Richland County · South Carolina · South · 140k residents
Columbia, SC: cost of living, taxes & quality of life
Residential facts for Columbia: housing, taxes, monthly costs, climate, schools, and household income, with the South Carolina median as the yardstick. Compare it live against any of 3,000 US cities.
Data coverage: ACS place data; supplementary fields may use state estimates.
The acs median home value in Columbia is $264,300, 8% below the South Carolina median. A two-bedroom rents for about $1,205/mo. Day-to-day costs index at 87 against a national baseline of 100. The median household here earns $55,529 a year.
What the numbers show
Source-confirmed findings- Housing value: The ACS median home value in Columbia is $264,300, 8.1% below the median for ACS-covered places in South Carolina.
- Household income: Median household income is $55,529, 24.5% below the median for ACS-covered places in South Carolina.
- Adult education: 45.9% of adults have a bachelor's degree or higher, 27.1% above the median for ACS-covered places in South Carolina.
- Home value to income: The ACS median home value is about 4.8 times median household income. This is a comparison measure, not a mortgage qualification or affordability promise.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 American Community Survey 5-year estimates(2024 ACS 5-year; tables B01003, B15003, B19013, B25077). Geography: Census place where available. This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
WhereToHQ calculates the comparisons. Figures are estimates for context, not a guarantee or personal financial advice. Read the methodology or send a correction.
What makes this place distinctive
A factual snapshot of the place, based on the profile data. It is not a tourism or cultural claim.
A river-confluence capital where college life, civil rights history, and Southern food meet.
Known for: The University of South Carolina, Congaree access, state government, and rivers.
Calendar note: The South Carolina State Fair is the city’s signature annual event.
Story source: Experience Columbia SC
- Scale: A mid-sized city with a population between 50,000 and 250,000 in the profile data.
- Setting: The profile places Columbia about 16 miles from the nearest tracked lake.
- Climate signal: The profile records 220 sunny days and 0 inches of annual snow.
- Daily pace: The profile records a walk score of 38 and an average commute of 25 minutes.
WhereToHQ derives these signals from the committed city dataset. Read the methodology for coverage and source limits.
Compare Columbia side by side
Cost of living index
87
ACS median home value
$264,300
2-bedroom rent
$1,205/mo
Median household income
$55,529
Housing momentum
How fast Columbia's housing market is moving, ranked against the US cities we track.
44/100
Steady
Ranks Columbia's home-price and rent growth against the US cities we cover. The label is relative pace, not a direction, so a market can rank low while some figures still rise. A higher score moves faster, it is not cheaper or better. Not investment or relocation advice.
Adjusted by Columbia's cost-of-living index versus the US average.
| ACS median home value | $264,300 |
| Price per sq. ft. | $175 |
| Property tax rate | 0.55% |
| 1-bedroom rent | $1,124/mo |
| 2-bedroom rent | $1,205/mo |
| State & local income tax | 3.39% |
| Sales tax | 7.5% |
| Cost of living index | 87 |
| Groceries index | 98 |
| Utilities | $175/mo |
| Transit pass | $45/mo |
| Gas price | $2.95/gal |
| Healthcare index | 95 |
| Childcare (per child) | $850/mo |
| Median household income | $55,529 |
| Unemployment rate | 3.5% |
| Population | 140k |
| Crime index | 65/100 |
| School rating | 5.0/10 |
| Walkability | 38/100 |
| Disaster risk | 93/100 |
| Avg. commute | 25 min |
| Sunny days / year | 220 days |
| July high | 96°F |
| January low | 37°F |
| Annual snowfall | 0 in |
| Home price YoY | +1.4% |
| Home price MoM | -0.1% |
| Rent YoY | +1.3% |
| Rent MoM | +0.1% |
| Ocean coast | 109 mi |
| Big lake | 16 mi |
| Mountains | 140 mi |
| Major airport | 84 mi |
| Ski resort | 155 mi |
Popular comparisons
Nearby
- West Columbia, SC · 18k
- St. Andrews, SC · 20k
- Dentsville, SC · 15k
- Seven Oaks, SC · 16k
- Lexington, SC · 25k
Similar size
- Charleston, SC · 154k
- North Charleston, SC · 120k
- Mount Pleasant, SC · 94k
- Rock Hill, SC · 75k
- Greenville, SC · 73k
Real listings in Columbia
Homes on Zillow ↗Realtor.com ↗Rentals on Zillow ↗Apartments.com ↗
Links open third-party listing searches. WhereToHQ has no paid relationship with these sites.
- What is the cost of living in Columbia, SC?
- Columbia indexes at 87 for day-to-day costs against a national baseline of 100, with a typical two-bedroom renting for $1,205/mo and a acs median home value of $264,300.
- How much does a house cost in Columbia?
- The acs median home value in Columbia is $264,300, 8% below the South Carolina median (Census ACS estimate; individual listings vary).
- How much is rent in Columbia?
- A two-bedroom in Columbia rents for about $1,205/mo.