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US City Data

Columbia vs Charleston

Side-by-side comparison

How does Columbia, SC compare to Charleston, SC? Columbia has a population of 138,019 with a median household income of $55,653, while Charleston has 152,014 residents and a median income of $90,038. Below you'll find a detailed breakdown of demographics, economy, and housing for both cities.

Population & Demographics
MetricColumbia, SCCharleston, SCDifference
Population138,019152,014-9.2%
Median Age28.736.1-20.5%
Foreign Born %5.1%5.4%-5.6%
Economy
MetricColumbiaCharlestonDifference
Median Income$55,653$90,038-38.2%
Unemployment7.6%3.4%+123.5%
Poverty Rate23.3%12%+94.2%
Bachelor's+46.1%57.7%-20.1%
Housing
MetricColumbiaCharlestonDifference
Home Value$243,500$469,100-48.1%
Median Rent$1158/mo$1632/mo-29.0%
Housing Units60,56875,826-20.1%

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Columbia, SC ProfileCharleston, SC ProfileCost of Living in South CarolinaMore ComparisonsCity Rankings