Name: Columbia, SC
Rating: 0.0

( 29 Ratings )

Living in Columbia, SC

Ranks better than 79% of areas Follow

Population

134,057

Median Age

28.2 Years

Columbia Area Facts

Columbia has a Livability Score of 79_/100, which is considered exceptional
Columbia crime rates are 23% higher than the South Carolina average
Cost of living in Columbia is 7% higher than the South Carolina average

What do the locals think about Columbia?

42%

Family friendly

38%

Public transit is accessible

38%

Walkable to grocery stores

23%

Yards are well-kept

46%

Lots of parks

50%

Walkable to restaurants

Friendly neighbors

Safe at night

Pet friendly

Streets have sidewalks

38%

A quiet area

27%

Sense of community

Based on 26 votes from AreaVibes users. Take the poll

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Columbia Reviews

Write a review about Columbia Tell people what you like or don't like about Columbia…

Pot hole city 3 rating By Marty29203 ( Jul 22, 2017) Ever since Gov. Pothole Nikki was elected the city streets have deteriorated. They are just now being repaired. The lights are timed horribly and it took me 15 minutes to go 2 blocks. Some are forced to run them. Nightlife is good for a city this size. Some want to turn the state ...Read More house into a playground. Homeless roam the streets. Overall I would enjoy living here more if we had intelligent leadership. Read Less

Worst Place Ever 0.5 rating By Anonymous ( Jun 01, 2017) Columbia, South Carolina is ghetto and crime invested everywhere. The government officials have no respect for good people. There is no help. They will try to arrest you. The only people seem to get respect here are drug users, prostitutes, and those willing to sell out anyon ...Read More e and everyone to get what they want. There are no emergency shelters. This is really not a good place to raise children. Please don't have to go to court for criminal or civil because they don't care. Businesses and their employees are stealing from people. So much violence. People move here to get away well wrong answer. This place lacks any ambiance, the streets and highways are bad, you don't know who is out to get you. They steal so much. It's boring. I'm glad my family and I left an will never return. Seems like the walking dead. The same people get in trouble over and over again and get away with it, how is this. The agencies are so flawed and poorly ran its crazy. It's like the blind leading the blind. Hardly no assistance for women and children. The school buses drive like race cars. What is there to do for families? This place is country and stupid. Be ware! Read Less

Setting the Record Straight 4 rating By albsure ( May 05, 2012) I lived in Columbia for 15 years. Despite what the last reviewer saw while passing through Columbia has a number of family oriented attractions. There's a really great zoo, a few great museums including a children's museum, a railroad museum and an art museum. Then there's the st ...Read More ate museum that always has fun exhibits. There's an inexpensive water park on Ft Jackson. If you like outdoor type stuff you can kayak and canoe down the Broad, Bush and Saluda Rivers. There are a few boats that offer tours and cruises around Lake Murray. There's the Congaree National Park that is absolutely breathtaking. Harbison State Forest is great for hiking and Sesqui State Park is great for picnics. And Saluda Shoals park offers a lot of great events for everyone including kids.

There are two fairly large shopping areas on opposite ends of the city...Harbison and Sandhill. Chances are the previous reviewer stopped in a really old dilapidated Columbia Mall that's over run by teens and young people. If you're looking for high end Fifth Avenue type of shopping you are certainly not going to find it in Columbia but there are great shops and boutiques all over the city including the downtown area, 5 points and the Vista. The same is true for restaurants. The Devine St area has great food...including a number of "international type cuisines".

If you're a history buff go on a couple tours of the historic homes in the downtown area and tour the State House.
There are "gay friendly" spots in the Vista, as well as dance clubs that appeal to the old and young.

In the warmer months there are quite a few pop up markets, bazaars and farmers markets. And lots of free live music!
Lately the city is attracting large musical acts at the various theaters and centers. USC often has free theatrical and music performances. There's also a children's theater. The Town Theatre and the Trustus put on good shows. The Koger Center is is where various ballets, operas and performing arts shows are put on.
The Free Times paper has the best info on the happenings around town!

There is plenty to do in Columbia if you care enough to look! Read Less

Columbia, SC - Modest At Best 3.5 rating By Anonymous ( May 20, 2010) I passed through the city of Columbia, SC a few months ago on vacation with my wife. This was not our first experience in SC and I was expecting a great experience similar to our last visit to SC however I was very disappointed with Columbia.

Columbia is not a bad place but its ...Read More very modest and we could not find many attractions or things to do. There is very little shopping in Columbia with one below standard mall in the City. The nightlife primarily consists of drunken southern folk which hardly makes it enjoyable nor a family place! The majority of the "night life" is small, poorly maintained bars and the chain restaurants which have ample bars.

While Columbia does have some great historic southern architecture, that is hardly enough to make it a worthy visit! The restaurants and dining in Columbia was above average assuming you enjoy southern cuisine. I do not particularly enjoy southern cuisine therefore that was also not enough for me! There is lack of any real entertainment or family oriented events in Columbia.

