Photo: Akhenaton06 · CC BY-SA 3.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Columbia is healthier than 83%
Columbia differs from South Carolina on 19 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 8 better, 11 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Columbia. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Columbia
Columbia is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Columbia is healthier than 52%. Against the 7,588 towns with similar household incomes ($42K–$69K), it’s healthier than 83%. Health Grade ↓
Making ends meet is harder in Columbia
1 in 7 adults lack reliable transportation (13.5%), vs 8.6% across South Carolina. Food insecurity (23.3% vs 17.4%) and utility shut-off threats (13.5% vs 8.9%) are higher too. 18% of adults receive SNAP, vs 10.5% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Mental distress runs high in Columbia
1 in 5 adults are in frequent mental distress (19.2%), vs 16.4% across South Carolina. Loneliness is above the state too: 36.2%, vs 31.7% across South Carolina. Mind & connection ↓
Cancer and heart disease are less common in Columbia
Columbia runs below South Carolina on four chronic conditions, most of all cancer (5.4% vs 8.6%), heart disease (5.3% vs 6.8%) and arthritis (22.6% vs 28.5%). A young population is part of it: only 12% of residents are 65 or older (South Carolina 19%). Conditions ↓
Columbia has three hospitals within its borders
3 hospitals and 2 community health centers are inside Columbia. Prisma Health Baptist is rated 4 of 5 stars by Medicare and has an emergency room. Getting care ↓
Written from the CDC, Medicare and HRSA data on this page. CDC PLACES 2025 release: modeled estimates for adults, not counts; “higher” and “lower” mean the South Carolina figure falls outside Columbia’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C to B+.
What’s behind Columbia’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Columbia is healthier than 52% of U.S. towns, #59 of 169 in South Carolina. Smoking holds the grade up (fewer adults who smoke than 67% of U.S. towns); mental distress pulls it down (better than 16%).
Health estimates follow income closely across the country: towns with higher household incomes usually score higher (a correlation of 0.77 across 21,157 graded towns). Columbia’s median household income is $55,529; among the 7,588 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($42K–$69K), it’s healthier than 83%, more than its income alone would suggest.
At 147,035 residents, Columbia is graded like any town, from one citywide estimate; its rank among the 395 U.S. cities over 100,000 is the fairer comparison.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
18% of Columbia adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10.5% across South Carolina.
How Columbia adults are doing
On 3 of 4 measures, Columbia runs above South Carolina.
4 in 10 Columbia adults feel lonely. A hello is a start.
Groups are the easiest way in: a walking group, a book club, your street.
If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. It’s free, confidential and open 24/7.
Out of every 100 Columbia adults…
Columbia runs below SC on 8 of 12 conditions and above it on 1. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 12% of Columbia residents are 65 or older, vs 19% across South Carolina. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis run low partly because the town is young.
Care in and near Columbia
3 hospitals and 2 community health centers in Columbia, plus the nearest just outside it.
Hospitals: Medicare overall star ratings, 1–5. Community health centers charge on a sliding scale by income. Distances are straight-line from the center of Columbia; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).
Everyday habits, side by side with South Carolina
Share of adults, with the South Carolina figure marked.
400 miles of trails across 46 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Columbia adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks South Carolina.
Columbia and the towns around it
Columbia’s Health Grade ranks 4th of 10 graded towns around it.
Nearby towns are shaded from CDC’s estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC’s own figure for cities and villages.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbia | B− | 34.4% | 12.1% | 13% | CDC place |
| St. Andrews | C− | 40.8% | 16.1% | 15.4% | CDC place |
| Capitol View | C | 38.8% | 15.8% | 14.3% | CDC place |
| Forest Acres | A | 29.6% | 11.2% | 8.4% | CDC place |
| Dentsville | C− | 39.9% | 17.7% | 14.2% | CDC place |
| Olympia | — | — | — | — | |
| Arthurtown | C | 37.5% | 11.5% | 15.2% | CDC place |
| West Columbia | B− | 36.2% | 13.3% | 12.9% | CDC place |
Olympia: fewer than 1,000 residents. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Columbia adults live with a disability (South Carolina 31.5%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Columbia
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Columbia is better than South Carolina on 8 and worse on 11; on the rest, the South Carolina figure falls inside Columbia’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Columbia | SC | U.S. | vs SC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 21.5%19.6–23.5 | 20.1% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.4%12.1–14.8 | 14% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 19.2%17.4–21.2 | 16.4% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 34.4%30.5–38.7 | 35.8% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 12.1%10.9–13.4 | 13.9% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 33.2%30.7–36 | 38.5% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 31.9%29.4–34.7 | 38.1% | 37.1% | Better |
| Arthritis | 22.6%20.7–24.7 | 28.5% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 10.2%9.1–11.3 | 9.6% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 5.4%4.9–5.9 | 8.6% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 5.3%4.8–5.8 | 6.8% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 6.5%5.9–7.1 | 7.5% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 3.4%3.2–3.7 | 3.9% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 16.1%13.7–18.5 | 13.9% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 13%11.6–14.6 | 13.3% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 23.3%20.7–26 | 25.8% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 17.7%15.2–20.4 | 15.7% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 41.1%37–44.9 | 35.8% | 36% | Worse |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 13.2%11.7–14.9 | 11.8% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 78.2%75.3–81 | 80.6% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 59.3%56.3–62 | 63.1% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 80.2%78.1–82.1 | 86.9% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 72.2%69.9–74.4 | 80.2% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 71.3%67.5–74.6 | 69.3% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 78.5%72.9–83.1 | 77.6% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 25.2%22.4–28.2 | 22.3% | 20.6% | Worse |
| Feel lonely | 36.2%32.4–40.1 | 31.7% | 32.5% | Worse |
| Lack social and emotional support | 24.9%22–28 | 23.6% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 23.3%20.9–25.7 | 17.4% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 18.1%16.1–20.2 | 13.3% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 13.5%12.1–15.1 | 8.9% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 13.5%12.1–14.9 | 8.6% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 18%16.2–19.9 | 10.5% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 32.8%29.9–36 | 31.5% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 13.8%12.5–15.2 | 15.4% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 17.9%16.3–19.6 | 14.3% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 5.3%4.7–5.9 | 7% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 7.1%6.6–7.7 | 5.6% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 10.9%10–12 | 8.7% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.9%4.5–5.3 | 4.3% | 3.8% | Higher |
Each figure is the share of adults 18+ unless the label says otherwise; small numbers after it are CDC’s likely range (95% interval). “About the same” means the South Carolina figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Columbia
Is Columbia a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Columbia is healthier than 52% of U.S. towns: B− for health, #59 of 169 in South Carolina. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Columbia?
CDC estimates 34.4% of adults have obesity, likely between 30.5% and 38.7%, against 35.8% across South Carolina and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Columbia?
Prisma Health Baptist in Columbia, 0.0 miles in a straight line from Columbia’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Columbia have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 13.2% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 11.7–14.9%), against 11.8% across South Carolina.
How accurate are these numbers?
They’re modeled estimates: CDC applies national survey answers to each area’s age, sex, race and education mix, so they describe who lives in Columbia more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C to B+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Columbia.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The South Carolina figure combines its counties, weighted by adult population. Hospitals and star ratings: Medicare Care Compare (CMS). Health centers and shortage areas: HRSA. The Health Grade is our own summary of CDC’s estimates, not an official rating. Ages: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey. Town boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau. This page isn’t medical advice. In an emergency, call 911.