PlainZIP

Columbia, SC · standard

ZIP Code 29206

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

17,788
803/sq mi
$91,847
Median income
$369,500
Median home value
61.6%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Columbia pairs an upper-quartile household income with upper-quartile home values, in a low-density, homeowner-dominated area.

Top 25%
household income, US ZIPs
Top 24%
home value, US ZIPs
803
people per sq mi
66%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 29206 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 29206 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Columbia, Richland County, South Carolina, home to 17,788 residents across 22.2 square miles, a density of 803 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.

ZIP 29206 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $91,847 (44% above the South Carolina average), while per-capita income is $60,637. 6.1% of residents live below the poverty line, and the unemployment rate reads 2.6%. The typical home here is valued at $369,500 (63% above the state average); renters pay a median of $1,419 monthly, and 65.7% of units are owner-occupied.

This is a highly-educated ZIP: 61.6% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 37.6, and the average commute is 20 minutes. A geography-based comparison follows: 10 ZIP codes within about 10 miles of 29206, 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 29206

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Columbia, SC

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 29206.

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 29206, 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

17,788

Population

22.2

Area (sq mi)

803

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 29206?

37.6

Median Age

48.5%

Male

51.5%

Female

3.0%

Foreign-Born

White 71.3%
African American 17.7%
Asian 2.5%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.1%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 6.0%
Hispanic or Latino 5.3%

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?

$91,847

Median Household Income

+44% vs state

$60,637

Per Capita Income

6.1%

Poverty Rate

2.6%

Unemployment Rate

20.1 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 29206 ranks nationally

Columbia, SC household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$91,847 Top 25% higher than 75% 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%). Below this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 5,778 US ZIPs (19%). This entry sits in this band. $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 70.3%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 61.6%

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

What does housing look like?

9,430

Total Housing Units

8,552

Occupied Units

878

Vacant Units

2.31

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 65.7%
Renter 34.3%

$369,500

Median Home Value

+63% vs state

$1,419

Median Rent

1968

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

+7.9%

YoY Change (2024)

242

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+142%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 29206 have increased 7.9% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +142% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +2.8% 170
2021 +8.3% 184
2022 +14.2% 210
2023 +7.0% 225
2024 +7.9% 242

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 547 business establishments in ZIP 29206, employing approximately 6,554 people with a combined annual payroll of $270,720,000.

547

Businesses

6,554

Employees

$270.7M

Annual Payroll

16

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Retail trade 100 18.3%
Accommodation and food services 73 13.3%
Health care and social assistance 64 11.7%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 63 11.5%
Other services (except public administration) 59 10.8%
Finance and insurance 48 8.8%
Real estate and rental and leasing 44 8.0%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 22 4.0%
Construction 18 3.3%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 13 2.4%
Educational services 11 2.0%
Wholesale trade 10 1.8%
Transportation and warehousing 7 1.3%
Information 7 1.3%
Manufacturing 4 0.7%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting 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 29206 vs 29204 →

ZIP 29206 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 29206 ranks #6 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 29206 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 29206 ranks the highest of 6 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
29204 Columbia, SC 19,952 2.4 mi
29147 State Park, SC 0 4.4 mi
29205 Columbia, SC 24,822 3.5 mi
29225 Columbia, SC 1,228 4.4 mi
29208 Columbia, SC 695 4.5 mi
29223 Columbia, SC 50,141 4.9 mi
29202 Columbia, SC 135 4.8 mi
29209 Columbia, SC 33,324 7.2 mi
29201 Columbia, SC 20,594 5.1 mi
29207 Columbia, SC 11,592 6.8 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 29206 in? ▼
ZIP code 29206 (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 29206? ▼
ZIP code 29206 in Columbia, SC has a population of 17,788 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 29206? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 29206 is $91,847, which is 20% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 29206? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 29206 is $369,500, which is 33% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 29206? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 29206 is White at 71.3%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 5.3% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 29206? ▼
ZIP code 29206 has 547 business establishments employing approximately 6,554 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 29206? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 29206 are: Retail trade (100), Accommodation and food services (73), Health care and social assistance (64). There are 16 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 29206? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 29206 increased by 7.9% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 142%. 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 29206? ▼
In ZIP code 29206, 70.3% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 61.6% 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 29206? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 29206 is 20.1 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 29206? ▼
In ZIP code 29206, approximately 65.7% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 34.3% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 29206? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 29206 is 6.1% 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.