Columbia, SC · standard
ZIP Code 29201
Richland County, South Carolina — Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 20,594
- 696/sq mi
- $32,297
- Median income
- $255,800
- Median home value
- 52.9%
- Bachelor's or higher
The verdict
Columbia pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with above-median home values, in a low-density, renter-heavy area.
- 2th pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- Top 41%
- home value, US ZIPs
- 696
- people per sq mi
- 25%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 29201 against every reporting US ZIP.
ZIP code 29201 is classified by USPS as a standard delivery area and covers roughly 29.6 square miles in Columbia, Richland County, South Carolina. The area is home to 20,594 residents, producing a population density of 696 people per square mile, and falls within the New York time zone. These USPS and Census boundary values drive every downstream statistic on this page, including the benchmarks that compare 29201 against South Carolina and the nation.
On the economic side, the median household income for ZIP 29201 sits at $32,297 (49% below the South Carolina average), while per-capita income is $28,003. The poverty rate stands at 48.1% and the unemployment rate at 5.5%. On housing, the median home value is $255,800 (13% above the state average) with median rent at $1,174 per month, and 25.0% of occupied units are owner-occupied, a direct signal of whether 29201 behaves more like a homeowner neighborhood or a renter-heavy ZIP.
Education and household profile round out the picture: 52.9% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 22.5, and the average commute is 17 minutes. We also surface 10 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Richland County, so you can benchmark 29201 against its immediate geography rather than a national average alone. Every figure is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, HUD Fair Market Rents, and FHFA Home Price Index data, no estimates, no proprietary scoring. Verify with HUD →
Top industries in ZIP 29201
Top 5 sectors by establishment count
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 29201.
- Professional, scientific, and technical services
Professional, scientific, and technical services
498 establishments
- Accommodation and food services 184
Accommodation and food services
184 establishments
- Finance and insurance 182
Finance and insurance
182 establishments
- Health care and social assistance 181
Health care and social assistance
181 establishments
- Other services (except public administration) 181
Other services (except public administration)
181 establishments
What this shows Establishment counts come from the Census ZIP Code Business Patterns program, which counts physical business locations rather than employees or revenue.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates + ZIP Code Business Patterns + HUD FMR + FHFA HPI ACS demographics, ZBP business establishments, HUD Fair Market Rents, FHFA HPI for ZIP 29201, Columbia, SC · 2023 Census ACS 5-Year Estimates use a rolling 60-month sample for stable small-geography estimates; ZBP updated annually; HUD FMR + FHFA HPI updated quarterly/annually.
Quick Facts
20,594
Population
29.6
Area (sq mi)
696
People / sq mi
New York
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 29201?
22.5
Median Age
53.4%
Male
46.6%
Female
7.3%
Foreign-Born
Hispanic or Latino is an ethnicity category from the Census Bureau and may overlap with other categories above.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
How much do residents earn?
$32,297
Median Household Income
-49% vs state
$28,003
Per Capita Income
48.1%
Poverty Rate
5.5%
Unemployment Rate
16.8 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 29201 ranks nationally
Household income vs. every US ZIP code
Median household income — the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked
$32,297 2nd percentile higher than 2% of 30,318 US ZIPs
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US ZIPs. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Census Bureau — ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2019–2023
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What is the education profile here?
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What does housing look like?
13,441
Total Housing Units
10,410
Occupied Units
3,031
Vacant Units
1.95
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$255,800
Median Home Value
+13% vs state
$1,174
Median Rent
1996
Median Year Built
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
How have home values changed over time?
FHFA House Price Index, annual appreciation data based on repeat sales and appraisals
+10.8%
YoY Change (2024)
255
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+155%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 29201 have increased 10.8% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +155% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +0.4% | 173 |
| 2021 | +11.8% | 193 |
| 2022 | +12.1% | 216 |
| 2023 | +6.3% | 230 |
| 2024 | +10.8% | 255 |
Source: Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) House Price Index, All-Transactions, Five-Digit ZIP Codes (Developmental Index). Index base = 100 in year 2000. Data through 2024. ZIP codes with few transactions may show missing values.
