Signals
St. Andrews
Columbia
Opportunity
59 · Top 43%
vs61 · Top 40%
Climate
72 · Top 43%
vs75 · Top 29%
Physical resilience
63 · Top 46%
vs66 · Top 42%
Housing affordability
72 · Bottom 36%
vs62 · Bottom 23%
Access
98 · Top 19%
vs96 · Top 33%
Economic stability
45 · Bottom 24%
vs38 · Bottom 15%
Measured values
| Metric | St. Andrews | Columbia | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 19,868 | 139,643 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $46,511 | $55,529 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $28,565 | $39,058 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 3,250/sq mi | 1,008/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $161,300 | $264,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,088 | $1,204 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 28.9% | 45.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.5% | 5.0% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 2.6% | 2.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 25.7% | 45.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 25.4% | 24.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Average July high | 93°F | 93°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 35°F | 37°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 45.2" | 43.7" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 8 mi | 14 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 23.2 min | 18.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 33.2 | 28.6 | 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
St. Andrews
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane, earthquake.
Columbia
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane, earthquake.
Your best match
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St. Andrews
68
Your Score
—
Area Score
Columbia
64
Your Score
64
Area Score
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Full profiles: St. Andrews, SC · Columbia, SC · How this is calculated: methodology