Columbia, SC vs West Columbia, SC

Side-by-side comparison from the latest government data.

MetricColumbia, SCWest Columbia, SC
Population139,64317,963
Median Household Income$55,529$56,912
Median Rent$1,204/mo$1,201/mo
Median Home Value$264,300$201,700
Cost of Living (US = 100)9494
Renters Paying 30%+ of Income55.3%46.8%
Poverty Rate24%13.7%
Unemployment Rate4.9%3.8% (county)
Violent Crime Rate /100k791536
Property Crime Rate /100k3,1564,032
Median AQI47—
Good AQI Days /yr212—
Summer Highs91°F91°F
Winter Lows35°F36°F
Snowfall0 in/yr1 in/yr
Avg Commute17.7 min19.5 min
Hospitals62
Avg Hospital Rating3.8 / 53.0 / 5
Students per Teacher12.515.4
College Degree Rate45.9%40.9%
Foreign-Born %5.8%10.3%
Population Growth (2020–2025)+7.5%+5.9%

Green = clearly better (more than 5% apart). Population, growth, weather, hospital count and foreign-born share aren’t scored.