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CITY · 2000 CENSUS

Columbia

South Carolina · 116,278 residents · 138 sq mi
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The short version

Columbia is a city of 116,278 people in South Carolina. Owners hold 46% of the housing stock. The median age is 28.6, younger than the US median of 35.2. 36% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. 22.1% of people here live below the federal poverty line. The population is up 19% since 1990.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $42,589
Younger
median age 28.6
US median: 35.2
More educated
36% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 24%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $120,530
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
116,278
+19%since 1990
from 98,052 in 1990
1990 – 2025
Median age
28.6
Unchangedsince 1990
from 28.5 in 1990
US average: 35.2
Land area
138 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
94K106K119K131K144K19902000201020202024Columbia
2024140K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2000
Under 55.6%(6,478)
US avg: 6.8%
5 to 95.6%(6,495)
US avg: 7.3%
10 to 145.3%(6,195)
US avg: 7.3%
15 to 1911.4%(13,248)
US avg: 7.2%
20 to 2415.1%(17,556)
US avg: 6.7%
25 to 3416.8%(19,541)
US avg: 14.2%
35 to 4413.3%(15,466)
US avg: 16%
45 to 5410.6%(12,381)
US avg: 13.4%
55 to 646%(6,936)
US avg: 8.6%
65 to 745%(5,846)
US avg: 6.5%
75 to 844%(4,595)
US avg: 4.4%
85 and over1.3%(1,541)
US avg: 1.5%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$31,141
+2%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $23,216 in 1990
US average: $42,589
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$18,853
+54%since 1990
from $12,210 in 1990
US average: $21,522
Poverty rate
22.1%
+0.9 ptssince 1990
from 21.2% in 1990
US average: 12.4%
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$96,800
+2%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $72,100 in 1990
US average: $120,530
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$536
+4%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $392 in 1990
US average: $602
Owner-occupied
45.6%
+0.6 ptssince 1990
from 45.0% in 1990
54.4% rent
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

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

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)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
35.7%
+4.0 ptssince 1990
from 31.7% in 1990
US average: 24.4%
High school or higher
82.3%
+6.3 ptssince 1990
from 76.0% in 1990
US average: 80.3%
Graduate degree
14.3%
+2.7 ptssince 1990
from 11.6% in 1990
US average: 8.8%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
11.6 min
−23%since 1990
from 15.1 min in 1990
US average: 17.6
Section 07

Work & employment

No data for the years selected.

Section 08

People & community

No data for the years selected.

Marital status
Men 15+
Never married43.1%(20,265)
Married48%(22,572)
Widowed2.3%(1,094)
Divorced6.5%(3,078)
Women 15+
Never married40.1%(19,993)
Married39.7%(19,809)
Widowed10.3%(5,155)
Divorced9.8%(4,896)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2000
Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

Uninsured
7.7%
−5.6 ptssince 2013
from 13.3% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Employer-based
54.7%
−1.7 ptssince 2020
from 56.4% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
16.2%
+2.0 ptssince 2020
from 14.2% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
Medicare
13.8%
+0.8 ptssince 2020
from 13.0% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
19.7%
+1.0 ptssince 2020
from 18.7% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
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)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)25%(1,939)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era24.9%(1,937)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War2.3%(175)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0.2%(17)
US avg: 1%

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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Head to head

Compare Columbia to nearby cities

COLUMBIA VS
Woodfield
Income$45,526+46%
Home value$150,800+56%
Population9,465−94%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
COLUMBIA VS
Dentsville
Income$45,473+46%
Home value$163,700+69%
Population15,209−90%
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COLUMBIA VS
Forest Acres
Income$78,306+151%
Home value$279,300+189%
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COLUMBIA VS
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Income$62,045+99%
Home value$166,800+72%
Population13,680−91%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Columbia, South Carolina?

Columbia, South Carolina has about 116,278 residents according to the 2000 Census.

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

The typical household in Columbia, South Carolina earns about $31,141 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 $96,800, and the typical rent is about $536 a month.

How educated are people in Columbia, South Carolina?

About 35.7% 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 22.1% 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 18,226 residents, a change of about 19 percent over that period.

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

How we source and harmonize this data →