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Living in
St. Andrews.
St. Andrews is an unincorporated community in Richland County, SC. It has no city government: the county runs it, and the Census counts it as its own place.
About
Life in St. Andrews
This census-designated place in Richland County functions as a working-class neighborhood within the greater Columbia metro area, and that matters when you're deciding if it's actually home for you. Your commute to jobs in central Columbia will run around 20 to 21 minutes on average, manageable enough that people don't treat it as a deal-breaker, though you'll definitely want a car since this is fundamentally an urban area. The neighborhood skews younger, with a median age of 33 and a good chunk of households with kids, though many residents are also single—the household makeup here reflects that reality.
St. Andrews at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
33.2 yrs
Poverty Rate
25.4%
Foreign-Born
7.1%
Broadband Internet
88.1%
of households
Population Growth
-0.2%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics7.1% foreign-born, most often from Jamaica
Who lives in St. Andrews: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In St. Andrews, the largest foreign-born group is from Jamaica (16.4%), and 2.2% of residents speak Other at home.
Under 18
21.6%
of residents
65 and Older
13.8%
of residents
Households with Kids
24.2%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
49.0%
of households
Married Couples
19.7%
of households
Avg Household Size
1.95
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 8% below SC average
Rent, home values, and income in St. Andrews
In St. Andrews, rent runs 8% below the SC average, and home values are 38% below the SC average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
59.5%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
30.4%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
93.7
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$1,080
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
28.9%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1978
median year built
Vacant Homes
11.7%
of housing units
Jobs & Economyunemployment about average for SC
Unemployment in St. Andrews
Unemployment in Richland County, which includes St. Andrews, is close to the SC average.
Unemployment rate
St. Andrews: Richland County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Richland County (county-wide) · Annual averages
St. Andrews is about 5% of Richland County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
What St. Andrews Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute21.8 min avg
How St. Andrews residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In St. Andrews, most residents drive alone to work (74%), and 79% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 8 mi
Columbia Metropolitan Airport (CAE)
Small hub663k passengers boarded in 2025
- 81 mi
Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT)
Major hub25.9M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 38% above national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in the area policed by the Richland County Sheriff's Office, which covers St. Andrews, runs 38% above the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
455.8
per 100,000 residents
Above average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,797
per 100,000 residents
Above average (1,552 national, 2025)
Policed by Richland County Sheriff's Office (county-wide rate)
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 18 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Moderate
93.1 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Richland County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Richland County, which includes St. Andrews, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 18 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 18 | Thunderstorm Wind | $338,000 |
| 2024 | 39 | Thunderstorm Wind | $17.1M |
| 2023 | 18 | Thunderstorm Wind | $30,800 |
| 2022 | 29 | Thunderstorm Wind | $183,170 |
| 2021 | 12 | Thunderstorm Wind | $10,040 |
| 2020 | 29 | Thunderstorm Wind | $44,190 |
| 2019 | 19 | Thunderstorm Wind | $3,920 |
| 2018 | 21 | Thunderstorm Wind | $5,900 |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
4 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Richland County, county-wide
St. Andrews is about 5% of Richland County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Air Quality47 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Richland County, which includes St. Andrews, is typically good — 212 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
47
Good Days
212
per year
Moderate Days
153
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Richland County, county-wide
St. Andrews is about 5% of Richland County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Climate94°F summers, 38°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
St. Andrews has hot summers (avg high 94°F) and mild winters (avg low 38°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
80°/54°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
94°/71°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
79°/55°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
62°/38°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
48.1"
Annual Snowfall
0.2"
Hot Days/Year
107
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
33
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
117
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 60°F | 37°F | 3.84" |
| Feb | 64°F | 40°F | 3.54" |
| Mar | 72°F | 46°F | 4.11" |
| Apr | 81°F | 54°F | 2.92" |
| May | 87°F | 62°F | 3.63" |
| Jun | 93°F | 69°F | 5.41" |
| Jul | 96°F | 72°F | 5.17" |
| Aug | 94°F | 71°F | 5.01" |
| Sep | 89°F | 66°F | 4.25" |
| Oct | 80°F | 54°F | 3.31" |
| Nov | 69°F | 44°F | 3.04" |
| Dec | 61°F | 39°F | 3.88" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in St. Andrews
Uninsured
14.2%
of residents
No hospitals inside St. Andrews's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Lexington Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 3.3 mi away · West Columbia
Three Rivers Behavioral Health
Psychiatric · 3.6 mi away · West Columbia
Prisma Health Richland Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 3.6 mi away · Columbia
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education14.3:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in St. Andrews
St. Andrews's student/teacher ratio is 14.3:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 25.7% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
3
within city limits
Private Schools
0
within city limits
College Degree Rate
25.7%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
14.3:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near St. Andrews (within 15 miles)
University of South Carolina-Columbia
5.1 mi awayPublic · 4-year · 29,820 students · in-state tuition $12,688 · 77% graduate · median earnings $69,024 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 1,536 students · in-state tuition $18,103 · 26% graduate · median earnings $36,562 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 1,343 students · in-state tuition $24,436 · 57% graduate · median earnings $46,266 (10 yrs after entry)
Columbia International University
1.9 mi awayPrivate nonprofit · 4-year · 716 students · in-state tuition $27,900 · 67% graduate · median earnings $44,657 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 576 students · in-state tuition $14,304 · 22% graduate · median earnings $32,754 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Congaree National Park, 26 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for St. Andrews
St. Andrews has 5 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Congaree National Park (26 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Congaree National Park
National Park
26 mi awayNinety Six National Historic Site
National Historic Site
53 mi awayKings Mountain National Military Park
National Military Park
77 mi awayOvermountain Victory National Historic Trail
National Historic Trail
77 mi awayCowpens National Battlefield
National Battlefield
85 mi awayPublic Libraries in St. Andrews
Richland Library St. Andrews
2916 Broad River Road, Columbia
Cities Near St. Andrews
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to St. Andrews?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
St. Andrews FAQ
Is St. Andrews, South Carolina affordable?⌄
St. Andrews's median rent is $1,088/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $46,511/year. Median home value is $161,300.
Is St. Andrews, South Carolina safe?⌄
St. Andrews is policed by the Richland County Sheriff's Office, whose violent crime rate across its service area was 456 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is above the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1797 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in St. Andrews, South Carolina?⌄
Richland County, which includes St. Andrews, has an unemployment rate of 4.6%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in St. Andrews, South Carolina?⌄
The cost of living in St. Andrews is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,088/month and median household income is $46,511/year. The median home value is $161,300. About 60% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in St. Andrews, South Carolina?⌄
The average commute in St. Andrews is 22 minutes, which is about average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from