Moving to Columbia, South Carolina

by btobers · Published June 28, 2019 · Updated November 18, 2024

Population: 116,278. Estimated population in July 2024: 117,088 (+0.7% change)
Males: 56,999 (49.0%), Females: 59,279 (51.0%)

Zip codes: 29201, 29202, 29203, 29204, 29205, 29206, 29207, 29209, 29210, 29212, 29223, 29229.

Demographics

Median resident age: 28.6 years
Median household income: $31,141
Median house value: $98,500

Population by Race

Races in Columbia:

White Non-Hispanic (48.2%)
Black (46.0%)
Hispanic (3.0%)
Two or more races (1.4%)
Other race (1.4%)
American Indian (0.6%)

Ancestries: German (8.3%), English (7.7%), Irish (6.2%), United States (5.2%), Scotch-Irish (3.3%), Scottish (2.2%).

Elevation: 314 feet

Land area: 125.2 square miles

Population by Education

For population 25 years and over in Columbia

High school or higher: 82.3%
Bachelor’s degree or higher: 35.7%
Graduate or professional degree: 14.3%
Unemployed: 10.2%
Mean travel time to work: 18.1 minutes

For population 15 years and over in Columbia city

Never married: 41.6%
Now married: 40.5%
Separated: 3.3%
Widowed: 6.5%
Divorced: 8.2%

4.1% Foreign born (1.5% Asia, 1.3% Latin America, 0.9% Europe).

Population change in the 1990s: +1,503 (+1.3%).

Hospitals

Hospitals/medical centers in Columbia:

G WERBER BRYAN PSYCH HOSP (220 FAISON DR)
HEALTHSOUTH REHAB HOSP OF COLUMBIA (2935 COLONIAL DR)
INTERMEDICAL HOSPITAL OF SC (TAYLOR AT MARION STREET)
PALMETTO HEALTH BAPTIST (TAYLOR AT MARION)
PALMETTO HEALTH RICHLAND (5 RICHLAND MEDICAL PARK)
PROVIDENCE HOSPITAL (2435 FOREST DR)
WILLIAM S HALL PSYCHIATRIC INSTITUTE (1800 COLONIAL DRIVE)

Airports

Airports certified for carrier operations nearest to Columbia:

COLUMBIA METROPOLITAN (about 10 miles; COLUMBIA, SC; Abbreviation: CAE)
MC ENTIRE ANGS (about 18 miles; EASTOVER, SC; Abbreviation: MMT)
SHAW AFB (about 38 miles; SUMTER, SC; Abbreviation: SSC)

Other public-use airports nearest to Columbia:

COLUMBIA OWENS DOWNTOWN (about 4 miles; COLUMBIA, SC; Abbreviation: CUB)
LEXINGTON COUNTY (about 17 miles; GASTON, SC; Abbreviation: 7J1)
FAIRFIELD COUNTY (about 21 miles; WINNSBORO, SC; Abbreviation: FDW)

Amtrak station:
COLUMBIA (850 PULASKI ST.). Services: ticket office, fully wheelchair accessible, enclosed waiting area, public restrooms, public payphones, vending machines, free short-term parking, free long-term parking, call for car rental service, taxi stand.

Colleges and Universities

Colleges/Universities in Columbia:

UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA AT COLUMBIA (Full-time enrollment: 19,682; Public; Website: www.sc.edu; Offers Doctor’s degree)
MIDLANDS TECHNICAL COLLEGE (Full-time enrollment: 5,958; Location: PO BOX 2408; Public; Website: www.midlandstech.com)
BENEDICT COLLEGE (Full-time enrollment: 2,880; Location: 1600 HARDEN ST; Private, not-for-profit; Website: www.benedict.edu)
COLUMBIA COLLEGE (Full-time enrollment: 1,272; Location: 1301 COLUMBIA COLLEGE DR; Private, not-for-profit; Website: www.columbiacollegesc.edu; Offers Master’s degree)
COLUMBIA INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY (Full-time enrollment: 888; Location: 7435 MONTICELLO RD; Private, not-for-profit; Website: www.ciu.edu; Offers Doctor’s degree)
ALLEN UNIVERSITY (Full-time enrollment: 169; Location: 1530 HARDEN ST; Private, not-for-profit)
COLUMBIA JUNIOR COLLEGE (Full-time enrollment: 150; Location: 3810 MAIN ST; Private, for-profit)
LUTHERAN THEOLOGICAL SOUTHERN SEMINARY (Full-time enrollment: 128; Location: 4201 N MAIN ST; Private, not-for-profit; Offers Master’s degree)
KENNETH SHULER SCHOOL OF COSMETOLOGY & NAIL DESIGN (Full-time enrollment: 99; Location: 449 ST ANDREWS RD; Private, for-profit; Website: [email protected])
PALMETTO BAPTIST MEDICAL CENTER SCHOOL OF MED TECH (Location: TAYLOR AT MARION ST; Private, not-for-profit)
PAL TRAVEL SCHOOL (Location: 2301 BELTLINE BLVD; Private, for-profit)
SOUTH CAROLINA INSTITUTE OF REAL ESTATE (Location: 10 DIAMOND LN; Private, for-profit)

Other colleges/universities with over 2000 students near Columbia:

SOUTH CAROLINA STATE UNIVERSITY (about 43 miles; ORANGEBURG, SC; Full-time enrollment: 3,971)
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA AT AIKEN (about 58 miles; AIKEN, SC; Full-time enrollment: 2,636)
YORK TECHNICAL COLLEGE (about 62 miles; ROCK HILL, SC; Full-time enrollment: 2,221)
WINTHROP UNIVERSITY (about 69 miles; ROCK HILL, SC; Full-time enrollment: 4,976)
AUGUSTA STATE UNIVERSITY (about 79 miles; AUGUSTA, GA; Full-time enrollment: 3,778)
PIEDMONT TECHNICAL COLLEGE (about 80 miles; GREENWOOD, SC; Full-time enrollment: 2,406)
LANDER UNIVERSITY (about 81 miles; Greenwood, SC; Full-time enrollment: 2,429)

