West Columbia receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
West Columbia
Columbia
Opportunity
75 · Top 14%
vs61 · Top 40%
Growth
66 · Top 22%
vs89 · Top 1%
Climate
72 · Top 43%
vs75 · Top 29%
Physical resilience
58 · Bottom 49%
vs66 · Top 42%
Housing affordability
77 · Bottom 44%
vs62 · Bottom 23%
Schools
54 · Top 47%
vs28 · Bottom 20%
Access
98 · Top 19%
vs96 · Top 33%
Economic stability
50 · Bottom 31%
vs38 · Bottom 15%
Measured values
| Metric | West Columbia | Columbia | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 17,963 | 139,643 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $56,912 | $55,529 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $36,920 | $39,058 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,908/sq mi | 1,008/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $201,700 | $264,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,201 | $1,204 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 55.3% | 45.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.7% | 5.0% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 2.6% | 2.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 40.9% | 45.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 13.7% | 24.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 123 | 3,198 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 6.8 | 22.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 0.0% | 106.6% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| 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 | 4 mi | 14 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 21.2 min | 18.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.6 | 28.6 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 6 | 69 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 14.57 | 12.69 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 38.1% | 27.2% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 45.7% | 33.3% | 2019-20 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
West Columbia
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane, earthquake.
Columbia
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane, earthquake.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
West Columbia
69
Your Score
68
Area Score
Columbia
64
Your Score
64
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: West Columbia, SC · Columbia, SC · How this is calculated: methodology