Should I Move To
Columbia, South Carolina is home to about 136,754 people. On cost of living, it lands in the affordable band — 11% below the national average. The median renter pays around $1,105 a month against a typical household income of $54,095. Our composite UrbRank Score lands at 46 out of 100 (grade D), putting it at #654 nationally.
UrbRank Score · General
Each dimension scored 0-100 against every other US city.
Based on overall cost of living vs. other US cities.
Inverse of violent + property crime rate per 100,000 residents.
Temperate summers & winters, moderate precipitation.
Walk Score — how feasible daily errands are on foot.
Unemployment rate plus household income vs. national median.
Air quality index (EPA AQS data).
Share of residents 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.
Columbia's composite cost-of-living index lands at 89 (100 = US average), which puts it in the affordable band. At $1,105/mo against $54,095 in median household income, the typical renter spends about 25% of income on housing — right inside the standard 30%-of-income guideline. Median home value sits around $226,200.
Full cost-of-living breakdown →Climate is four-season — summer averages around 89°F, winter averages around 34°F. Precipitation totals about 44 inches a year. Almost entirely car-dependent. Sidewalks exist; they just don't connect to where you need to go. Reported crime is somewhat above average, though specific neighborhoods vary widely. AQI runs about 40 — a "good" reading.
Verdict by lifestyle profile — same data, different priorities.
Columbia reads as a moderate fit for families. The profile-weighted score is 59/100 — a C. Its standout dimension is climate (90/100); the soft spot is walkability (0/100).
Columbia reads as a moderate fit for retirees. The profile-weighted score is 55/100 — a C. Its standout dimension is climate (90/100); the soft spot is walkability (0/100).
Columbia reads as a moderate fit for remote workers. The profile-weighted score is 60/100 — a C+. Its standout dimension is climate (90/100); the soft spot is walkability (0/100).
Columbia doesn't obviously fit young professionals. The profile-weighted score is 36/100 — a F. Its standout dimension is climate (90/100); the soft spot is walkability (0/100).
Our overall score for Columbia is 46/100 — a D, sitting at #654 in the national ranking. It's a weighted average across the seven UrbRank dimensions.
By the composite index, Columbia sits at 89 — affordable, 11% below the national average. Median renter pays around $1,105 a month.
Columbia runs four-season on the weather. Summer's near 89°F, winter's near 34°F; 44 inches of precipitation annually.
Walk Score: 0/100. Almost entirely car-dependent. Sidewalks exist; they just don't connect to where you need to go.
Roughly 136,754 people live here, with 45% college-educated (bachelor's or higher) among adults 25+ with a median age of 28.
Drop Columbia into the comparison tool with any other US city and you'll get housing costs, salaries, demographics, and quality-of-life data lined up side by side. Profile-specific leaderboards (families, retirees, remote workers, young professionals) are linked from the navigation.
Every US city is scored 0-100 on seven dimensions using public data from the US Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, FBI Crime Data Explorer, EPA Air Quality System, NOAA NCEI, and Walk Score. Each dimension is a percentile rank against every other city — so a score of 80 means the city is in the top 20% nationally on that dimension.
The overall score is a weighted average. Five lifestyle profiles — general, families, retirees, remote workers, young professionals — weight the dimensions differently to reflect what each cares about. Families get more weight on safety and schools; young professionals get more weight on jobs and walkability; retirees get more weight on climate.
Compare Columbia with other South Carolina cities scored on UrbRank.
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