Signals
Berea
Columbia
Opportunity
69 · Top 24%
vs70 · Top 22%
Climate
70 · Bottom 48%
vs64 · Bottom 32%
Physical resilience
64 · Top 44%
vs62 · Top 47%
Housing affordability
69 · Bottom 33%
vs80 · Bottom 49%
Access
97 · Top 29%
vs93 · Top 45%
Economic stability
38 · Bottom 15%
vs41 · Bottom 18%
Measured values
| Metric | Berea | Columbia | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 16,862 | 10,278 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $49,829 | $54,437 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $25,163 | $33,896 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,190/sq mi | 4,258/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $204,700 | $196,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,076 | $1,075 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 63.9% | 52.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.7% | 3.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 3.9% | 3.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 21.3% | 17.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 22.9% | 21.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Average July high | 91°F | 86°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 35°F | 22°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 47.0" | 42.1" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 10 mi | 18 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 27.0 min | 25.6 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 36.7 | 41.8 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 8 | 4 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 13.51 | 13.53 | 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
Berea
Elevated or high exposure: ice storm, earthquake.
Columbia
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Full profiles: Berea, SC · Columbia, PA · How this is calculated: methodology