CITY
Columbia
South Carolina · 147,035 residents (2025 est.) · 138 sq mi
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The short version
Columbia is home to 139,643 people in South Carolina. The median age is 28.6, younger than the US median of 38.9. Owners hold 46% of the housing stock. People stay put here: 69% were in the same home a year ago. 24.0% of people here live below the federal poverty line. 46% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Younger
median age 28.6
US median: 38.9
More educated
46% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 50%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth
139,643
+20%since 2000
from 116,278 in 2000
147,035 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1990 – 2025
Land area
138 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
2024140K
Age distribution, 2024
Under 55.3%(7,412)
5 to 94.2%(5,855)
10 to 144.1%(5,767)
15 to 1912.7%(17,774)
20 to 2416.6%(23,226)
25 to 3417%(23,802)
35 to 4411.5%(15,994)
45 to 548.8%(12,247)
55 to 648.2%(11,483)
65 to 747%(9,745)
75 to 843.5%(4,912)
85 and over1%(1,426)
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy
$55,529
−2%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $31,141 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Households earning $100K+
38.6%
+13.6 ptssince 2009
from 24.9% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Workforce by industry, 2024
Information11.8%
Other services7.5%
Retail trade5.6%
Public administration5.5%
Finance & insurance4.4%
Professional, scientific, technical3.8%
Wholesale trade3.4%
Transportation & warehousing1.3%
Arts, entertainment, food1.3%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing0.8%
Construction0.6%
Education & health services0.5%
Manufacturing0.2%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03
Housing
$264,300
+50%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $96,800 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
4.8
+21%since 2009
from 3.9 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
54
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity
2000
White, non-Hispanic48.2%(55,993)
Black45.6%(53,052)
Hispanic / Latino3%(3,520)
Asian1.7%(1,977)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic45.7%(63,825)
Black40.1%(56,006)
Hispanic / Latino6.2%(8,651)
Asian3.2%(4,436)
Other4.8%(6,725)
78
+9%since 2009
from 71 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry
Hispanic origin
Mexican2%(2,826)
Puerto Rican1.4%(1,894)
South American0.8%(1,145)
Central American0.7%(1,028)
Spaniard0.4%(581)
Venezuelan0.3%(482)
Honduran0.3%(456)
Colombian0.3%(448)
Cuban0.3%(371)
Dominican0.2%(303)
Guatemalan0.1%(205)
Salvadoran0.1%(138)
+ 8 more hispanic origin groups with data
Panamanian0.1%(106)
Peruvian0.1%(81)
Argentine0%(58)
Ecuadorian0%(47)
Nicaraguan0%(45)
Costa Rican0%(41)
Chilean0%(18)
Uruguayan0%(11)
Asian origin
Asian Indian1%(1,411)
Chinese0.5%(691)
Filipino0.4%(531)
Vietnamese0.3%(472)
Korean0.3%(352)
Pakistani0.2%(231)
Bangladeshi0.1%(181)
Taiwanese0.1%(135)
Burmese0.1%(111)
Japanese0.1%(96)
Laotian0%(59)
Cambodian0%(54)
+ 4 more asian origin groups with data
Ancestry
German8.9%(12,407)
English8.7%(12,123)
Irish7.3%(10,158)
American4.8%(6,641)
Italian3.4%(4,737)
Scotch-Irish2%(2,861)
Scottish1.9%(2,718)
West Indian1.8%(2,446)
French1.7%(2,423)
Subsaharan African1.4%(2,014)
Jamaican1.3%(1,771)
Polish1.3%(1,768)
+ 41 more ancestry groups with data
Arab0.8%(1,064)
Norwegian0.5%(726)
Welsh0.4%(601)
British0.4%(538)
Dutch0.4%(490)
Russian0.3%(480)
Greek0.3%(424)
Czech0.3%(382)
Nigerian0.3%(370)
Swedish0.3%(369)
Ukrainian0.2%(322)
Hungarian0.2%(304)
Croatian0.2%(230)
French Canadian0.1%(207)
Iranian0.1%(200)
Lebanese0.1%(197)
Swiss0.1%(193)
Trinidadian & Tobagonian0.1%(148)
Brazilian0.1%(144)
Canadian0.1%(140)
Armenian0.1%(133)
Haitian0.1%(115)
Palestinian0.1%(100)
Austrian0.1%(86)
Danish0.1%(77)
Lithuanian0.1%(77)
Slovak0.1%(77)
Ghanaian0%(62)
Slovene0%(59)
Cape Verdean0%(53)
Finnish0%(51)
Turkish0%(46)
Latvian0%(38)
Portuguese0%(36)
Israeli0%(32)
Belgian0%(30)
Iraqi0%(23)
Syrian0%(19)
Moroccan0%(16)
Romanian0%(12)
Serbian0%(3)
Section 05
Education
High school or higher
91.2%
+8.9 ptssince 2000
from 82.3% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Section 06
Commute & transportation
Section 07
Work & employment
Women 20-64 in the labor force
76.1%
+2.8 ptssince 2020
from 73.3% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
Section 08
People & community
Computer in household
96.7%
+3.0 ptssince 2020
from 93.7% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married58.7%(34,679)
Married32.2%(19,019)
Widowed2.2%(1,284)
Divorced6.9%(4,054)
Women 15+
Never married54.3%(33,432)
Married29.9%(18,412)
Widowed5.6%(3,456)
Divorced10.2%(6,273)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage
Direct-purchase
16.2%
+2.0 ptssince 2020
from 14.2% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
VA health care
3.8%
Unchangedsince 2020
from 3.8% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
70.6%
−0.9 ptssince 2020
from 71.5% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
32.3%
+1.8 ptssince 2020
from 30.5% in 2020
US average: 36.7%
Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.
Section 09 · Service history
Veterans
Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later)39.6%(3,074)
Gulf War (1990s)25%(1,939)
Vietnam era24.9%(1,937)
Korean War2.3%(175)
World War II0.2%(17)
Share of the 7,770 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Drill deeper
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Frequently asked
How many people live in Columbia, South Carolina?
Columbia, South Carolina has about 139,643 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Columbia, South Carolina?
The typical household in Columbia, South Carolina earns about $55,529 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Columbia, South Carolina expensive?
In Columbia, South Carolina, the median home is worth about $264,300, and the typical rent is about $1,204 a month.
How educated are people in Columbia, South Carolina?
About 45.9% of adults age 25 and over in Columbia, South Carolina hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Columbia, South Carolina?
About 24.0% of people in Columbia, South Carolina live below the federal poverty line.
Has Columbia, South Carolina grown since 1990?
Yes, Columbia, South Carolina has grown since 1990. The population has added about 41,591 residents, a change of about 42 percent over that period.
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South CarolinaDATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024