PlainZIP

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 a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Columbia, Richland County, South Carolina, with 20,594 residents across 29.6 square miles, a density of 696 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.

ZIP 29201 sits on the lower end of the income spectrum: median household income is $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%. The typical home here is valued at $255,800 (13% above the state average); renters pay a median of $1,174 monthly, and 25.0% of units are owner-occupied.

This is a highly-educated ZIP: 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 on this page is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (including median rent) and the FHFA House Price Index, no estimates, no proprietary scoring. Verify with Census →

Top industries in ZIP 29201

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Columbia, SC

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 29201.

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 · ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) As of 2023

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates + ZIP Code Business Patterns + FHFA HPI ACS demographics and median rent, ZBP business establishments, 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; 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

Neighborhood Scorecard
Get an A-F grade across income, safety, housing, rent, education, commute, and childcare for this ZIP code.
View Scorecard →

Who lives in ZIP 29201?

22.5

Median Age

53.4%

Male

46.6%

Female

7.3%

Foreign-Born

White 63.3%
African American 23.2%
Asian 5.4%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.0%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 4.4%
Hispanic or Latino 4.7%

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

Columbia, SC 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

$0–$20,000: 118 US ZIPs (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 1,573 US ZIPs (5%). This entry sits in this band. $40,000–$60,000: 7,092 US ZIPs (23%). Above this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). Above this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 5,778 US ZIPs (19%). Above this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 2,855 US ZIPs (9%). Above this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 1,362 US ZIPs (4%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 686 US ZIPs (2%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 364 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $180,000–$200,000: 186 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $200,000–$220,000: 324 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. This ZIP $0 $200K+ every reporting US ZIP, bucketed by value

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?

High School Graduate or Higher 70.1%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 52.9%

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

Owner 25.0%
Renter 75.0%

$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.

residents

What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 29201 ranks #4 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023

ZIP 29201 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income

Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

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.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023
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

29223 standard
Columbia, SC
Pop: 50,141
29229 standard
Columbia, SC
Pop: 44,229
29210 standard
Columbia, SC
Pop: 40,356
29203 standard
Columbia, SC
Pop: 39,843
29209 standard
Columbia, SC
Pop: 33,324
29063 standard
Irmo, SC
Pop: 32,717

Related Areas

Richland County Columbia, SC South Carolina

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 29201 in? ▼
ZIP code 29201 (Columbia) is located in Richland County, South Carolina. Richland County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/richland-sc.
What is the population of ZIP code 29201? ▼
ZIP code 29201 in Columbia, SC has a population of 20,594 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 29201? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 29201 is $32,297, which is 58% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 29201? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 29201 is $255,800, which is 8% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 29201? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 29201 is White at 63.3%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 4.7% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 29201? ▼
ZIP code 29201 has 1,895 business establishments employing approximately 33,650 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 29201? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 29201 are: Professional, scientific, and technical services (498), Accommodation and food services (184), Finance and insurance (182). There are 18 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 29201? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 29201 increased by 10.8% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 155%. This is a developmental index based on repeat sales and appraisal data from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
What is the education level in ZIP code 29201? ▼
In ZIP code 29201, 70.1% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 52.9% hold a bachelor's degree or higher. These figures come from the Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023).
What is the average commute time in ZIP 29201? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 29201 is 16.8 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend less time traveling to work than typical.
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 29201? ▼
In ZIP code 29201, approximately 25.0% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 75.0% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 29201? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 29201 is 48.1% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.

Read our methodology to see how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.