Biggest public high schools in Columbia:

RIDGE VIEW HIGH SCHOOL (Students: 2,339; Location: 4801 HARD SCRABBLE ROAD; Grades: 09 – 12)
SPRING VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL (Students: 1,910; Location: 120 SPARKLEBERRY LN; Grades: 09 – 12)
IRMO HIGH SCHOOL (Students: 1,829; Location: 6671 ST ANDREWS RD; Grades: 09 – 12)
RICHLAND NORTHEAST HIGH SCHOOL (Students: 1,673; Location: 7500 BROOKFIELD; Grades: 09 – 12)
A C FLORA HIGH (Students: 1,384; Location: 1 FALCON DRIVE; Grades: 09 – 12)
DREHER HIGH SCHOOL (Students: 1,301; Location: 701 ADGER ROAD; Grades: 09 – 12)
EAU CLAIRE HIGH SCHOOL (Students: 993; Location: 4800 MONTICELLO ROAD; Grades: 09 – 12)
W J KEENAN HIGH SCHOOL (Students: 912; Location: 3455 PINE BELT ROAD; Grades: 09 – 12)
COLUMBIA HIGH SCHOOL (Students: 879; Location: 1701 WESTCHESTER DRIVE; Grades: 09 – 12)
C A JOHNSON HIGH (Students: 524; Location: 2219 BARHAMVILLE RD; Grades: 09 – 12)

Private high schools in Columbia:

BEN LIPPEN SCHOOLS (Students: 815; Location: PO BOX 3999; Grades: PK – 12)
HEATHWOOD HALL EPISCOPAL SCH (Students: 765; Location: 3000 SOUTH BELTLINE BLVD; Grades: PK – 12)
HAMMOND SCHOOL (Students: 725; Location: 854 GALWAY LANE; Grades: PK – 12)
CARDINAL NEWMAN SCHOOL (Students: 432; Location: 4701 FOREST DRIVE; Grades: 7 – 12)
CENTRAL CAROLINA CHRISTIAN ACD (Students: 82; Location: 2739 COVENANT RD; Grades: PK – 12)
PALMETTO BAPTIST ACADEMY (Students: 49; Location: 1510 S BELTLINE BLVD; Grades: PK – 12)

Biggest public primary/middle schools in Columbia:

SUMMIT PARKWAY MIDDLE SCHOOL (Students: 1,501; Location: 200 SUMMIT PARKWAY; Grades: KG – 08)
EDWARD L WRIGHT MIDDLE SCHOOL (Students: 1,431; Location: 2740 ALPINE RD; Grades: KG – 08)
DENT MIDDLE SCHOOL (Students: 1,123; Location: 2719 DECKER BLVD; Grades: 06 – 08)
CRAYTON MIDDLE SCHOOL (Students: 1,108; Location: 5000 CLEMSON AVE; Grades: 06 – 08)
CROSS ROADS MIDDLE (Students: 1,040; Location: 6949 ST ANDREWS RD; Grades: 06 – 06)
IRMO MIDDLE (Students: 1,036; Location: 6051 WESCOTT RD; Grades: 06 – 08)
HAND MIDDLE SCHOOL (Students: 969; Location: 2600 WHEAT ST; Grades: 06 – 08)
WINDSOR ELEMENTARY (Students: 890; Location: 9800 DUNBARTON DRIVE; Grades: PK – 05)
ST ANDREWS MIDDLE SCHOOL (Students: 870; Location: 1231 BLUEFIELD RD; Grades: 06 – 08)
RICE CREEK ELEMENTARY (Students: 817; Location: 4751 HARDSCRABBLE ROAD; Grades: PK – 05)

Biggest private primary/middle schools in Columbia:

ST. JOHN NEUMANN CATHOLIC ELEMENTARY SCH (Students: 349; Location: 721 POLO ROAD; Grades: PK – 6)
ST JOSEPH CATHOLIC SCHOOL (Students: 348; Location: 3700 DEVINE ST; Grades: PK – 6)
EASTMINSTER DAY SCHOOL (Students: 198; Location: 3200 TRENHOLM RD; Grades: PK – KG)
ST PETERS CATHOLIC SCHOOL (Students: 194; Location: 1035 HAMPTON ST; Grades: PK – 6)
SHANDON UNITED METHODIST PRESC (Students: 178; Location: 3407 DEVINE ST; Grades: PK – KG)
SHANDON PRESBYTERIAN CDC (Students: 170; Location: 4215 MIMOSA RD; Grades: PK – KG)
BEN LIPPEN ELEMENTARY (Students: 167; Location: 6952 ST ANDREWS RD; Grades: PK – 5)
ST MARTIN DE PORRES SCHOOL (Students: 149; Location: 2229 HAMPTON ST; Grades: PK – 6)
V V REID ELEMENTARY NURSERY (Students: 117; Location: 612 GABRIEL STREET; Grades: 1 – 5)
RIVERLAND HILLS BAPTIST CHURCH (Students: 107; Location: 500 ST ANDREWS RD; Grades: PK – KG)

Libraries

Library in Columbia:

RICHLAND COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY (Operating income: $12,813,651; Location: 1431 ASSEMBLY STREET; 1,134,803 books; 45,554 audio materials; 30,630 video materials; 2,840 serial subscriptions)