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CITY · 1990 CENSUS

Columbia

South Carolina · 98,052 residents · 138.264 sq mi
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The short version

Columbia has lower-than-average household income, with a median household income of $23,216. Population has fallen 16% since 2000, a loss of 18,226 residents. 32% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, well above the national rate of 20%. Median home value is $72,100. At a median age of 28.5, residents skew younger than the country as a whole. 32% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, well above the US average, yet household income trails the national figure — a profile common to graduate-student tracts and academic hubs.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $30,130
Younger
median age 28.5
US median: 33.0
More educated
32% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 20%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $93,722
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
98,052
−16%vs 2000
vs 116,278 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Median age
28.5
Unchangedvs 2000
vs 28.6 in 2000
US average: 33.0
Population, 1990 – 2024
94K106K119K131K144K1990201020202024Columbia
2024140K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 1990
Under 56.1%(5,976)
US avg: 7.3%
5 to 95.2%(5,070)
US avg: 7.3%
10 to 145%(4,944)
US avg: 6.9%
15 to 1911.7%(11,470)
US avg: 7.1%
20 to 2414.6%(14,347)
US avg: 7.5%
25 to 3420%(19,625)
US avg: 17.5%
35 to 4412.8%(12,595)
US avg: 15.1%
45 to 547%(6,912)
US avg: 10.2%
55 to 645.8%(5,708)
US avg: 8.5%
65 to 746.5%(6,344)
US avg: 7.3%
75 to 844%(3,944)
US avg: 4%
85 and over1.1%(1,117)
US avg: 1.2%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$23,216
−2%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $31,141 in 2000
US average: $30,130
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$12,210
−35%vs 2000
vs $18,853 in 2000
US average: $14,340
Poverty rate
21.2%
−0.9 ptsvs 2000
vs 22.1% in 2000
US average: 13.2%
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$72,100
−2%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $96,800 in 2000
US average: $93,722
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$392
−4%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $536 in 2000
US average: $450
Owner-occupied
45.0%
−0.6 ptsvs 2000
vs 45.6% in 2000
55.0% rent
RELATED:See current rent listings in Columbia on RentDataNow
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic48.2%(55,993)
Black45.6%(53,052)
Hispanic / Latino3%(3,520)
Asian1.7%(1,977)
Other0%
1990
White, non-Hispanic53.8%(52,785)
Black43.6%(42,757)
Hispanic / Latino2.1%(2,033)
Asian1.4%(1,368)
Other1.2%(1,142)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Detailed origin tables are available for 2024; showing 2024 data.

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)
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
Hmong0%(53)
Nepalese0%(33)
Thai0%(24)
Pacific Islander origin
Chamorro0.2%(299)
Samoan0.1%(89)
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)
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)
Iranian0.1%(200)
Lebanese0.1%(197)
Swiss0.1%(193)
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)
Finnish0%(51)
Turkish0%(46)
Latvian0%(38)
Israeli0%(32)
Belgian0%(30)
Iraqi0%(23)
Syrian0%(19)
Moroccan0%(16)
Romanian0%(12)
Serbian0%(3)
RANKED:Largest German population · Largest English population · Largest Irish population · Largest American population · Largest Italian population
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
31.7%
−4.0 ptsvs 2000
vs 35.7% in 2000
US average: 20.3%
High school or higher
76.0%
−6.3 ptsvs 2000
vs 82.3% in 2000
US average: 75.2%
Graduate degree
11.6%
−2.7 ptsvs 2000
vs 14.3% in 2000
US average: 7.1%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
15.1 min
+30%vs 2000
vs 11.6 min in 2000
US average: 21.9
Section 07

Work & employment

No data for the years selected.

Section 08

People & community

No data for the years selected.

Marital status (2024)
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
Drill deeper

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Frequently asked

How many people live in Columbia, South Carolina?

Columbia, South Carolina has about 98,052 residents according to the 1990 Census.

What is the median household income in Columbia, South Carolina?

The typical household in Columbia, South Carolina earns about $23,216 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 $72,100, and the typical rent is about $392 a month.

How educated are people in Columbia, South Carolina?

About 31.7% 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 21.2% of people in Columbia, South Carolina live below the federal poverty line.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →