Columbia vs Rock Hill
Columbia, South Carolina versus Rock Hill, South Carolina: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Columbia and Rock Hill score about the same overall (49 vs 46 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Columbia | Rock Hill |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $54k | $61k |
| Cost of Living | $50k | $61k |
| Home Value | $226k | $233k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $1k | $1k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.69% | 0.60% |
| Income Tax | 6.40% | 6.40% |
| Sales Tax | 7.50% | 7.50% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 11.74% | 11.16% |
| Unemployment | 7.9% | 5.3% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 47°F | 42°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 83°F | 80°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 48.7 in | 42.6 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.2 in | 0.2 in |
| Sunny Days | 234 days | 187 days |
| Summer Humidity | 70°F | 68°F |
| Comfortable Days | 82 days | 77 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 55.4 | 32.7 |
| Air Quality | 42 AQI | 41 AQI |
| School Quality | 66.9 | 47.3 |
| Violent Crime | 1365/100k | 1745/100k |
| Property Crime | 2858/100k | 2716/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 136,754 | 74,170 |
| Median Age | 28.3 | 34.5 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.58 | 0.55 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.99 | 0.86 |
| Political Leaning | D+39 | R+17 |
| White (%) | 47.9% | 51.0% |
| Black (%) | 40.2% | 38.1% |
| Hispanic (%) | 5.2% | 6.0% |
| Asian (%) | 2.3% | 1.6% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 4.5% | 3.3% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 17 min | 25 min |
| Walkability | 11.1/20 | 9.1/20 |
| Airport Distance | 81 mi | 20 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 86.9% | 88.4% |
| Amenities Nearby | 12.21 | 14.83 |
| Park & Nature Access | Excellent | Good |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Columbia or Rock Hill more affordable?
- Columbia has the lower cost of living: its index is $50k, compared with Columbia's $50k and Rock Hill's $61k. Median rent is $1k in Columbia versus $1k in Rock Hill.
- Is Columbia or Rock Hill safer?
- Columbia has the lower violent crime rate. Columbia reports 1365/100k and Rock Hill reports 1745/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Columbia or Rock Hill?
- The median home value is $226k in Columbia and $233k in Rock Hill, so homes are more affordable in Columbia.