BestCityFor

Best city for young professionals? Columbia, SC

B
Score
48/100
Rank #90 (top 200 cities)
Data: ACS 2023 (5-year)

Columbia can work for young professionals if you’re optimizing for typical rent (2br) and bachelor’s+ rate. Overall, it’s around the middle of the pack (#90 of 200). The biggest tradeoff is below poverty line.

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).
  • Age 25–34 share: 18% (12% higher than the national median; better for this metric).

Watch-outs

  • Below poverty line: 23% (60% higher 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
Median household income
$55,653
National median: $75,598
Age 25–34 share
18%
National median: 16%
Bachelor’s+ rate
46%
National median: 35%
Work-from-home share
10%
National median: 12%
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)
Career
Income and workforce proxies that often correlate with opportunity.
27/100
Affordability
Housing costs that affect early-career budgets.
87/100
Young-adult mix
Age 25–34 presence and broad stability signals.
32/100
Comfort
Commute friction as a time/quality proxy.
94/100

Education (age 25+)

Share of adults by attainment (ACS).

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

Age mix

Share of residents age 25–34 (ACS).

18%
Age 25–34
82%
Other ages

Commute mix

Share of commuters with 45+ min travel time (ACS).

6%
45+ min
94%
Under 45

Map

Open in OpenStreetMap →

Scorecard breakdown

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

City
National median (dataset)
Median household income
National median $75,598
$55,653
Bachelor’s+ rate
National median 35%
46%
Work-from-home share
National median 12%
10%
Broadband subscription
National median 91%
88%
Typical rent (2BR)
National median $1,441/mo
$1,164/mo
Age 25–34 share
National median 16%
18%
Below poverty line
National median 15%
23%
Commute 45+ min share
National median 11%
6%

Similar cities (by score)

#88 Des Moines, IA
48/100
#89 Dallas, TX
48/100
#91 Norfolk, VA
47/100
#92 Santa Clarita, CA
47/100

FAQ

›What is Columbia’s young professionals score and rank?
Columbia, SC scores B (48/100) and ranks #90 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 2BR rent in Columbia, SC?
Typical rent (2BR) is $1,164/mo (national median: $1,441/mo).
›What is median household income in Columbia, SC?
Median household income is $55,653 (national median: $75,598).
›How large is the 25–34 population in Columbia, SC?
Age 25–34 share is 18% (national median: 16%).
›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 (neighborhoods, taxes, commute, schools, safety, and your support network).