17512 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
17512
29033
Opportunity
74 · Top 15%
vs74 · Top 15%
Growth
33 · Bottom 23%
vs44 · Bottom 40%
Climate
64 · Bottom 34%
vs72 · Top 44%
Physical resilience
62 · Top 46%
vs57 · Bottom 49%
Housing affordability
89 · Top 33%
vs82 · Top 48%
Access
93 · Top 49%
vs98 · Top 21%
Economic stability
50 · Bottom 33%
vs59 · Bottom 49%
Measured values
| Metric | 17512 | 29033 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 18,148 | 12,837 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $66,684 | $61,237 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $39,740 | $37,770 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,134/sq mi | 1,282/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $245,200 | $163,800 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,072 | $1,330 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 65.0% | 60.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.2% | 3.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 3.3% | 2.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 23.7% | 31.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 13.3% | 12.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 5 | 17 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.5 | 1.2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 86°F | 93°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 22°F | 35°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 42.1" | 45.2" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 18 mi | 4 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 25.3 min | 20.4 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 43.6 | 39.5 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 4 | 3 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 13.53 | 12.41 | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
17512
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
29033
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane, earthquake.
Full profiles: 17512 — Columbia, PA · 29033 — Cayce, SC · How this is calculated: methodology