Love Living in Columbia! - 11/14/2023

I love living in Columbia! I recently graduated from USC and plan to stay. I read the reviews posted here and it shows that like many cities, your experience will depend on where you live. The downtown, USC, and neighborhoods east all the way to the small city of Forest Acres are great places to live. Once you begin heading north, it begins to change. Far north, and especially in the Richland County areas, it's poor with lots of crime - shootings, drugs, etc. and the schools struggle. I'm a teacher and it's sad to see because the kids there must overcome so much outside of school. But other than those areas, Columbia is a wonderful. Many people are moving here. I've met parents from many different states. The weather gets hot in July and August, but all other months are perfect! I'm originally from the north and do not miss the cold at all! The people here are friendly too. The only potential negative for people my age is the lack of a "bar scene," but that's not what I'm looking for.

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Almost ideal. Could see myself moving back - 7/16/2023

Loved living in Columbia, SC prior to my job transfer. It's the perfect size - plenty to do, but still a laid back place. People are extremely friendly, there are beautiful neighborhoods, and it's easy to get around. It has a major university in the center of the city, so lots of young people mingling around, which makes it a fun, energetic place to live. It's beginning to get discovered though. SC is one the faster growing states and Columbia is still affordable, but this may change. Prior to moving, VW announced a $4B plant to build all-electric cars in Columbia area. This will likely be the beginning of a population explosion as more move to the area for these jobs. Would love to get back before that happens.

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Small town advertised as a "big" city - 7/20/2021

I moved to Columbia for graduate school and although it is a giant step up from my small, out-of-state hometown, I became bored and restless here in less than a year. Although I do not particularly feel unsafe where I live, crime rates in and around the city are much higher than what is advertised. As a social person myself, I find the city to be very small and quite boring. There is no real nightlife scene here aside from college and dive bars, and a handful of quieter places downtown. For a city that supports small and local businesses as much as they claim, there is quite the monopoly on the service industry here as well. I do not recommend the city for young professionals or those who actually enjoy living in cities. If you prefer more of a "small town in the city" feel or don't want to let go of that high school hometown atmosphere, this is the place for you. Don't get me wrong, my experience here has been good overall and I feel comfortable here, however the pace is way too slow for me here. It is slow even for the south.

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Columbia is not the jewel of the of the South - 9/18/2020

