Capital city of South Carolina, United States

Columbia

$223kMedian Home
313Sunny Days/yr
75°FAvg High Temp
Loading Weather
View on MapPopulation142kCenter elevation292 ft
Quick Read

Four real seasons, with rain spread fairly evenly through the year. Spring and fall feel like real transition seasons. Humidity stays elevated through most of the year. Air quality can be a watchout.

About Columbia

Columbia is the capital city of the U.S. state of South Carolina. It is the second-most populous city in the state, with a population of 136,632 at the 2020 census. The Columbia metropolitan area has an estimated 870,000 residents. Columbia serves as the county seat of Richland County, and portions of the city extend into neighboring Lexington County and Kershaw County. The name "Columbia", a poetic term referring to the U.S., derives from the name of Christopher Columbus, who explored the Caribbean on behalf of the Spanish Empire.Wikipedia

Four seasonsNo real winterEven rainfallCola, Capital City, River City, Soda City(Latin)
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Place

Where It Is

Location Context
Columbia, South Carolina
Latitude34.00°
Longitude-81.03°
Population142k
Center elevation292 ft

State Context

South CarolinaU.S. state

South Carolina is a state in the Southeastern, South Atlantic and Deep South regions of the United States. It borders North Carolina to the north and northeast, the Atlantic Ocean to the southeast, and Georgia to the west and south across the Savannah River. Along with North Carolina, it makes up the Carolinas region of the East Coast. South Carolina is the 11th-smallest and 23rd-most populous U.S.Wikipedia

Income tax: 0.00% - 6.40%Avg sales tax: 7.50%Property tax: 0.50%Official school data available

About the Region

Southeast

The Southeast has become the most active real estate market in the United States. Charlotte, Raleigh, Atlanta, and Nashville's broader metro have all absorbed sustained in-migration driven by warmer weather, relatively lower housing costs than comparable Sun Belt metros, and — in Florida and Tennessee — no state income tax. The Research Triangle between Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill has emerged as a genuine rival to established tech corridors, anchored by Duke, UNC, and NC State.

The region's rapid growth has created real affordability pressure in cities that were bargains a decade ago. Asheville, Savannah, and coastal Florida markets have seen sharp appreciation, narrowing the cost advantage that drew transplants in the first place. Coastal areas across the Southeast also carry increasing flood and hurricane insurance costs as storm frequency and severity trends upward. Long, hot, and humid summers are a material lifestyle consideration — June through September in much of the region is genuinely intense.

Outdoors

Nature Access

Nature & Park Feeds

Closest protected landscapes, reserves, and big park systems surfaced from the same nearby feeds used in compare.

Distances in miles
National Park Service feed

Federal Park Sites

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OpenStreetMap feed

Local Nature & Reserves

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Sources: National Park Service and OpenStreetMap
People

City Profile

Median Age28 yrs
College Educated45%bachelor's or higher
Work From Home8%of workforce
Poverty Rate24%
Practical

Cost of Living

Housing
$1k/mo
Median rent
$223k
Median home price
Rent burden32% of income
Household Income
$54k
Median annual
Daily life

Livability

Safety Score
61
Transit Score
56
School Rating
4.6/10
Internet
Fiber
41%
Cable
94%
address availability
The year

Climate

Sunshine
313
sunny days per year
86% of the year
Avg High Temp
75°F
annual average
Humidity Pattern
Humidity year-round
74% warm season / 72% cool season
Comfort Score
81/100
Great
Temp Swing
34°F
seasonal high-temp spread
Annual precipitation
48"
inches per year
Annual snowfall
0"
inches per year
Typical Air Quality
44
Good · 2024 modeled average
How To Read Comfort

Comfort combines temperature band fit, humidity fit, seasonal swing, and penalties for long stretches of extreme heat or cold. Higher scores mean the yearly pattern stays closer to an easier day-to-day climate band.

Monthly Temperature
Daylight Span (Sunrise to Sunset)
Precipitation Distribution
48" of precipitation per year
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Humidity Through The Year
Hover any month for the exact RH value. This is measuring monthly relative humidity, not dew point or current weather.
humid summers
Summer 74% · Winter 72% · Apr-Aug 60-77%
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Hover a month for exact RH and seasonal context.
Watchouts

Natural Hazard Risk

Flood Risk
minimal
FEMA classification
Wildfire Risk
minimal
FEMA rating
Poor Air Days
20 days
per year with AQI > 100
Right now

Current Conditions

Culture

Sports Footprint

League Snapshot

A quick read on how big the sports footprint is here, without making you squint through tiny chips.

College Programs
South Carolina Gamecocks
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Local Next Steps

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