Columbia, SC · standard
ZIP Code 29204
Richland County, South Carolina — Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 19,952
- 1,192/sq mi
- $50,189
- Median income
- $199,600
- Median home value
- 38.3%
- Bachelor's or higher
The verdict
Columbia pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with below-median home values, in a low-density, mixed-tenure area.
- 14th pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- 43th pct
- home value, US ZIPs
- 1,192
- people per sq mi
- 59%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 29204 against every reporting US ZIP.
ZIP code 29204 is classified by USPS as a standard delivery area and covers roughly 16.7 square miles in Columbia, Richland County, South Carolina. The area is home to 19,952 residents, producing a population density of 1,192 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 29204 against South Carolina and the nation.
On the economic side, the median household income for ZIP 29204 sits at $50,189 (21% below the South Carolina average), while per-capita income is $35,243. The poverty rate stands at 23.5% and the unemployment rate at 8.4%. On housing, the median home value is $199,600 (12% below the state average) with median rent at $1,031 per month, and 58.7% of occupied units are owner-occupied, a direct signal of whether 29204 behaves more like a homeowner neighborhood or a renter-heavy ZIP.
Education and household profile round out the picture: 38.3% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 35.3, and the average commute is 18 minutes. We also surface 10 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Richland County, so you can benchmark 29204 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 29204
Top 5 sectors by establishment count
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 29204.
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
134 establishments
- Retail trade
Retail trade
82 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
78 establishments
- Professional, scientific, and technical services
Professional, scientific, and technical services
74 establishments
- Finance and insurance 44
Finance and insurance
44 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 29204, 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
19,952
Population
16.7
Area (sq mi)
1,192
People / sq mi
New York
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 29204?
35.3
Median Age
47.0%
Male
53.0%
Female
3.7%
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?
$50,189
Median Household Income
-21% vs state
$35,243
Per Capita Income
23.5%
Poverty Rate
8.4%
Unemployment Rate
18.1 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 29204 ranks nationally
Household income vs. every US ZIP code
Median household income — the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked
$50,189 14th percentile higher than 14% 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?
8,755
Total Housing Units
7,837
Occupied Units
918
Vacant Units
2.03
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$199,600
Median Home Value
-12% vs state
$1,031
Median Rent
1964
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
-0.3%
YoY Change (2024)
225
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+125%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 29204 have decreased 0.3% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +125% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +2.1% | 152 |
| 2021 | +10.5% | 168 |
| 2022 | +15.7% | 194 |
| 2023 | +16.0% | 226 |
| 2024 | -0.3% | 225 |
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 549 business establishments in ZIP 29204, employing approximately 7,164 people with a combined annual payroll of $337,668,000.
549
Businesses
7,164
Employees
$337.7M
Annual Payroll
16
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 134 | 24.4% |
| Retail trade | 82 | 14.9% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 78 | 14.2% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 74 | 13.5% |
| Finance and insurance | 44 | 8.0% |
| Accommodation and food services | 28 | 5.1% |
| Construction | 25 | 4.5% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 22 | 4.0% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 20 | 3.6% |
| Educational services | 8 | 1.5% |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 8 | 1.5% |
| Wholesale trade | 6 | 1.1% |
| Management of companies and enterprises | 6 | 1.1% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 5 | 0.9% |
| Information | 5 | 0.9% |
| Manufacturing | 3 | 0.6% |
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 29204 vs 29205 →
ZIP 29204 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 29210
Columbia (29210)
40,356 residents
- 29203
Columbia (29203)
39,843 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
- 29225 1,228
Columbia (29225)
1,228 residents
- 29208 695
Columbia (29208)
695 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 29204 ranks #6 by population — useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 29204 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
- 29205
Columbia (29205)
$64,231 median income
- 29169
West Columbia (29169)
$57,122 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 29204 ranks #5 of 7 neighboring ZIPs — local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.
| ZIP Code | City | Population | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 29205 | Columbia, SC | 24,822 | 2.7 mi |
| 29206 | Columbia, SC | 17,788 | 2.4 mi |
| 29225 | Columbia, SC | 1,228 | 2.7 mi |
| 29208 | Columbia, SC | 695 | 2.7 mi |
| 29202 | Columbia, SC | 135 | 3.0 mi |
| 29201 | Columbia, SC | 20,594 | 3.5 mi |
| 29147 | State Park, SC | 0 | 4.8 mi |
| 29203 | Columbia, SC | 39,843 | 5.7 mi |
| 29210 | Columbia, SC | 40,356 | 6.2 mi |
| 29169 | West Columbia, SC | 22,845 | 6.0 mi |
More ZIP Codes in Richland County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 29204 in? ▼
What is the population of ZIP code 29204? ▼
What is the median household income in ZIP 29204? ▼
What is the average home value in ZIP 29204? ▼
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 29204? ▼
How many businesses are in ZIP code 29204? ▼
What are the main industries in ZIP code 29204? ▼
How have home values changed in ZIP code 29204? ▼
What is the education level in ZIP code 29204? ▼
What is the average commute time in ZIP 29204? ▼
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 29204? ▼
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 29204? ▼
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.