Columbia and Greenville-Anderson-Greer receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
Measured values
| Metric | Columbia | Greenville-Anderson-Greer | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 849,181 | 961,939 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $68,359 | $71,240 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $37,960 | $39,451 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 229/sq mi | 355/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $232,400 | $264,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,193 | $1,150 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 69.4% | 70.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.2% | 3.9% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 2.5% | 3.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 35.4% | 34.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 14.5% | 13.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 7,101 | 8,454 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 8.4 | 8.8 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 29.9% | -5.5% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 93°F | 91°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 37°F | 35°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 43.7" | 47.0" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 11 mi | 6 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 26.5 min | 26.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 37.6 | 38.8 | 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.
Greenville-Anderson-Greer
Elevated or high exposure: ice storm, earthquake.
Your best match
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Full profiles: Columbia, SC Metro Area · Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology