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METRO AREA · 2010 ACS

Columbia Metro

Columbia, SC · 6 counties · 767,598 residents · 3,703 sq mi
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The short version

With 767,598 people, Columbia is a metro area. Home values have risen by half since 2000, reaching $136,173. 5% of people across the metro were born outside the United States. Growth has run 19% since 2000, or 120,440 more people. 30% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Median household income is $48,168, close to the national figure.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $52,703
Mid-age
median age 35.7
US median: 37.2
Average education
30% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 28%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $225,659
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
767,598
+19%since 2000
from 647,158 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Population density
207 / sq mi
+19%since 2000
from 175 / sq mi in 2000
Median age
35.7
+4%since 2000
from 34.5 in 2000
US average: 37.2
Land area
3,703 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
518K609K699K789K879K19902000201020202024Columbia
2024849K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2010
Under 56.5%(49,756)
US avg: 6.5%
5 to 96.4%(49,383)
US avg: 6.6%
10 to 146.5%(49,677)
US avg: 6.7%
15 to 197.7%(59,035)
US avg: 7.1%
20 to 248.3%(63,778)
US avg: 7%
25 to 3413.8%(105,788)
US avg: 13.3%
35 to 4413.2%(101,614)
US avg: 13.3%
45 to 5414.3%(110,023)
US avg: 14.6%
55 to 6411.8%(90,865)
US avg: 11.8%
65 to 746.6%(50,416)
US avg: 7%
75 to 843.5%(26,880)
US avg: 4.2%
85 and over1.4%(10,383)
US avg: 1.8%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$48,168
−7%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $40,794 in 2000
US average: $52,703
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$25,184
+24%since 2000
from $20,262 in 2000
US average: $27,286
Households earning $100K+
29.3%
+0.3 ptssince 2009
from 29.0% in 2009
US average: 33.3%
Poverty rate
13.7%
+1.3 ptssince 2000
from 12.4% in 2000
US average: 13.8%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.443
US average: 0.461
Workforce by industry, 2010
Information11.1%
US avg: 11.5%
Retail trade10%
US avg: 10.9%
Other services8.3%
US avg: 7%
Wholesale trade7.1%
US avg: 7.2%
Public administration6.5%
US avg: 4.9%
Finance & insurance4.6%
US avg: 5.1%
Professional, scientific, technical3.3%
US avg: 4.2%
Transportation & warehousing2.9%
US avg: 3.1%
Arts, entertainment, food2.2%
US avg: 2.4%
Education & health services1.2%
US avg: 0.9%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing1%
US avg: 1.9%
Construction0.9%
US avg: 1.4%
Manufacturing0.1%
US avg: 0.5%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$136,173
+19%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $90,022 in 2000
US average: $225,659
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$738
+8%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $537 in 2000
US average: $853
Owner-occupied
68.0%
−2.0 ptssince 2000
from 70.0% in 2000
32.0% rent
Vacancy rate
10.6%
−0.1 ptssince 2009
from 10.8% in 2009
US average: 12.1%
Persons per household
2.47 people
Unchangedsince 2009
from 2.48 people in 2009
US average: 2.60
Owner cost-burdened
24.5%
+0.8 ptssince 2009
from 23.7% in 2009
US average: 30.9%
Renter cost-burdened
43.3%
+1.7 ptssince 2009
from 41.6% in 2009
US average: 46.8%
Afford Score
2.8
+3%since 2009
from 2.8 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.
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic62.3%(403,452)
Black32.7%(211,528)
Hispanic / Latino2.4%(15,608)
Asian1.2%(7,920)
Other0%
2010
White, non-Hispanic58.4%(447,927)
Black32.9%(252,329)
Hispanic / Latino5.1%(39,153)
Asian1.6%(12,543)
Other1.8%(13,991)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Mexican2.5%(18,955)
Puerto Rican0.9%(6,335)
Central American0.6%(4,223)
South American0.3%(1,866)
Guatemalan0.2%(1,362)
Honduran0.2%(1,165)
Cuban0.1%(911)
Colombian0.1%(765)
Panamanian0.1%(726)
Spaniard0.1%(603)
Nicaraguan0.1%(463)
Salvadoran0.1%(382)
+ 9 more hispanic origin groups with data
Ecuadorian0%(293)
Dominican0%(257)
Venezuelan0%(207)
Peruvian0%(195)
Argentine0%(191)
Bolivian0%(91)
Chilean0%(44)
Ancestry
German12%(89,216)
American11.9%(88,957)
English9.8%(72,474)
Irish9%(66,936)
Scotch-Irish3.3%(24,478)
Italian2.4%(17,679)
Scottish2.2%(15,981)
French1.9%(14,383)
Subsaharan African1.6%(12,144)
Polish1.1%(8,355)
Dutch0.9%(6,861)
Swedish0.5%(3,717)
+ 50 more ancestry groups with data
British0.5%(3,449)
Welsh0.4%(3,270)
Norwegian0.4%(3,174)
West Indian0.4%(2,952)
French Canadian0.4%(2,642)
Russian0.3%(2,545)
Greek0.4%(2,528)
Arab0.3%(2,016)
Hungarian0.3%(1,962)
Swiss0.2%(1,606)
Danish0.2%(1,234)
Czech0.2%(1,157)
Jamaican0.2%(1,050)
Canadian0.1%(981)
Lebanese0.1%(944)
Ukrainian0.1%(823)
Portuguese0.1%(788)
Finnish0.1%(761)
Austrian0.1%(694)
Haitian0.1%(490)
Lithuanian0.1%(440)
Romanian0.1%(434)
Slovak0.1%(383)
Belgian0.1%(380)
Iranian0.1%(349)
Egyptian0%(337)
Turkish0.1%(329)
Croatian0%(298)
Bulgarian0%(242)
Brazilian0%(223)
Serbian0%(196)
Guyanese0%(179)
Slovene0%(150)
Syrian0%(129)
Israeli0%(129)
Kenyan0%(128)
Armenian0%(103)
Ethiopian0%(97)
Latvian0%(84)
Nigerian0%(73)
Moroccan0%(66)
Ghanaian0%(65)
Jordanian0%(39)
Iraqi0%(23)
Barbadian0%(23)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
30.4%
+3.7 ptssince 2000
from 26.7% in 2000
US average: 27.9%
High school or higher
87.0%
+4.8 ptssince 2000
from 82.2% in 2000
US average: 84.9%
Graduate degree
11.3%
+2.2 ptssince 2000
from 9.2% in 2000
US average: 10.2%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
23.5 min
+48%since 2000
from 15.9 min in 2000
US average: 25.2
Drive alone to work
79.9%
+0.5 ptssince 2009
from 79.4% in 2009
US average: 76.2%
Carpooled to work
9.8%
−0.5 ptssince 2009
from 10.4% in 2009
US average: 10.4%
Public transit
0.8%
−0.2 ptssince 2009
from 1.0% in 2009
US average: 4.7%
Worked from home
5.8%
+0.1 ptssince 2009
from 5.7% in 2009
US average: 4.1%
Walked to work
1.5%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 1.5% in 2009
US average: 2.8%
Biked to work
0.2%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 0.2% in 2009
US average: 0.5%
No vehicle available
6.3%
−0.4 ptssince 2009
from 6.7% in 2009
US average: 8.7%
Section 07

Work & employment

Self-employed
15.6%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 15.6% in 2009
US average: 12.9%
Management & professional
36.6%
+0.5 ptssince 2009
from 36.1% in 2009
US average: 35.2%
Section 08

People & community

Male
48.7%
+0.3 ptssince 2009
from 48.4% in 2009
Female
51.3%
−0.3 ptssince 2009
from 51.6% in 2009
Foreign born
4.9%
+0.4 ptssince 2009
from 4.5% in 2009
US average: 12.8%
Veterans
12.5%
−0.3 ptssince 2009
from 12.8% in 2009
US average: 9.9%
Marital status (2024)
Men 15+
Never married38.2%(127,384)
Married50.1%(167,059)
Widowed2.9%(9,814)
Divorced8.7%(28,966)
Women 15+
Never married33.9%(123,065)
Married45.7%(165,791)
Widowed8.4%(30,319)
Divorced12.1%(43,915)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

Uninsured
8.8%
−5.5 ptssince 2013
from 14.3% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Employer-based
54.3%
−1.7 ptssince 2020
from 56.0% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
15.1%
+1.6 ptssince 2020
from 13.5% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
Medicare
18.2%
+1.2 ptssince 2020
from 17.0% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
19.7%
+1.6 ptssince 2020
from 18.1% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
4.1%
+0.2 ptssince 2020
from 3.9% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
69.5%
−1.0 ptssince 2020
from 70.5% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
36.7%
+2.9 ptssince 2020
from 33.8% 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)34.5%(20,990)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)32.1%(19,523)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era27.6%(16,815)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War2.8%(1,689)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0.5%(283)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 60,825 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
In this metro

Largest cities

ColumbiaCENTRAL147,035Lexington25,729St. Andrews19,868West Columbia18,489Seven Oaks15,921Dentsville15,209Cayce13,680Oak Grove12,256Irmo12,204Red Bank11,314Forest Acres10,390Lugoff9,786Woodfield9,465Camden9,201White Knoll8,310Blythewood7,233Lake Murray of Richland7,023Batesburg-Leesville5,346Capitol View4,374East Camden4,194Winnsboro3,305Arthurtown3,272Saluda3,086Springdale2,877South Congaree2,424Pine Ridge2,346Hopkins1,985Chapin1,945St. Matthews1,827Elgin1,675

The 30 most populous of 50 cities and towns in this metro. CENTRAL marks the metro's principal cities.

What's inside

6 component counties

Richland CountyCENTRAL434,956Lexington CountyCENTRAL317,588Kershaw County73,166Fairfield County20,340Saluda County19,680Calhoun County14,188
Drill deeper

Metros similar to Columbia

Lakeland
Pop 874,790
Baton Rouge
Pop 888,699
Bakersfield
Pop 927,068
Albuquerque
Pop 925,279
Places similar to Columbia
Head to head

Compare Columbia side by side

COLUMBIA VS
Lakeland
Income$65,978+37%
Home value$266,500+96%
Population874,790−1%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
COLUMBIA VS
Baton Rouge
Income$70,666+47%
Home value$240,565+77%
Population888,699+1%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
COLUMBIA VS
Bakersfield
Income$70,210+46%
Home value$338,300+148%
Population927,068+5%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
COLUMBIA VS
Albuquerque
Income$71,241+48%
Home value$288,193+112%
Population925,279+5%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Columbia, SC?

Columbia, SC has about 767,598 residents according to the 2010 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Columbia, SC?

The typical household in Columbia, SC earns about $48,168 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Columbia, SC expensive?

In Columbia, SC, the median home is worth about $136,173, and the typical rent is about $738 a month.

How educated are people in Columbia, SC?

About 30.4% of adults age 25 and over in Columbia, SC hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Columbia, SC?

About 13.7% of people in Columbia, SC live below the federal poverty line.

Has Columbia, SC grown since 1990?

Yes, Columbia, SC has grown since 1990. The population has added about 219,263 residents, a change of about 40 percent over that period.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · METRO ROLLUP OF COMPONENT COUNTIES · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →