Apartments for Rent in Columbia, SC
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Living in Columbia, SC

Columbia is a vibrant college town known for its southern hospitality and pleasant, sunny year-round weather. Millennials, young professionals, and families alike will find themselves in good company in Columbia, where the median age is 35.9 and senior citizens make up less than 10 percent of the population. The cost of living in Columbia is lower than the national average — but the same is true of comparative annual salaries. On the flip side, cars are nearly a must-have to get around and work in Columbia; and though the city is fairly well connected to other major metropolitan areas, it is still relatively far from many larger east coast urban hubs.

Columbia, SC employment & economy

In recent years, South Carolina’s economy has seen steady growth, and the unemployment rate in Columbia has dipped below 5 percent. Columbia is a hub for careers in manufacturing, healthcare and health services, and finance. The University of South Carolina, Palmetto Health hospital system, and Blue Cross Blue Shield of South Carolina are consistently among Columbia’s largest employers, as is Fort Jackson, where over half of the U.S. Army’s new soldiers undergo basic training each year.

Additionally, Colonial Life & Accident Insurance Company, AgFirst Farm Credit Bank, and South State Bank are headquartered in Columbia; and UPS, Michelin, International Paper, and Bose Technology have regional facilities based in the Columbia metropolitan area.

Education in Columbia, SC

In addition to the main campus of the University of South Carolina, whose 15 schools enroll over 30,000 students, Columbia is also home to several other institutions of higher education. Among these are: Benedict College, a private, historically black liberal arts college; Columbia College, a private college for women; the Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary, one of the oldest Lutheran seminaries in the country; and the Midlands Technical College, a two-year, public community college that is part of the South Carolina Technical College System.

At the primary and secondary level, there are 7 public school districts in Richland and Lexington Counties serving Columbia’s 65,000 students. Among Columbia’s 37 public schools and 54 private schools, two — A. C. Flora High School and C. A. Johnson High School — have been ranked among the nation’s top 100 by U.S. News & World Report.