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Columbia, SC

City in Richland County, South Carolina. ZIP codes: 29201, 29203, 29204, 29205, 29206, 29207 and more.

Population

139,643

Land area

138.5sq mi

People per sq mi

1,008

ZIP codes

11

Columbia and its ZIP codes

Full map

Columbia at a glance

  • Columbia is about 5.7 times as dense as South Carolina as a whole.
  • By population, it ranks 2nd among 474 cities and towns in South Carolina.
  • The median household income is $55,529, 20% below the South Carolina median of $69,324.
  • A typical owner-occupied home is valued at $264,300 and median rent is $1,204 a month.

Local data for Columbia, SC

Counts from official public data

Housing and community stats

Columbia, SC, American Community Survey 2020-2024

Full profile

Median household income

$55,529

Poverty rate

24.0%

Median home value

$264,300

Median rent

$1,204/mo

Homeownership

45.5%

Bachelor's or higher

45.9%

Median age

28.6

Average commute

17.7 min

Largest reported origins and ancestries: German Americans (12,407), Irish Americans (10,158), Italian Americans (4,737).

Home values and rentsIncome, education and commute

Economy and federal money

Jobs, pay, income and spending are for Richland County. PPP loans are for Columbia.

Details

Unemployment rate

3.9%

Sep 2026, -0.6 pts in a year

Average annual pay

$65,125

229,383 jobs, 2025

Income per person

$60,580

BEA, 2024

Federal spending

$77.2B

FY 2026, $185,463 per person

PPP loans

$114M

1,831 loans, 15,237 jobs reported

Richland County economyFederal spendingPPP loans

How people get to work

Columbia, SC, workers 16 and older. American Community Survey 5-year estimates

  • Drove alone63.0%
  • Carpooled7.3%
  • Public transit1.0%
  • Walked14.3%
  • Bicycle0.2%
  • Taxi, ride-hailing, motorcycle or other2.6%
  • Worked from home11.6%

Average one-way commute: 17.7 minutes for people who do not work from home.

Environment and hazard risk

Columbia, SC, from FEMA, NOAA and EPA

Full report

Natural hazard risk

Relatively Moderate

Top: ice storm

Storm events since 1996

1,347

Countywide, mostly thunderstorm wind

Flood insurance policies

1,764

1.3% of homes, county

July high / Jan low

93° / 33°F

46.3 inches of rain a year

Hazards, floods and storm historyCheck a flood zone98 historic places

Health statistics

Share of adults in Columbia, SC, CDC PLACES estimates

All 40 measures

Obesity

34.4%

U.S. 33.3% +1.1 pts

Diabetes

12.1%

U.S. 12.1% about the same

Smoking

13.0%

U.S. 12.8% about the same

Uninsured (18-64)

13.2%

U.S. 11.1% +2.1 pts

ZIP codes in Columbia

11 in or overlapping Columbia. Population shown

·

Cities near Columbia

NameDistanceLand area (sq mi)
WoodfieldCensus-designated place6.6 mi2.7
Capitol ViewCensus-designated place7 mi1.6
Forest AcresCity7.9 mi4.6
Arcadia LakesTown8.1 mi0.6
DentsvilleCensus-designated place8.4 mi6.7
ElginTown9.4 mi1.1
HopkinsCensus-designated place9.8 mi16.5
ArthurtownCensus-designated place12 mi1.9
OlympiaCensus-designated place13 mi0.7
EastoverTown13 mi1.2
GadsdenCensus-designated place13 mi11.5
LugoffCensus-designated place14 mi22.8
CayceCity14 mi16.9
West ColumbiaCity15 mi9.4
BoykinCensus-designated place15 mi6.9
St. AndrewsCensus-designated place15 mi6.1

Frequently asked questions

What county is Columbia, SC in?
Columbia is in Richland County, South Carolina.
What ZIP codes are in Columbia, SC?
ZIP codes in or overlapping Columbia include 29201, 29203, 29204, 29205, 29206, 29207, 29208, 29209, 29210, 29212, 29225.
What is the population of Columbia, SC?
About 139,643 people live in Columbia, based on American Community Survey 5-year estimates.
What cities are near Columbia?
Nearby places include Woodfield (6.6 mi), Capitol View (7 mi), Forest Acres (7.9 mi), Arcadia Lakes (8.1 mi), Dentsville (8.4 mi).

Source: U.S. Census Bureau (TIGER/Line boundaries, American Community Survey) · Data as of 12/31/2023