Do not be a deceived by past/current residences, CPD, city council, and local media Columbia has high crime rates-property and violent that are suppressed and not publicized. They will say that crime is everywhere or normalize the idea of non-violent crime or make it seem like you’re not at high risk of experiencing it yourself. There’s this implied idea that it doesn’t happen in THIS or THAT NEIGHBORHOOD and criminals aren’t they’re actual neighbors. They say that crime only happens on the “bad” side of town or “those kinds of people don’t live here”, but these people do and each neighborhood has its unique problem residents/street. A bulk of residents falsely believe themselves to live in a much safer and nicer place despite viewing and discussing crimes that happened during the evening/morning hours on their neighborhood pages and having the knowledge that the person on tape is the local drunk, career criminal, drug addict, local public school student, or a guest of a known trap house and knowing the name and addresses of many of the offenders featured. If you move here, expect to have your home and car broken into. Knock-knock burglaries and car break-ins are the two most frequent crimes committed. You have people whom solicit to be hired to do yard work and use the opportunity to survey you and your home/belongings to steal from you at some point and/or harass you for money at inappropriate hours. Elementary to high school kids and adults will steal your car while it warms up, steal your packages, mail, bikes, unattended purses/wallets/phones, security cameras, porch furniture, and participate in many other scams and thefts too. There are teens whom are high schoolers in the downtown public school system and young adults to college students that have access to a variety of fire arms. These individuals coordinate together and rob people in their downtown neighborhoods and entertainment districts. Drive by shootings have started to to get more frequent since the pandemic. We had 3 in a row in my “nice” neighborhood in one morning. Although, shootings in general are common nightly occurrences as well as robberies with a deadly weapon. The crime statics really do speak for themselves and my review just gives context/details. Many of the crimes are committed by local residents that are known repeat offenders or repeat juveniles that have little to no criminal/legal consequences until that age out of being a minor. It doesn't help that a lot of local residents don't report some things or seek the courts to apply punishment due to sympathy for the perpetrators. There are known gangs In downtown Columbia that aren’t publicly addressed, but they exist. The judicial system is a joke- a repeat offender with a rap sheet multiple pages long will be out on bail in the same week and/or given minimal sentencing. Same with juvenile offenders with unaccountable and uninvolved parents or that have older siblings/cousins whom encourage and use them to commit crimes. Also, the local police department, Columbia Police Department is extremely understaffed and has a overwhelming sized jurisdiction. They simply do not have the manpower to provide and distribute equal coverage amongst all the downtown area and densely populated neighborhoods. The bar scene is mostly designed for college kids and 20 somethings to encourage unhealthy behaviors/relationship with alcohol. In which individuals drink heavily and put themselves at risk or participate in risky sexual behavior and drinking and driving. There’s a real reason this state is high on the list for deadly accidents and DUIs. The entertainment district 5 Points is right in the middle of an extremely impoverished and crime ridden area with known gang activity and a huge homeless population that poses a real danger to those unaware and/or severely intoxicated. It’s ok during daylight hours to frequent the businesses and restaurants, but not recommended at night especially by yourself- always stay in front of an open business. Only go out in big groups and account for everyone. The Vista isn’t much better save for a few good and popular restaurants. There are still many shootings, muggings, sexual assaults, violent altercations, gang activity, and vehicle break-ins/thefts that occur in that area. The Main Street Entertainment district is Columbia’s newer project. While it’s unique with a variety of businesses including many upscale dinning opportunities, cafes, small art galleries, hotels, corporations, ballet school, state house, and the art museum it shares the crime problem Columbia hides and a huge homeless population-many with untreated mental illnesses that do behave inappropriately and dangerously at times. The real estate prices are over inflated for a majority of the downtown neighborhoods. This is especially true for rental units that cater to university students as their ideal tenants charging $600-$900 per bedroom and lacking any real amenities save deadbolts on each bedroom door. Most private rental homes, duplexes, and apartments are not maintained or upgraded by our local realtors and landlords whom are nothing short of slumlords. There is seriously not one thoroughly reputable real estate management company in the area. They take advantage of and rip their renters off any way they can. Especially through taking security deposits and tenant’s ignorance regarding how to properly document move in/move out lists and problems and write leases to make tenants legally responsible for normal wear and tear and normal owner upkeep. FYI: Students and student’s parents you are primarily what Columbia’s entire local economy depends on and you are being ripped off. I would highly suggest that college students look at new large apartments/condos building specifically built for USC students which are often insulated from a lot of the crime in the city, provide amenities for age groups, have safety protocols, and upgrades. Public school in Columbia are pretty bad with a few exceptions. Rosewood, Brennen, and Satchel Ford are some of these shining exceptions. Many of the middle schools and high schools such as Dreher and Hand do you have a lot of student violence in it and gang activity despite raving reviews. Be careful using the local rivers. We have companies that pollute our waterways with raw sewage, treated sewage, and chemical runoff/spills from corporations all of which can be hazardous. Be careful when it rains. Many areas of Columbia are built in old marsh/swaps areas, are low laying, and next to a body of water. These things in addition to an inadequate storm water drainage system means severe flooding of roads, businesses, and residential property. If you live in an area prone to flooding or next to a body of water, get a flood insurance policy in addition to a rental/personal property insurance policy. If you enjoy bicycling, jogging, walking, or running you will need to take extreme caution as the city and the mentalities of drivers within, do you not show concern for those sharing the roads with vehicles or utilizing sidewalks/crosswalks. There are some very sad reports of people being hit who were participating in recreational activity outside-most don’t survive. Try to always wear reflective gear. Use equipment with flashing lights. Always stop and look both ways at intersections. Never assume that the car is going to stop at the stop sign or cross walk-most do a slow roll through or disregard a red light making an immediate turn. Never assume a person driving is going to stop at the white line at the intersection. Use the correct side of the road when bicycling (with traffic) or on foot (opposing traffic). Never assume that a driver sees you, will move over, or go around you. Always move to the should’s edge of the street when a vehicle approaches. Always carry self defense tools on your person and let someone know your route and when you expect to return. Never insult or say anything negative/critical about anyone, their city, neighborhood, school, team, sport, church/beliefs, political party, hometown, SC, Columbia, community figures, local problems, confederacy, confederate flag, etc. Honor culture is the norm here and it will cause a fight, people to not like you at all, and pervasive gossip. Columbia/Lexington/Irmo/Chapin all function as a small town and everyone knows everyone and talk about everyone to everyone. Just try to smile, nod, agree and pretend like everything’s cool.

