Census ACS · #71 MSA
Columbia Metro Area
The Columbia, Sc Metropolitan Statistical Area has 839,868 residents. The median household income is $66,146 and the median home value is $213,400.
839,868
Population
227
People / sq mi
$66,146
Median Income
$213,400
Median Home Value
The Columbia CBSA covers 3,703 sq mi of land at 226.8 people per square mile.
Race & Ethnicity
| White | 55.4% |
| Black or African American | 33.3% |
| Asian | 0.0% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 1.3% |
Economy & Income
$66,146
Median Household Income
$37,159
Per Capita Income
10.8%
Poverty Rate
3.4%
Unemployment
Cost of Living
The Columbia metro's price level is 93.7 on the BEA Regional Price Parity index (US average = 100), meaning prices are 6.3% lower the US average. The local median income of $66,146 has the buying power of $70,622 in average-priced US metros.
93.7
Price Level (US = 100)
$70,622
COL-Adjusted Median Income
$66,146
Nominal Median Income
Housing
$213,400
Median Home Value
$1,145
Median Rent
69.2%
Homeownership
Education
91.1%
High School+
35.0%
Bachelor's+
Commute
0.5%
Drive Alone
9.9%
Work From Home
25.1 min
Avg Commute
34.8%
Foreign Born
Columbia spans this state
Nearby metros
Largest cities in South Carolina
Largest counties in South Carolina
Part of South Carolina
Other metros
Metro areas in South Carolina
Metro rankings
Frequently Asked Questions
The Columbia, Sc Metropolitan Statistical Area has a population of 839,868 according to Census ACS 5-Year estimates, making it the #71 largest CBSA in the US.
The median household income in the Columbia metro area is $66,146, with a per capita income of $37,159.
The Columbia, Sc CBSA spans the state of South Carolina.
More from South Carolina
Data for the Columbia, Sc CBSA (17900) from the American Community Survey 5-Year estimates. Core-Based Statistical Areas combine cities, suburbs, and surrounding counties tied together by commuting patterns.
For this entity, the underlying data on this page comes from the U.S. Census Bureau ACS and decennial files. The breakdown above is the federal record; the paragraphs below add the per-entity context that makes the headline numbers usable for a real decision rather than just a data lookup.
Every number on this page links back to the U.S. Census Bureau ACS and decennial files; the methodology page describes the inputs, refresh cadence, and known limitations of the underlying data product.
For readers using this page as a decision input, the related-entity pages elsewhere on the site provide the comparison set. The most useful comparison for this entity is typically a peer within U.S. states, metros, cities, and ZIPs with similar size, similar exposure, or similar geography — not the national-level summary alone.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS, 2026.