BestCityFor

Best city for remote work? Columbia, SC

B
Score
52/100
Rank #84 (top 200 cities)
Data: ACS 2023 (5-year)

For remote work, Columbia lands closer to the middle of the pack but can shine on bachelor’s+ rate alongside typical rent (2br). Overall, it’s a mid-pack option in this dataset (#84 of 200). A common tradeoff is median household income.

Methodology · Sources · SC rankings

Scope note (city proper)

This page scores the incorporated city limits (Census “Place”), not the metro area. That’s why some cities can look very different vs their surrounding region.

Why Columbia ranks here

  • Typical rent (2BR): $1,164/mo (19% lower than the national median; better for this metric).
  • Bachelor’s+ rate: 46% (33% higher than the national median; better for this metric).
  • Broadband subscription: 88% (3% lower than the national median; worse for this metric).

Watch-outs

  • Median household income: $55,653 (26% lower than the national median; worse for this metric).
  • Work-from-home share: 10% (20% lower than the national median; worse for this metric).

City snapshot

Basic demographics from ACS 2023 (city proper).

Population
138,019
Estimated total population (ACS).
Male vs female
Male 49%Female 51%

Key metrics

Values shown are from ACS 2023. National medians are computed across the ranked city set.

Typical rent (2BR)
$1,164/mo
National median: $1,441/mo
Work-from-home share
10%
National median: 12%
Broadband subscription
88%
National median: 91%
Median household income
$55,653
National median: $75,598
Bachelor’s+ rate
46%
National median: 35%
Commute 45+ min share
6%
National median: 11%

Score breakdown (by category)

Category scores are 0–100 and summarize groups of metrics used in the final score.

City
National median (dataset)
Affordability
Typical 2BR rent and housing pressure.
87/100
Connectivity
Broadband availability as a practical remote-work proxy.
88/100
Workforce
Remote-work adoption and human-capital signals.
19/100
Comfort
Commute friction and climate comfort.
94/100

Education (age 25+)

Share of adults by attainment (ACS).

9%
Less than HS
45%
HS / Some college
25%
Bachelor’s
21%
Advanced

Work style

WFH vs not WFH (ACS).

10%
Work from home
90%
Not WFH

Internet access

Household broadband subscription (ACS).

88%
Broadband
12%
No broadband

Map

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Scorecard breakdown

Bars are rescaled to 0–100 for readability (percentage metrics use their actual percent).

City
National median (dataset)
Typical rent (2BR)
National median $1,441/mo
$1,164/mo
Broadband subscription
National median 91%
88%
Work-from-home share
National median 12%
10%
Median household income
National median $75,598
$55,653
Bachelor’s+ rate
National median 35%
46%
Commute 45+ min share
National median 11%
6%

Similar cities (by score)

#82 Montgomery, AL
53/100
#83 Denton, TX
52/100
#85 Fort Worth, TX
52/100
#86 Phoenix, AZ
52/100

FAQ

›What is Columbia’s remote work score and rank?
Columbia, SC scores B (52/100) and ranks #84 out of the top 200 US cities in this dataset.
›Is this based on Columbia city proper or the metro area?
City proper (incorporated place). This uses Census ‘Place’ boundaries, not the metro area. Metro-level rankings can differ a lot from the city itself.
›What is the population of Columbia, SC?
Population is about 138,019 (ACS 2023, city proper).
›What is the male vs female split in Columbia, SC?
About 49% male and 51% female (ACS 2023).
›What is a typical monthly rent in Columbia, SC?
Typical rent (2BR) is $1,164/mo (national median: $1,441/mo).
›What share of workers work from home in Columbia, SC?
Work-from-home share is 10% (national median: 12%).
›How common is broadband internet in Columbia, SC?
Broadband subscription is 88% of households (national median: 91%).
›What does the education mix look like in Columbia, SC?
Among adults 25+, the shares are roughly: less than HS 9%, HS/some college 45%, bachelor’s 25%, advanced 21%.
›Where does this data come from for Columbia, SC?
Metrics are from Census ACS 2023 5-year estimates (city proper / incorporated place), with optional NOAA climate normals when available.

Note: Scores are informational and depend on data coverage and methodology. Always validate against your personal constraints (job, neighborhood, commute, safety, schools, healthcare).