024, the largest industries in Columbia, SC were Educational Services (9,348 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (8,634 people), and Retail Trade (7,720 people), and the highest paying industries were Utilities ($92,460), Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services ($80,184), and Finance & Insurance ($74,957).

Employment

Occupations

65.5k

2024 Value

± 2,509

2.03%

1 Year growth

± 5.17%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Columbia, SC grew at a rate of 2.03%, from 64.2k employees to 65.5k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Columbia, SC, are Office & Administrative Support Occupations (6,887 people), Sales & Related Occupations (6,855 people), and Management Occupations (6,634 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Columbia, SC.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for South Carolina.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in South Carolina (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

Industries

Employment by Industries

65.5k

2024 Value

± 2,509

2.03%

1 Year growth

± 5.17%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Columbia, SC grew at a rate of 2.03%, from 64.2k employees to 65.5k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Columbia, SC, are Educational Services (9,348 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (8,634 people), and Retail Trade (7,720 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Columbia, SC, though some of these residents may live in Columbia, SC and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$42,458

Median earning men ± $3,777

$34,406

Median earning women ± $2,431

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2024 are Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($76,602), Professional, Scientific, & Management, & Administrative & Waste Management Services ($63,333), and Wholesale Trade ($60,794).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2024 are Construction ($66,429), Public Administration ($54,235), and Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($52,354).

Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for South Carolina.

Y-Axis

2.54%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 2.26M people employed in South Carolina. This represents a 2.54% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

Right after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, during April 2020, a general dip can be seen across industry sectors, resulting in an overall decline in employment by 13.4%.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in South Carolina.

Education

In 2023, universities in Columbia, SC awarded 12,755 degrees. The student population of Columbia, SC in 2023 is skewed towards women, with 17,783 male students and 26,344 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Columbia, SC are White (8,386 and 69.6%), Black or African American (1,852 and 15.4%), Hispanic or Latino (591 and 4.91%), and Asian (515 and 4.28%).

The largest universities in Columbia, SC by number of degrees awarded are University of South Carolina-Columbia (10,467 and 82.1%), Columbia International University (649 and 5.09%), and Columbia College (217934) (475 and 3.72%).

The most popular majors in Columbia, SC are General Finance (603 and 4.73%), General Business Administration & Management (587 and 4.6%), and Aesthetician & Skin Care Specialist (518 and 4.06%).

The median tuition costs in Columbia, SC are $15,690 for private four year colleges, and $12,288 and $34,543 respectively, for public four year colleges for in-state students and out-of-state students.

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

University

Measure

In 2023 in Columbia, SC, the percentage of applicants admitted was 61.9%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 21.6%. The number of students enrolled in 2023 was 44,127 (40.3% men and 59.7% women).

The line chart shows the evolution of the percentage of applicants admitted, admitted who enrolled or the number of students enrolled according to the option selected in the upper button.

Enrollments by Gender and Races

Universities

In 2023 there were 44,127 students enrolled in Columbia, SC, 40.3% men and 59.7% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 27,409 records, of which 59.9% were women and 40.1% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

General Finance
603 degrees awarded
General Biological Sciences
467 degrees awarded
General Public Health
442 degrees awarded

In 2023, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Columbia, SC was General Finance with 603 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Bachelors Degree from schools in Columbia, SC according to their major.

Universities

Gender

Race

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

University of South Carolina-Columbia
10,467 degrees awarded
Columbia International University
649 degrees awarded
Columbia College (217934)
475 degrees awarded

In 2023, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was University of South Carolina-Columbia with 10,467 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

University

In 2023, 5,010 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Columbia, SC, which is 0.647 times less than the 7,745 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2023, the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 8,386 degrees mean that there were 4.53 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Black or African American, with 1,852 degrees awarded.

Awarded Degrees over Time

The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

Tuition

Average Net Price by Sector

Universities

Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($15,690) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2023.

Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($1,482) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2023.

Public, 4-year or above ($1,312) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

The graph shows the average net price by sector and year.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Columbia, SC was $264,300 in 2024, which is 0.794 times smaller than the national average of $332,700. Between 2023 and 2024 the median property value increased from $243,500 to $264,300, a 8.54% increase. The homeownership rate in Columbia, SC is 45.5%, which is lower than the national average of 65.2%.

People in Columbia, SC have an average commute time of 17.7 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Columbia, SC is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Housing

Property

$264,300

Median Property Value 2024

±$11,700

$24,162

Median Property Taxes

±$1,341

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Columbia, SC the largest share of households pay taxes in the $800 - $1,499 range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Columbia, SC compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

Rent vs Own

45.5%

Homeownership

2024

67.6%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2024

In 2024, 45.5% of the housing units in Columbia, SC were occupied by their owner. This percentage declined from the previous year's rate of 47.3%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Columbia, SC compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Equity

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$55,529

Median Household Income

± $1,827

53.1k

Number of Households

± 2,222

In 2024, the median household income of the 53.1k households in Columbia, SC declined from $55,529 from the previous year's value of $55,653.

The following chart displays the households in Columbia, SC distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the < $10k range.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Columbia, SC is from South Carolina.

0.464

2023 Wage GINI in South Carolina

0.464

2022 Wage GINI in South Carolina

In 2023, the income inequality in South Carolina was 0.464 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.102% decline from 2022 to 2023, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for South Carolina was lower than than the national average of 0.476. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in South Carolina in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in South Carolina across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2024

Drove Alone (63%)
Walked (14.3%)
Worked At Home (11.6%)

In 2024, 63% of workers in Columbia, SC drove alone to work, followed by those who walked to work (14.3%) and those who worked at home (11.6%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

Commute Time

17.7 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Columbia, SC have a shorter commute time (17.7 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.4 minutes). Additionally, 1.69% of the workforce in Columbia, SC have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Columbia, SC compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Columbia, SC distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Columbia, SC have 2 cars.

Poverty

Poverty & Diversity

24% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Columbia, SC (27.7k out of 115k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.5%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 18 - 24, followed by Males 18 - 24 and then Females 25 - 34.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Columbia, SC is Black, followed by White and Two Or More.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals
Florida
4,915 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798. New York has the second highest (5,087), followed by Florida (4,915).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

Health

92.3% of the population of Columbia, SC has health coverage, with 47.1% on employee plans, 16.5% on Medicaid, 7.68% on Medicare, 16.9% on non-group plans, and 4.06% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in South Carolina see 1,485 patients per year on average, which represents a 0% change from the previous year (1,485 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1682 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 437 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 47% were men and 53% were women.

Coverage

Health Care Diversity

In 2024, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 23.5% under 18 years, 34.9% between 18 and 34 years, 29.3% between 35 and 64 years, and 12.3% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 47% were men and 53% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

Uninsured People

7.74%

Uninsured

47.1%

Employer Coverage

16.5%

Medicaid

7.68%

Medicare

16.9%

Non-Group

4.06%

Military or VA

Between 2023 and 2024, the percent of uninsured citizens in Columbia, SC declined by 4.02% from 8.06% to 7.74%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Columbia, SC changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.

Keep Exploring