PlainZIP

Columbia, SC · standard

ZIP Code 29205

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

24,822
1,458/sq mi
$64,231
Median income
$349,700
Median home value
64.9%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Columbia pairs a below-median household income with above-median home values, in a low-density, mixed-tenure area.

37th pct
household income, US ZIPs
Top 26%
home value, US ZIPs
1,458
people per sq mi
52%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 29205 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 29205 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Columbia, Richland County, South Carolina, with 24,822 residents across 17.0 square miles, a density of 1,458 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.

ZIP 29205 reports a modest median household income of $64,231 (1% above the South Carolina average), while per-capita income is $55,656. Poverty here runs at 19.9%, with unemployment measured at 3.0%. Median home value sits at $349,700 (55% above the state average), median rent at $1,109 a month, and owner-occupancy at 52.4%.

This is a highly-educated ZIP: 64.9% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 31.9, and the average commute is 17 minutes. A geography-based comparison follows: 10 ZIP codes within about 10 miles of 29205, plus 6 more within Richland County, give a clearer read than the 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 29205

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Columbia, SC

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 29205.

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 29205, 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

24,822

Population

17.0

Area (sq mi)

1,458

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 29205?

31.9

Median Age

49.8%

Male

50.2%

Female

4.9%

Foreign-Born

White 70.2%
African American 16.9%
Asian 3.3%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.1%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.9%
Two or More Ethnicities 7.1%
Hispanic or Latino 6.9%

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?

$64,231

Median Household Income

+1% vs state

$55,656

Per Capita Income

19.9%

Poverty Rate

3.0%

Unemployment Rate

16.5 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 29205 ranks nationally

Columbia, SC household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$64,231 37th percentile higher than 37% 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%). Below this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). This entry sits in this band. $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 76.3%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 64.9%

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

What does housing look like?

12,696

Total Housing Units

10,643

Occupied Units

2,053

Vacant Units

2.00

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 52.4%
Renter 47.6%

$349,700

Median Home Value

+55% vs state

$1,109

Median Rent

1956

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

+10.5%

YoY Change (2024)

261

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+161%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 29205 have increased 10.5% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +161% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +2.4% 176
2021 +8.7% 191
2022 +14.7% 220
2023 +7.8% 237
2024 +10.5% 261

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 699 business establishments in ZIP 29205, employing approximately 10,814 people with a combined annual payroll of $391,682,000.

699

Businesses

10,814

Employees

$391.7M

Annual Payroll

15

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Professional, scientific, and technical services 122 17.4%
Retail trade 117 16.7%
Accommodation and food services 100 14.3%
Other services (except public administration) 73 10.4%
Health care and social assistance 64 9.2%
Real estate and rental and leasing 54 7.7%
Finance and insurance 50 7.2%
Construction 24 3.4%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 21 3.0%
Educational services 18 2.6%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 17 2.4%
Wholesale trade 11 1.6%
Transportation and warehousing 10 1.4%
Information 9 1.3%
Manufacturing 7 1.0%

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 29205 vs 29225 →

ZIP 29205 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 29205 ranks #2 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 29205 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 29205 ranks #2 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
29225 Columbia, SC 1,228 1.6 mi
29202 Columbia, SC 135 1.9 mi
29201 Columbia, SC 20,594 1.8 mi
29208 Columbia, SC 695 1.8 mi
29204 Columbia, SC 19,952 2.7 mi
29206 Columbia, SC 17,788 3.5 mi
29033 Cayce, SC 11,603 4.2 mi
29169 West Columbia, SC 22,845 5.7 mi
29209 Columbia, SC 33,324 5.2 mi
29147 State Park, SC 0 7.3 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
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 29205 in? ▼
ZIP code 29205 (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 29205? ▼
ZIP code 29205 in Columbia, SC has a population of 24,822 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 29205? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 29205 is $64,231, which is 16% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 29205? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 29205 is $349,700, which is 26% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 29205? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 29205 is White at 70.2%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 6.9% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 29205? ▼
ZIP code 29205 has 699 business establishments employing approximately 10,814 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 29205? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 29205 are: Professional, scientific, and technical services (122), Retail trade (117), Accommodation and food services (100). There are 15 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 29205? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 29205 increased by 10.5% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 161%. 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 29205? ▼
In ZIP code 29205, 76.3% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 64.9% 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 29205? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 29205 is 16.5 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 29205? ▼
In ZIP code 29205, approximately 52.4% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 47.6% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 29205? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 29205 is 19.9% 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.