Columbia vs Sumter
Columbia, South Carolina versus Sumter, 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 edges out Sumter on overall objective livability (49 vs 45 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Columbia | Sumter |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $54k | $49k |
| Cost of Living | $50k | $45k |
| Home Value | $226k | $171k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $1k | $1k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.69% | 0.63% |
| Income Tax | 6.40% | 6.40% |
| Sales Tax | 7.50% | 7.50% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 11.74% | 11.09% |
| Unemployment | 7.9% | 7.8% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 47°F | 47°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 83°F | 83°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 48.7 in | 50.9 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.2 in | 0.3 in |
| Sunny Days | 234 days | 234 days |
| Summer Humidity | 70°F | 70°F |
| Comfortable Days | 82 days | 82 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 55.4 | 69.1 |
| Air Quality | 42 AQI | 40 AQI |
| School Quality | 66.9 | 40.4 |
| Violent Crime | 1365/100k | 2908/100k |
| Property Crime | 2858/100k | 3163/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 136,754 | 43,046 |
| Median Age | 28.3 | 33.1 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.58 | 0.60 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.99 | 0.96 |
| Political Leaning | D+39 | D+13 |
| White (%) | 47.9% | 39.5% |
| Black (%) | 40.2% | 47.1% |
| Hispanic (%) | 5.2% | 7.3% |
| Asian (%) | 2.3% | 2.1% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 4.5% | 4.1% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 17 min | 19 min |
| Walkability | 11.1/20 | 7.0/20 |
| Airport Distance | 81 mi | 74 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 86.9% | 82.8% |
| Amenities Nearby | 12.21 | 16.03 |
| Park & Nature Access | Excellent | Excellent |
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 Sumter more affordable?
- Sumter has the lower cost of living: its index is $45k, compared with Columbia's $50k and Sumter's $45k. Median rent is $1k in Columbia versus $1k in Sumter.
- Is Columbia or Sumter safer?
- Columbia has the lower violent crime rate. Columbia reports 1365/100k and Sumter reports 2908/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Columbia or Sumter?
- The median home value is $226k in Columbia and $171k in Sumter, so homes are more affordable in Sumter.