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Much to love, even if not perfect. - 9/12/2020

I've lived in metro Columbia since the 80s and have seen a lot of change here. The university has grown so much and in most ways, I would say the city is getting better. I've always lived and worked near downtown, which in recent years has revitalized to become a buzzing hub of activity (pre-Covid). If you like lake life or college sports, you will love Columbia. I'm not into either, but still enjoy living in town in a walkable neighborhood with parks, a local brew pub, and pretty much everything I need within 3 miles. SC is a deep red state, but you might be surprised to find Columbia, in Richland County, is very blue. People are friendly and the city is very diverse. On the downside, housing costs are rising rapidly, especially rental rates. Crime is too high, homelessness is rising, yet we are fortunate to have a city police department that usually shows restraint in this college town. The food scene here has exponentially improved over the past decade+. There are opportunities in technology, healthcare, municipal and state government...and salaries lag behind the rest of the country. It's true our roads are a mess, but finally improving (slowly). It's also true it is miserably hot and humid here about two months of the year, but we have beautiful spring and fall seasonal color. Escapes to the beach and mountains are day trips from here. The city needs to invest more in updating infrastructure, and there are a lot of people who see the potential of Columbia and are working hard to reach it. Columbia is far from perfect, but there's much to love about it.

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Better than Florence, but still nothing special. - 3/3/2020

By and large, you'll find a better class of person than Florence, but that bar isn't particularly high. A vast, vast majority of folks have some ties to the university, the military, are from South Carolina, or have all 3 characteristics. If you are not in any of these groups, the people are ok, but you will kind of feel like an outsider. Again, people in Columbia are more hospitable than Florence, but I wouldn't exactly say that they welcome transplants with open arms. Business wise, there are more opportunities than Florence, but this is not one of the city's strong points. Columbia is not really a place to grow your career. The wages and growth opportunities are very low and still lag far behind most other cities in the U.S. I get the feeling that the attitude of many employers is "just be happy that you have a job." The attitude of the work force isn't exactly dynamic either. There isn't much energy here. It's just status quo. Maybe it is much better upstate, like in Greenville? Grocery and store wise, I will give Columbia credit. You have quality choices such as Whole Foods, the Fresh Market, Trader Joe's and Lowe's, which we have taken full advantage of. Retail wise, the shops at Trenholm Plaza are kind of nice. All in all, Columbia is not a bad place, just not a place I want to live for more than 2 years. There are few better places to live, even in the South.

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Good for Families - 12/4/2018

I am in high school in Columbia and I think that it is ok. I have lived in Forest Acres my whole life and I'm just ready to get out. It is not a bad city and there are many things that I like about it but I just am ready for a change. I went to Crayton Middle and go to AC Flora High School which are both good and extremely diverse. The city is mostly safe and I feel comfortable going on runs by myself. Forest Acres is a great place to raise a family and it is also close to downtown. The traffic is only bad at rush hour downtown and on I-26. The weather in the summer is pretty hot (90-100) and winter is too unpredictable. Some years we have snow and some years the temp does not go below 20 degrees. The airport is good but does not have many direct flights. My favorite part about Columbia is that it is less than two hours to the beach and mountains and is close to Charleston, Atlanta, Charlotte, Greenville, Asheville, and reasonably close to the rest of the East Coast. It is also pretty cheap. Thinking about moving here? I wouldn't recommend staying here for more than 5 years unless you have a young family. Overall I am glad that I was raised here.

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Ideal city for vegans + great outdoor lifestyle - 6/30/2018

My expectation for Columbia were low after living in Seattle, NYC, the DC area and Raleigh NC. Fast forward 6 months and I absolutely love this pretty city called "Cola" by the locals! I am an umarried professional age 40, and find a ton to do. The downtown is walkable with broad roads, historic buildings and an amazing tree canopy. There are farmers markets, hip eateries and lots of fresh produce. Did anyone know that Columbia is currently a vegan and vegetarian paradise? The food is scrumptious and I've sampled the cuisine 25+ countries! The USC campus is gorgeous and there are all kinds of places to walk. In addition, there are art museums and a beautiful river. The city is full of low hills which makes it soothing to look out into the distance. I would love to see the city attract more performing arts (there is a small scene but it could grow) and more direct, lower cost flights. That said, this is a wonderful place to live. It is not currently jammed up with random people flocking in from everywhere like most other places. I was conflicted over even writing this review, but I decided to do so. It's not NYC but it is a down-to-Earth community, beautiful place with sunshine and clean air. I find the weather lovely - summers are hot but it's not hot year round. This city is highly underrated by the media. I totally love it.

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Local street and highway roads - 12/8/2016

I've travelled out of the country and within the U.S. To me, by far, Columbia, South Carolina roads are absolutely challenging to navigate for visitors as well as residents. I drive as a defensive vehicle operator in Columbia always on the look out for horrible road dips and sink holes that can be the result of an unavoidable accident.

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Capital City - 8/9/2015

I have been here since July of 2000. I have enjoyed it here in every way. Job opportunities are abundant and there are so many things to do. The river, the lake, downtown and five points, shopping, food, the zoo is amazing, really nice museum. Parks, hiking, camping, sports, and so much more.

