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 classified by USPS as a standard delivery area and covers roughly 164.0 square miles in Columbia, Richland County, South Carolina. The area is home to 39,843 residents, producing a population density of 243 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 29203 against South Carolina and the nation.
On the economic side, the median household income for ZIP 29203 sits at $46,054 (28% below the South Carolina average), while per-capita income is $25,580. The poverty rate stands at 26.1% and the unemployment rate at 11.9%. 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, a direct signal of whether 29203 behaves more like a homeowner neighborhood or a renter-heavy ZIP.
Education and household profile round out the picture: 22.3% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 34.6, and the average commute is 22 minutes. We also surface 10 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Richland County, so you can benchmark 29203 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 29203
Top 5 sectors by establishment count
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 29203.
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
127 establishments
- Retail trade
Retail trade
103 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
97 establishments
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
59 establishments
- Construction 50
Construction
50 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 29203, 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
39,843
Population
164.0
Area (sq mi)
243
People / sq mi
New York
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 29203?
34.6
Median Age
48.8%
Male
51.2%
Female
1.9%
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?
$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
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
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?
18,954
Total Housing Units
15,776
Occupied Units
3,178
Vacant Units
2.45
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$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.
- 29223
Columbia (29223)
50,141 residents
- 29210
Columbia (29210)
40,356 residents
- 29203
Columbia (29203)
39,843 residents
- 29205
Columbia (29205)
24,822 residents
- 29201
Columbia (29201)
20,594 residents
- 29204 19,952
Columbia (29204)
19,952 residents
- 29016 16,393
Blythewood (29016)
16,393 residents
- 29225 1,228
Columbia (29225)
1,228 residents
- 29208 695
Columbia (29208)
695 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 29203 ranks #3 by population — useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 29203 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 29016
Blythewood (29016)
$95,082 median income
- 29205
Columbia (29205)
$64,231 median income
- 29223
Columbia (29223)
$62,408 median income
- 29210
Columbia (29210)
$50,871 median income
- 29204
Columbia (29204)
$50,189 median income
- 29203
Columbia (29203)
$46,054 median income
- 29201 $32,297
Columbia (29201)
$32,297 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.
| 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
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 29203 in? ▼
What is the population of ZIP code 29203? ▼
What is the median household income in ZIP 29203? ▼
What is the average home value in ZIP 29203? ▼
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 29203? ▼
How many businesses are in ZIP code 29203? ▼
What are the main industries in ZIP code 29203? ▼
How have home values changed in ZIP code 29203? ▼
What is the education level in ZIP code 29203? ▼
What is the average commute time in ZIP 29203? ▼
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 29203? ▼
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 29203? ▼
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.