My overall impression is that Columbia, SC is a very small college city. If you are looking for a family oriented location, night life or extra impressive dining you may want to cross Columbia off your list. There are far better places to visit in SC than Columbia. Read Less

Show All Reviews

Setting the Record Straight 4 rating By albsure ( May 05, 2012) I lived in Columbia for 15 years. Despite what the last reviewer saw while passing through Columbia has a number of family oriented attractions. There's a really great zoo, a few great museums including a children's museum, a railroad museum and an art museum. Then there's the st ...Read More ate museum that always has fun exhibits. There's an inexpensive water park on Ft Jackson. If you like outdoor type stuff you can kayak and canoe down the Broad, Bush and Saluda Rivers. There are a few boats that offer tours and cruises around Lake Murray. There's the Congaree National Park that is absolutely breathtaking. Harbison State Forest is great for hiking and Sesqui State Park is great for picnics. And Saluda Shoals park offers a lot of great events for everyone including kids.

There are two fairly large shopping areas on opposite ends of the city...Harbison and Sandhill. Chances are the previous reviewer stopped in a really old dilapidated Columbia Mall that's over run by teens and young people. If you're looking for high end Fifth Avenue type of shopping you are certainly not going to find it in Columbia but there are great shops and boutiques all over the city including the downtown area, 5 points and the Vista. The same is true for restaurants. The Devine St area has great food...including a number of "international type cuisines".

If you're a history buff go on a couple tours of the historic homes in the downtown area and tour the State House.
There are "gay friendly" spots in the Vista, as well as dance clubs that appeal to the old and young.

In the warmer months there are quite a few pop up markets, bazaars and farmers markets. And lots of free live music!
Lately the city is attracting large musical acts at the various theaters and centers. USC often has free theatrical and music performances. There's also a children's theater. The Town Theatre and the Trustus put on good shows. The Koger Center is is where various ballets, operas and performing arts shows are put on.
The Free Times paper has the best info on the happenings around town!

There is plenty to do in Columbia if you care enough to look! Read Less

Columbia, SC - Modest At Best 3.5 rating By Anonymous ( May 20, 2010) I passed through the city of Columbia, SC a few months ago on vacation with my wife. This was not our first experience in SC and I was expecting a great experience similar to our last visit to SC however I was very disappointed with Columbia.

Columbia is not a bad place but its ...Read More very modest and we could not find many attractions or things to do. There is very little shopping in Columbia with one below standard mall in the City. The nightlife primarily consists of drunken southern folk which hardly makes it enjoyable nor a family place! The majority of the "night life" is small, poorly maintained bars and the chain restaurants which have ample bars.

While Columbia does have some great historic southern architecture, that is hardly enough to make it a worthy visit! The restaurants and dining in Columbia was above average assuming you enjoy southern cuisine. I do not particularly enjoy southern cuisine therefore that was also not enough for me! There is lack of any real entertainment or family oriented events in Columbia.

My overall impression is that Columbia, SC is a very small college city. If you are looking for a family oriented location, night life or extra impressive dining you may want to cross Columbia off your list. There are far better places to visit in SC than Columbia. Read Less

Compare Columbia, SC Livability

Columbia, SC

Columbia is a city in South Carolina with friendly people, numerous businesses, and southern flair at every turn. When you walk throughout the downtown area, you'll see a variety of trees including maples and oaks, small shops, and plenty of people waiting to say hello. Even though this is a large city, there isn't a lot of traffic. The traffic that does flow through the city tends to stay on the mild side. The University of South Carolina is located in Columbia, which means that you'll likely see several college students frequenting the shops during the day and on the weekends.

This is one of the top affordable places to live in the southern area of the country. Prices for renting and buying a home, purchasing a car, and the basic necessities that are needed for your family are lower than what you'll find in other states. One way that you can pay your bills and splurge on a few treats in Columbia is by working at one of the top businesses in the city, such as AT&T, BlueCross Blue Shield, and Prisma Health.

Even though there are quite a few colleges in Columbia, the University of South Carolina is the most popular. It's in the top 50 colleges in the country and features at least 300 graduate and undergraduate programs. Columbia College is an option to consider as well. The school caters to veterans and is ideal for someone who wants to further their education on a budget.

Columbia's weather is usually warm and sunny. There are a few times during the winter months that storm systems cross at the right time to deliver a few inches of snow. Overall, you're going to be able to enjoy comfortable temperatures during most of the year. The summer months are often hot and humid, but the coastline is only a few hours away.

If you enjoy outdoor activities, then you'll find that Columbia has a lot to offer. There are trails in parks to explore including the Boardwalk Loop Trail. You can set up a tent in many of the parks, and there are campgrounds in the rural areas of the city where you can enjoy organized camping. Lake Murray is also an option if you like boating, swimming, or fishing. This is the largest manmade lake in the city.

When you're in Columbia, you'll be treated to numerous events during the year. There are 4th of July celebrations with food and fireworks, seafood at the Rosewood Crawfish Festival, and a variety of book readings at the Deckle Edge Literary Festival. As you enjoy the beauty outside, you'll see that Columbia offers even more beauty when you turn the key to your new home or explore the indoor attractions and activities that are available.