What businesses operate in this ZIP?
Census Bureau data shows 1,895 business establishments in ZIP 29201, employing approximately 33,650 people with a combined annual payroll of $2,243,338,000.
1,895
Businesses
33,650
Employees
$2.2B
Annual Payroll
18
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 498 | 26.3% |
| Accommodation and food services | 184 | 9.7% |
| Finance and insurance | 182 | 9.6% |
| Health care and social assistance | 181 | 9.6% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 181 | 9.6% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 119 | 6.3% |
| Retail trade | 116 | 6.1% |
| Wholesale trade | 98 | 5.2% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 81 | 4.3% |
| Information | 53 | 2.8% |
| Construction | 51 | 2.7% |
| Manufacturing | 43 | 2.3% |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 33 | 1.7% |
| Educational services | 27 | 1.4% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 26 | 1.4% |
| Management of companies and enterprises | 12 | 0.6% |
| Utilities | 6 | 0.3% |
| Industries not classified | 3 | 0.2% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP), 2023. Employment figures may include noise for disclosure avoidance.
Nearby ZIP Codes
Want a side-by-side? Compare 29201 vs 29202 →
ZIP 29201 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 29209
Columbia (29209)
33,324 residents
- 29205
Columbia (29205)
24,822 residents
- 29169
West Columbia (29169)
22,845 residents
- 29201
Columbia (29201)
20,594 residents
- 29204
Columbia (29204)
19,952 residents
- 29206
Columbia (29206)
17,788 residents
- 29033 11,603
Cayce (29033)
11,603 residents
- 29172 9,293
West Columbia (29172)
9,293 residents
- 29225 1,228
Columbia (29225)
1,228 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 29201 ranks #4 by population — useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 29201 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 29206
Columbia (29206)
$91,847 median income
- 29172
West Columbia (29172)
$64,430 median income
- 29205
Columbia (29205)
$64,231 median income
- 29033
Cayce (29033)
$61,237 median income
- 29209
Columbia (29209)
$58,772 median income
- 29169
West Columbia (29169)
$57,122 median income
- 29204
Columbia (29204)
$50,189 median income
- 29201 $32,297
Columbia (29201)
$32,297 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 29201 ranks #8 of 8 neighboring ZIPs — local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.
| ZIP Code | City | Population | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 29202 | Columbia, SC | 135 | 0.7 mi |
| 29208 | Columbia, SC | 695 | 1.0 mi |
| 29225 | Columbia, SC | 1,228 | 0.9 mi |
| 29205 | Columbia, SC | 24,822 | 1.8 mi |
| 29033 | Cayce, SC | 11,603 | 2.5 mi |
| 29204 | Columbia, SC | 19,952 | 3.5 mi |
| 29169 | West Columbia, SC | 22,845 | 4.1 mi |
| 29206 | Columbia, SC | 17,788 | 5.1 mi |
| 29172 | West Columbia, SC | 9,293 | 5.8 mi |
| 29209 | Columbia, SC | 33,324 | 5.9 mi |
More ZIP Codes in Richland County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 29201 in? ▼
What is the population of ZIP code 29201? ▼
What is the median household income in ZIP 29201? ▼
What is the average home value in ZIP 29201? ▼
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 29201? ▼
How many businesses are in ZIP code 29201? ▼
What are the main industries in ZIP code 29201? ▼
How have home values changed in ZIP code 29201? ▼
What is the education level in ZIP code 29201? ▼
What is the average commute time in ZIP 29201? ▼
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 29201? ▼
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 29201? ▼
ZIP Code Research Guides
Official Data Resources for Columbia, SC
Verify and explore additional data for this area using these official government sources.
Read our methodology to see how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.