Columbia is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of South Carolina. As of the 2000 Census, it has a population of 116,278. According to the Central SC Alliance, Columbia has an estimated 2005 population of 121,395. According to the 2004 estimates by the U.S. Census Bureau, Columbia's metropolitan area population is 679,456. Columbia is the county seat of Richland County, but a small portion of the city extends into Lexington County. The city's name is derived from a poetic name for America, the use of the moniker being first attributed to poet Phillis Wheatley according to popular legend (see Historical Columbia).
Columbia is the primary city of the Midlands region of South Carolina, which comprises several counties in the central portion of the state. As such it is centrally located to the rest of the state. Founded in 1786 as the site of South Carolina's new capital city, it was one of the first planned cities in the United States. The area is often cited for its high quality of life offerings, with its many cultural amenities, parks, and recreational features. At the confluence of two major rivers, Columbia is one of the best destinations in the country for kayak and canoe enthusiasts. It has also known for its large number of independent theater groups. Columbia was recently one of 30 communities named America's Most Livable Communities. The award was given by the Washington-based non-profit Partners for Livable Communities and honors communities that are developing themselves in the creative economy.
A resident of Columbia is known as a Columbian.
Columbia is located at 34°1'1" North, 81°0'38" West (34.017105, -81.010759)1. Autumn, winter and spring are mild, with occasional winter nights below freezing but rarely extended cold. The city is at its most beautiful in the spring when masses of azaleas and other spring flowers bloom. Summers can be very hot, and the city, like other cities of the southeast, is prone to atmospheric inversions, which trap ozone and other pollutants over the area. One of Columbia's most interesting geographical features is its fall line, which is a boundary between an upland region and a coastal plain across which rivers from the upland region drop to the plain as falls or rapids. Columbia grew up at the fall line of the Congaree River, which is formed by the convergence of the Broad River and the Saluda River. The Congaree was the farthest inland point of river navigation. The energy of falling water also powered Columbia's early mills. The city has capitalized on this scenic location which includes three rivers by recently christening itself "The Columbia Riverbanks Region."
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 330.8 km2 (127.7 mi2). 324.3 km2 (125.2 mi2) of it is land and 6.4 km2 (2.5 mi2) of it is water. The total area is 1.95% water.
As of 2005, there are 121,395 people in the city proper, organized into 42,245 households, and 22,136 families. The population density is 358.5/km2 (928.6/mi2). There are 46,142 housing units at an average density of 142.3/km2 (368.5/mi2). The racial makeup of the city is 49.22% White, 45.98% Black or African American, 1.73% Asian, 0.25% Native American, 0.09% Pacific Islander, 1.36% from other races, and 1.36% from two or more races. 3.03% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race. There are two synagagues in Columbia which are located within a few hundred yards of each other on the same street, and one mosque. At last count, there are 661 places of worship in the city.
42,245 households out of which 25.4% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 31.5% are married couples living together, 17.6% have a female householder with no husband present, and 47.6% are classified as "nonfamilies", which consist of persons living alone, roommate situations, and other non-traditional families. 37.0% of all households are made up of individuals and 9.8% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.21 and the average family size is 2.97.
In the city the population is spread out with 20.1% under the age of 18, 22.9% from 18 to 24, 30.1% from 25 to 44, 16.6% from 45 to 64, and 10.3% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 29 years. For every 100 females there are 96.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 93.4 males.
Some notable Columbians include film director and choreographer Stanley Donen, poet James Dickey, astronaut Charles Bolden, Jr., Miss America 1994 Kimberly Clarice Aiken, NBA player Jermaine O'Neal (Indiana Pacers), former NBA player Alex English, former NBA player Xavier McDaniel, comedian J. Anthony Brown, actor Barton Maclane ("I Dream of Jeannie"), actor Lee Thompson Young, novelist William Price Fox, U.S. Olympian Elizabeth Callahan, U.S. Olympian Terrance Trammel, NFL player Duce Staley (Pittsburgh Steelers), and R&B singer Angie Stone.
Columbia has quite a diversified economy, with the major employers in the area being South Carolina state government, the Palmetto Health hospital system, Blue Cross Blue Shield of SC, and the University of South Carolina. Columbia is also home to the headquarters of SCANA, a Fortune 500 company which supplies energy to the Carolinas. Other major employers in the Columbia area include Fort Jackson, the U.S. Army's largest training installation, Richland School District One, Humana/TriCare, and the United Parcel Service, which operates its Southeastern Regional Hub at the Columbia Metropolitan Airport. Major manufacturers such as Square D, SMI Steel, Spirax Sarco, Michelin, International Paper, Pirelli Cables, Honeywell, Westinghouse Electric, Harsco Track Tech, Trane Intertape Polymer Group, Union Switch & Signal, Solectron, and Bose Corporation Technology have facilities in Columbia. The business climate in the Columbia region is a very solid one. There are over 70 foreign affiliated companies and fourteen Fortune 500 companies in the region. Colonial Life Supplemental Insurance, the second-largest supplemental insurance company in the nation, is headquartered in Columbia. Columbia also serves as the home of Siemens VDO Automotive Powertrain Diesel Systems North America headquarters, which is a leading international automotive supplier of electronics and mechatronics. First Citizens bank, the second largest bank in the state, is currently in the process of constructing a new headquarters tower downtown.
Columbia's economy is set to be revolutionized within the next few years with the establishment of the University of South Carolina's research campus, dubbed Innovista. Spreading out over 200 acres in the historic Congaree Vista district downtown and combining 5 million square feet of research labs, office space, mixed-use retail and affordable residential housing, research will be aimed at the emerging technologies and intellectual clusters--biomedical, environmental, nanotechnology, and future fuels--that companies will find extremely valuable in the global economy. Phase I of the campus is presently under construction and is slated to be completed by 2007.
Many reputable publications and institutes recognize the strength and potential of the city's economy. Entrepreneur.com, Inc. listed Columbia 8th of 50 mid-sized metropolitan areas nationwide in its Entrepreneur and NPRC's 2005 Hot Cities for Entrepreneurs rankings. Expansion Management, a high profile company dedicated to helping companies evaluate future locations, recently named Columbia as one of America's top business opportunity metros out of 70 metropolitan areas nationwide. The company also ranked Columbia 21st in its "America's 50 Hottest Cities" list for business expansions and relocations. POLICOM, a company that specializes in studying the dynamics of local economies, ranked the Columbia metropolitan region 71st of the 361 U.S. Census Bureau-designated metropolitan statistical areas nationwide in its 2005 economic strength rankings. In Forbes 2005 "Best Places for Business and Careers" list, Columbia ranked 68th of 150 metropolitan areas over 345,000.
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Columbia, SC
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