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
Spartanburg
Opportunity
71 · Top 21%
vs59 · Top 43%
Growth
88 · Top 1%
vs90 · Top 1%
Climate
75 · Top 19%
vs76 · Top 14%
Physical resilience
61 · Top 44%
vs68 · Top 32%
Housing affordability
89 · Bottom 34%
vs91 · Bottom 38%
Access
98 · Top 8%
vs85 · Top 34%
Economic stability
57 · Top 42%
vs53 · Top 47%
Measured values
| Metric | Columbia | Spartanburg | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 849,181 | 374,737 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $68,359 | $64,382 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $37,960 | $33,580 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 229/sq mi | 283/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $232,400 | $225,000 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,193 | $1,057 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 69.4% | 72.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.2% | 4.6% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 2.5% | 3.0% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 35.4% | 24.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 14.5% | 15.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 7,101 | 4,460 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 8.4 | 11.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 29.9% | 14.8% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 93°F | 90°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 37°F | 32°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 43.7" | 49.7" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 11 mi | 31 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 26.5 min | 26.9 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 37.6 | 38.2 | 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.
Spartanburg
Elevated or high exposure: ice storm, cold wave, earthquake.
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
Spartanburg
75
Your Score
74
Area Score
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Full profiles: Columbia, SC Metro Area · Spartanburg, SC Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology