Columbia city, South Carolina
CityPopulation: 138,019 (2023 estimate)
Located in South Carolina , South Carolina
Census Bureau data for Columbia city from the American Community Survey. "Cities" in Census data include incorporated places, towns, villages, and census-designated places (CDPs) — all places where the Census collects community-level estimates.
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023 (released December 2024).
Quick Facts — Columbia city
- What is the median household income in Columbia city?
- The median household income in Columbia city is $55,653 (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023).
- What is the poverty rate in Columbia city?
- The poverty rate in Columbia city is 15.0% (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).
- What is the median home value in Columbia city?
- $243,500 (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).
- What is the average rent in Columbia city?
- The median gross rent in Columbia city is $1,158 per month (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).
- What percentage of Columbia city residents have a college degree?
- 46.1% of adults in Columbia city hold a bachelor's degree or higher (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).
Population
138,019
Median Income
$55,653
Median Home Value
$243,500
Poverty Rate
15.0%
Unemployment (ACS 2023)
7.6%
Median Age
28.0 yrs
Since 2019
Median Income:
+$8,367 (+17.7%)
Home Value:
+$62,400 (+34.5%)
Poverty Rate:
+1.1 pp (+7.9%)
Bachelor's+:
+2.3 pp (+5.3%)
Unemployment:
+0.9 pp (+13.4%)
Demographics
Total Population
138,019
Median Age
28.0
Female
50.6%
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino 5.7%
White (non-Hisp.) 47.9%
Black 39.5%
Asian 2.7%
Two or More 5.9%
Other 1.7%
Asian Subgroups (% of total pop.)
Indian
0.8%
Chinese
0.4%
Filipino
0.4%
Korean
0.3%
Vietnamese
0.3%
Japanese
0.1%
Hispanic Subgroups (% of total pop.)
Mexican
2.0%
Puerto Rican
1.3%
Cuban
0.2%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Income & Poverty
Median Household Income
$55,653
±$1,870
-$11,165 vs. state
Per Capita Income
$93,183
Median Family Income
$81,606
Poverty Rate
15.0%
+4.9 pp vs. state
Child Poverty Rate
24.7%
Working-Age Poverty Rate
—
SNAP Recipients
13.1%
Social Security Income
—
Retirement Income
16.3%
Household Income Distribution
< $10k
11.0%
$10–15k
5.5%
$15–25k
8.6%
$25–35k
8.2%
$35–50k
11.7%
$50–75k
16.7%
$75–100k
10.7%
$100–150k
11.7%
$150–200k
6.0%
$200k+
9.8%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Housing
Total Housing Units
60,568
Owner-Occupied
47.3%
Renter-Occupied
52.7%
Vacancy Rate
14.5%
Median Home Value
$243,500
+$6,800 vs. state
Median Gross Rent
$1,158
Owner Cost Burden (30%+)
17.1%
Renter Cost Burden (30%+)
49.1%
Home Value Distribution
< $50k
3.1%
$50–100k
9.3%
$100–200k
11.7%
$200–300k
23.5%
$300–500k
19.9%
$500k–$1M
14.7%
$1M+
3.5%
Gross Rent Distribution
< $500
8.4%
$500–1k
26.7%
$1–1.5k
42.3%
$1.5–2k
16.5%
$2–2.5k
5.4%
$2.5–3.5k
0.5%
$3.5k+
0.2%
Vehicle Availability
No vehicle
11.2%
1 vehicle
41.8%
2 vehicles
34.5%
3+
12.4%
Housing Type
Single-fam. det.
51.3%
Single-fam. att.
6.1%
2–4 units
4.0%
5–19 units
8.0%
20+ units
16.6%
Mobile home
0.9%
Housing Age
Pre-1940
10.1%
1940–1969
8.9%
1970–1999
9.6%
2000–2009
14.8%
2010+
12.9%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Education
High School or Higher
90.9%
Bachelor's or Higher
46.1%
+14.6 pp vs. state
Graduate Degree
20.9%
Some College / Associate
18.2%
Less Than High School
2.2%
Enrolled in School
—
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Employment
Labor Force Participation
65.4%
Unemployment Rate
7.6%
+2.6 pp vs. state
Work from Home
9.8%
Self-Employed
4.5%
Government Workers
21.6%
Private For-Profit
73.7%
Industry
Edu/Health
27.0%
Arts/Entmt.
12.6%
Prof. Services
12.5%
Retail
11.3%
Finance
8.0%
Public Admin
7.4%
Manufacturing
5.4%
Transportation
3.8%
Construction
3.7%
Wholesale
1.6%
Information
1.4%
Agriculture
0.8%
Occupation
Management
45.9%
Sales
21.1%
Food Prep
19.1%
Production
9.5%
Construction
4.4%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Commute
Median Travel Time
17.4 min
Drove Alone
62.9%
Carpool
6.9%
Public Transit
1.4%
Work from Home
9.8%
Walked
16.4%
Bicycle
—
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Households & Families
Total Households
51,784
Avg. Household Size
2.00
Avg. Family Size
—
Married-Couple Households
30.1%
Single-Mother Households
—
Single-Father Households
—
Living Alone
—
Households with Children
11.8%
Multigenerational
—
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Age Distribution
Under 5
5.4%
5–9
4.5%
10–14
4.1%
15–19
13.3%
20–24
15.3%
25–34
17.6%
35–44
10.9%
45–54
9.5%
55–64
4.2%
65–74
4.2%
75–84
6.8%
85+
3.2%
Under 18: 17.1%
Working age (18–64): 82.9%
65 and over: 11.0%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Social Characteristics
Immigration
Foreign Born
5.1%
Naturalized Citizen
37.6%
Speaks English Less Than Very Well
2.0%
Foreign-Born Origin
Asia
39.1%
Latin America
35.3%
Europe
13.9%
Africa
8.6%
Veterans & Disability
Veteran
7.1%
With a Disability
12.7%
Cognitive Difficulty
—
Ambulatory Difficulty
—
Health Insurance
Insured
91.9%
Uninsured
8.1%
Employer Insurance
—
Medicaid
—
Medicare
—
Technology & Mobility
Broadband Internet
87.9%
Has a Computer
96.5%
Same House 1 Year Ago
67.3%
Moved from Abroad
1.4%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023