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Cost - 4/22/2015

Not too bad. I pay 1100 for a 1700sq ft

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Columbia Sucks - 11/13/2014

I have visited Columbia several times, and actually lived there for almost a year. The entire time I was there, there were constant, numerous sirens going off, a house next door to where I was living got robbed, by their own son. I had to lock my car door when walking only a couple of yards, to get gas. The people are plastic and the service at retail stores was horrible. I guess it's an okay place if you're in college and like to party all the time - but definitely not a moral, safe place to raise a family. People drive as if they're blind - so many accidents on the road. And the weather - always humid, stifling heat and no pretty change of seasons. Definitely not my cup of tea.

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Columbia SC - Famously Hot - 8/27/2014

I have to leave Columbia in order to find work in my field. I will miss all the sunny days, mild winters. The summers are extremely hot & humid which means you can swim in a pool all summer. Just don't go out mid-day. Kind of like when I lived in Boston, we got cabin fever in February because we avoided going out. At least in Columbia summer is very nice in early morning & evening.I just love not having winter clothes. For about 4 months I don't even keep a sweater in my car. Just put on a sundress & go out!

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Thinking of relocating - 1/7/2014

I'm a 41 yr old African American female looking to leave STL. Wanting to distance myself from my family and start new. STL has more crime than most cities, so I think I can handle it. However, I don't want to move into it lol. I know what areas/zip codes to avoid here in the STL. What areas should I avoid in Columbia? How are race relations? I am experienced in social work but plan to transition into a professional sign language interpreter. Is it worth the move for someone like me?

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Culture in Columbia - 9/15/2012

"A church on every other corner, and a robbery on every corner where there isn't a church." That's my review of Columbia, South Carolina. I've had the displeasure of living in this hot, steamy mess for the past seven years. What's even more pathetic, is that I lived in one of the many small towns in proximity to Columbia before actually moving here. How I got here is a long story, but believe me, this is not a good place to live for any age group. Unless of course you're an ignorant, religious fool who knows nothing but glorified high school sports, eating, drinking, church-going, and sleeping with your neighbors spouse. As far as the quisine goes, just about everything will fail here except all-you-can-eat buffets. Even the barbeque sucks, and this is supposed to be where you can get the best - the south! I just hope that because of past-life Karma, I and my wife don't have to live the rest of our lives here. I shudder at the thought of dying here. I've lived in other places, and with the exception of New Jersey, this is hovering around the bottom of the cesspool.

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Living In The Midlands Of South Carolina - 6/9/2012

Columbia is located in the center of South Carolina at the junctions of Interstates 20, 26 and 77. It is South Carolina's most populated city, the state capital, the county seat of Richland County, the home of the University of South Carolina's main campus, and the site of the South Carolina State Fair each October. A small part of Columbia also extends into Lexington County. Here is a map of the Columbia area. Columbia was settled by Europeans in the early 1700s and chosen to be the site of the new South Carolina state capital in 1786. It was chartered as a town in 1805 and as a city in 1854. Columbia was named for Christopher Columbus, and it was South Carolina's first planned city (wide streets arranged in a grid pattern) and the second planned city in the United States (Savannah was the first). Despite this, Columbia did not have a single paved street until Main Street was surfaced in 1908.Also, being located in the midlands of South Carolina you're only 1-3 hours from the mountains or the beach. So make this your destination to live and rise a family.

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Quality of life in Cola town - 2/10/2011

Maybe Idon't see it but the roads are third world,the culture is non-existent occassional artsy gigs at Colonial Center.If your married and settled, very settled Cola could be ok. But if you are adventurous,and enjoy meeting open minded diversified educated compassionate folks Cola town is not that.Study history could make it a little more interesting.The Vista,Five points thats it.Oh now USC is a great college.If you need excitement RUN BOY RUN!!!

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Columbia is the Best! - 11/16/2010

Everyone is moving to South Carolina, so cheap, so warm, so beautiful. Everyone is moving to South Carolina, so cheap, so warm, so beautiful. Everyone is moving to South Carolina, so cheap, so warm, so beautiful.

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columbia review - 2/4/2010

Columbia South Carolina is in a mild climate, especially in winter. There is almost no snow here. The largest training facility for the Army is also in the area, so there is a lot of military presence. You are also not far from Myrtle Beach which is a a nice family destination. It has several good interstates running through it so it provides good access to east/west and north/south travels.

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Crazy Drivers - 7/7/2009

I've been living in Columbia now for 3 months and I found out why auto insurance is higher here than when I lived in Raleigh NC. The drivers here seem to be make a lot more aggressive moves, cut in front of you from out of no where would be an example. Many cars here show signs of front end damage.

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