Columbia receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Columbia
Augusta-Richmond County
Opportunity
71 · Top 21%
vs68 · Top 25%
Growth
88 · Top 1%
vs68 · Top 21%
Climate
75 · Top 19%
vs71 · Top 35%
Physical resilience
61 · Top 44%
vs66 · Top 34%
Housing affordability
89 · Bottom 34%
vs94 · Bottom 48%
Access
98 · Top 8%
vs97 · Top 12%
Economic stability
57 · Top 42%
vs42 · Bottom 38%
Measured values
| Metric | Columbia | Augusta-Richmond County | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 849,181 | 624,181 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $68,359 | $69,344 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $37,960 | $36,794 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 229/sq mi | 179/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $232,400 | $226,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,193 | $1,120 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 69.4% | 68.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.2% | 4.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 2.5% | 2.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 35.4% | 29.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 14.5% | 14.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 7,101 | 3,681 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 8.4 | 5.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 29.9% | -18.9% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 93°F | 94°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 37°F | 40°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 43.7" | 44.8" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 11 mi | 6 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 26.5 min | 25.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 37.6 | 38.3 | 2024 ACS 5-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
Columbia
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane, earthquake.
Augusta-Richmond County
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, hurricane.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Columbia
77
Your Score
76
Area Score
Augusta-Richmond County
72
Your Score
73
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Columbia, SC Metro Area · Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology