Plus, downtown property sold for student housing.
 
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💸 Crunching the numbers in Cola

The cost of living in Columbia
Soda City 2024-8965.jpg
The HOPE installment is on Main Street on the 1500 block. | Photo by COLAtoday
With Columbia constantly growing and announcing multiple high-profile developments this year, we figured it was time to talk about the cost of planting roots in the Capital City.

The median household income in Richland County is $59,850 according to the US Census Bureau. State-wise, South Carolina is No. 42 in the country for median income at ~$59,318 per household.

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The overall cost of living in Columbia is lower than the national average.

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Screenshot from bestplaces.net

The overall cost of living in Columbia is lower than the national average, but slightly higher than the rest of the state.

In Columbia, the cost of healthcare is higher compared to other parts of the state + the US. However, the cost of groceries, housing, transportation, and other miscellaneous expenses in the city have lower average costs than other cities in SC and the country overall.

Breaking down the numbers

Hypothetically speaking, if you live in a household that brings in $60,000 annually — according to experts — you shouldn’t spend more than 30% of your monthly gross income on rent and utilities. The average monthly rent for an apartment in Columbia is $1,398 — nearing the top of your budget.

Meanwhile, if you’re wondering how much you can currently afford to spend on buying a home in Columbia, try using SmartAsset’s cost calculator. Factors like your marital status, annual pre-tax income, down payment, and monthly debt, will help determine that figure. According to BestPlaces, the median home cost in Columbia is $204,100.

While we’re crunching numbers, let’s also take a look at the chart below to see how Columbia’s cost of living compares to that of Raleigh, NC.

Local housing + developments

Columbia has entities such as the Columbia Housing + other government-funded programs to help develop more affordable units.

There are also a number of local development firms working on apartments seemingly all the time — from Stream Development’s The Streams at Earlewood to the affordable housing development from MB Kahn at Haven at Palmer Pointe.
Dive into more stats
City Guide presented by AllSouth Federal Credit Union.
Asked

What would you tell someone who is considering moving here about the cost of living?
A. Prepare yourself for sticker shock - it’s expensive
B. Prices are reasonable - not exorbitant, not cheap
C. This is a really affordable city to live
Weigh in
 
Events
Friday, June 28
  • The Night Shift | Friday, June 28 | 6-9 p.m. | ReFind, 718 S. Edisto Ave., Columbia | Free | Browse this monthly night market hosted at the new Re•Find location in the Rosewood neighborhood, featuring local goods, antiques, food, and music.
  • Nashville Nights | Friday, June 28 | Steel Hands Brewing, 2350 Foreman St., Cayce | Free | Nashville Nights is back this summer with Nashville songwriters taking the Steel Hands Brewing stage.
  • Varna International | Friday, June 28 | 7:30 p.m. | Koger Center for the Arts, 1051 Greene St, Columbia | $25-$85 | Considered W.A. Mozart’s supreme opera and one of the greatest operas of all time, Don Giovanni is a masterful combination of comedy, romance, thriller, and drama.
Saturday, June 29
  • South East Rare Plant Market: The Big Plant Expo | Saturday, June 29-Sunday, June 30 | South Carolina State Fairgrounds, 1200 Rosewood Dr., Columbia | $12-$25 | This event brings local, rare, and uncommon plant growers and sellers together for a unique plant market experience.
  • SC United Bantams Independence Day Celebration | Saturday, June 29 | 7-9:30 p.m. | SCUFC Southeastern Freight Lines Soccer Complex, 115 Sunbelt Blvd., Columbia | Free | Cheer on the men’s and women’s soccer teams during a doubleheader and enjoy post-game fireworks, waterslides, yard games, food trucks, and the Bantams Beer Garden.
Sunday, June 30
  • Cycle Center Group Ride | Sunday, June 30 | 11 a.m. | Cycle Center, 1001 Harden St., Columbia | Free | Meet at Cycle Center for a 22-mile road ride with loops into Cayce and West Columbia.
Monday, July 1
More fun this way
Click here to have your event featured.
 
Edu

✏️ How the Lottery supports local K-12 students
A man holding up a gold lottery card and smiling.
Whenever you play the Lottery, it’s a win for South Carolina students. | Photo courtesy of the South Carolina Education Lottery
Did you know? The South Carolina Education Lottery has raised more than $8.3 billion to support education in the Palmetto State since its inception in 2002.

Of those funds, more than $1.1 billion has gone to support K-12 education in our state. Think:
  • $517 million to fund reading, math, science, and social study programs for K-5 students
  • $201 million to purchase, fuel, and maintain 2,600+ school buses
  • And more
Now that’s a win.
Follow the money
News Notes
Real Estate
  • St. Louis developer Subtext purchased three parcels near Founders Park to build a 960-bed student housing complex. The nearly four-acre site at Huger and Blossom Streets was previously home to S-Mart + Brickhouse Gym. (Columbia Business Report)
Sports
  • Dillon Jones, a former W.J. Keenan standout, was selected 26th overall by the Oklahoma City Thunder in the first round of the NBA Draft. In his senior year at Weber State, he was the 2024 Big Sky Conference MVP, leading in points, rebounds, and assists. (NBA)
Edu
  • Richland School District One launched the “Retiree Recharge Program” to address teacher shortages by bringing retired teachers back to classrooms. The initiative aims to fill critical positions from early development to high school. (WLTX)
Award
  • The City of Columbia Preservation staff received the Preservation Service Award from Preservation SC, the SC Department of Archives and History, and the governor’s office. The award recognizes their efforts in preserving + advocating for Columbia’s historic buildings.
Asked
  • Each week Soda City Market features ~150 vendors and we want to feature some of your favorites. Let us know and they may be included in an upcoming newsletter.
Listen
  • Gamecock quarterback LaNorris Sellers is the team’s most important player in 2024. Go beyond the scoreboard and behind the scenes of Gamecock Football with Locked On’s daily, team-focused podcasts.
Sports
  • Still looking for July 4 weekend plans? Experience the excitement of a Charlotte FC match day when The Crown returns home to face Inter Miami CF on Wednesday, July 3 at the Bank of America Stadium. Snag tickets.*
Finance
  • Did you know you could finance your fixer-upper with home equity? You could get up to $50K with a HELOC — calculate your payment.*
Eat
 
Outdoors

🥅 Fresh turf

Updates underway at Owens Field
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Work is underway on 10 acres of soccer fields at Owens Field. | Screenshot via City of Columbia
Work is underway at Owens Field Park in the Rosewood neighborhood to improve 10 acres of soccer fields for safer playing conditions and increased use.

The $1.8 million project, approved by Columbia City Council last year, includes soil amendments, grading, a new irrigation system, and sodding with Bermuda grass. The project is scheduled to be complete by mid-August.

Future plans for improvement include new restrooms, walking paths, and additional site power around the park. Councilman Will Brennan and Parks and Recreation representatives worked with the community last year for input on the project.

Mayor Daniel Rickenmann shared in the support saying “These upgrades expand Owens Field’s activities and outdoor opportunities for our residents.”
The Buy

The Buy 6.28.24 (Affiliate)
A Prime membership — because Amazon Prime Day is coming Tuesday, July 16 + Wednesday, July 17. You need a membership to be eligible for the sale prices (which are usually pretty great).
 
The Wrap
 
David Stringer wearing a dark button-down shirt

Today’s edition by:
David
From the editor
Do you have Thanksgiving plans yet? If you’re looking to get out of town, support the Gamecock women’s basketball team, and spend some time on the beach, here’s your chance. The defending national champions will take on Iowa State on Thanksgiving Day in the Fort Myers Tip-off tournament.
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