PlainZIP

Columbia, SC · standard

ZIP Code 29203

Richland County, South Carolina - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.

39,843
243/sq mi
$46,054
Median income
$141,300
Median home value
22.3%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Columbia pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with among the most affordable home values nationally, in a low-density, mixed-tenure area.

10th pct
household income, US ZIPs
23th pct
home value, US ZIPs
243
people per sq mi
49%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 29203 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 29203 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Columbia, Richland County, South Carolina, with 39,843 residents across 164.0 square miles, a density of 243 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.

ZIP 29203 reports a modest median household income of $46,054 (28% below the South Carolina average), while per-capita income is $25,580. Local economic indicators show a 26.1% poverty rate alongside 11.9% unemployment. On housing, the median home value is $141,300 (38% below the state average) with median rent at $1,110 per month, and 48.7% of occupied units are owner-occupied.

Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 22.3% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 34.6, and the average commute is 22 minutes. Beyond these figures, 10 nearby ZIP codes within about 10 miles are surfaced below, along with 6 more sharing Richland County, letting you compare 29203 to its immediate surroundings rather than a national baseline 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 29203

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Columbia, SC

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 29203.

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 29203, 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

39,843

Population

164.0

Area (sq mi)

243

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 29203?

34.6

Median Age

48.8%

Male

51.2%

Female

1.9%

Foreign-Born

White 13.7%
African American 80.2%
Asian 0.5%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.0%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.2%
Two or More Ethnicities 3.5%
Hispanic or Latino 3.4%

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?

$46,054

Median Household Income

-28% vs state

$25,580

Per Capita Income

26.1%

Poverty Rate

11.9%

Unemployment Rate

21.5 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 29203 ranks nationally

Columbia, SC household income vs. every US ZIP code

Median household income, the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked

$46,054 10th percentile higher than 10% of 30,318 US ZIPs

$0–$20,000: 118 US ZIPs (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 1,573 US ZIPs (5%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 7,092 US ZIPs (23%). This entry sits in this band. $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 54.6%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 22.3%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What does housing look like?

18,954

Total Housing Units

15,776

Occupied Units

3,178

Vacant Units

2.45

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 48.7%
Renter 51.3%

$141,300

Median Home Value

-38% vs state

$1,110

Median Rent

1974

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

+7.1%

YoY Change (2024)

229

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+129%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 29203 have increased 7.1% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +129% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +9.5% 137
2021 +11.4% 153
2022 +23.8% 189
2023 +13.4% 214
2024 +7.1% 229

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 738 business establishments in ZIP 29203, employing approximately 24,261 people with a combined annual payroll of $1,503,006,000.

738

Businesses

24,261

Employees

$1.5B

Annual Payroll

16

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Health care and social assistance 127 17.2%
Retail trade 103 14.0%
Other services (except public administration) 97 13.1%
Accommodation and food services 59 8.0%
Construction 50 6.8%
Transportation and warehousing 42 5.7%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 42 5.7%
Wholesale trade 41 5.6%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 37 5.0%
Management of companies and enterprises 35 4.7%
Real estate and rental and leasing 29 3.9%
Finance and insurance 24 3.3%
Manufacturing 22 3.0%
Educational services 13 1.8%
Information 7 0.9%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 4 0.5%

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 29203 vs 29147 →

ZIP 29203 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 29203 ranks #3 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 29203 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 29203 ranks #6 of 7 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
29147 State Park, SC 0 4.5 mi
29204 Columbia, SC 19,952 5.7 mi
29210 Columbia, SC 40,356 5.4 mi
29208 Columbia, SC 695 7.3 mi
29202 Columbia, SC 135 7.6 mi
29225 Columbia, SC 1,228 7.5 mi
29223 Columbia, SC 50,141 7.0 mi
29201 Columbia, SC 20,594 8.3 mi
29016 Blythewood, SC 16,393 7.4 mi
29205 Columbia, SC 24,822 8.3 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
29209 standard
Columbia, SC
Pop: 33,324
29063 standard
Irmo, SC
Pop: 32,717
29205 standard
Columbia, SC
Pop: 24,822

Related Areas

Richland County Columbia, SC South Carolina

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 29203 in? ▼
ZIP code 29203 (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 29203? ▼
ZIP code 29203 in Columbia, SC has a population of 39,843 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 29203? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 29203 is $46,054, which is 40% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 29203? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 29203 is $141,300, which is 49% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 29203? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 29203 is African American at 80.2%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 3.4% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 29203? ▼
ZIP code 29203 has 738 business establishments employing approximately 24,261 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 29203? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 29203 are: Health care and social assistance (127), Retail trade (103), Other services (except public administration) (97). There are 16 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 29203? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 29203 increased by 7.1% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 129%. 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 29203? ▼
In ZIP code 29203, 54.6% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 22.3% 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 29203? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 29203 is 21.5 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 29203? ▼
In ZIP code 29203, approximately 48.7% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 51.3% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 29203? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 29203 is 26.1% 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.