Much to love, even if not perfect.
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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.
Rebecca | Columbia, SC