Cost of living
The cost of housing in Greater Columbia is 97.3% of the national average (Cost of Living Index 2004), with the median home selling for $147,531 in 2004. The average rent for a 2 bedroom is $642 per month. An enormous range of housing is available. The areas with the highest levels of new residential development include areas of Lexington County including Town of Irmo and the Town of Lexington.
Lexington County, which is part of the Columbia metropolitan area, boasts one of the lowest cost of living indexes in the Southeastern U.S. The following is a cost of living index comparison between the Columbia metro area and other major metro areas in the Southeast and U.S.
| Component index weights |
100% |
13% |
29% |
10% |
9% |
4% |
35% |
Metropolitan Area |
Composite
index |
Grocery
items |
Housing |
Utilities |
Trans-
portation |
Health
care |
Misc. goods
and services |
Columbia, SC Including Lexington County. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Montgomery, Ala. |
96.1 |
96.5 |
92.6 |
99.4 |
98.1 |
86.5 |
98.5 |
Juneau, Alaska |
131.6 |
139.7 |
136.6 |
137.6 |
117.5 |
148.3 |
124.3 |
Phoenix, Ariz. |
98.2 |
100.0 |
92.1 |
91.8 |
107.6 |
99.5 |
101.8 |
Los Angeles, Calif. |
153.1 |
120.2 |
245.4 |
121.3 |
116.5 |
114.2 |
111.7 |
San Diego, Calif. |
141.0 |
116.6 |
212.4 |
93.0 |
119.7 |
119.4 |
112.5 |
San Francisco, Calif. |
177.0 |
137.9 |
308.2 |
107.0 |
125.9 |
126.6 |
121.8 |
Colorado Springs, Colo. |
96.5 |
103.1 |
99.0 |
79.7 |
103.6 |
102.2 |
94.4 |
Denver, Colo. |
103.5 |
107.2 |
110.6 |
88.5 |
96.7 |
104.6 |
102.3 |
Washington, DC |
137.8 |
114.5 |
201.2 |
106.1 |
112.8 |
122.0 |
111.3 |
Jacksonville, Fla. |
92.4 |
103.0 |
86.7 |
80.8 |
100.2 |
96.6 |
93.9 |
Atlanta, Ga. |
97.2 |
96.5 |
93.6 |
88.3 |
101.4 |
108.4 |
100.5 |
Honolulu, Hawaii |
162.4 |
153.6 |
243.8 |
143.7 |
130.1 |
115.1 |
117.3 |
Chicago, Ill. |
128.6 |
117.8 |
169.5 |
109.0 |
107.7 |
121.0 |
110.7 |
Springfield, Ill. |
92.1 |
90.7 |
85.9 |
102.1 |
99.7 |
92.9 |
92.8 |
Des Moines, Iowa |
94.4 |
86.9 |
95.5 |
99.9 |
94.2 |
92.7 |
94.9 |
Topeka, Kans. |
92.0 |
87.9 |
81.6 |
97.9 |
100.1 |
92.3 |
98.2 |
Baton Rouge, La. |
104.1 |
113.1 |
95.4 |
113.1 |
102.8 |
100.5 |
106.0 |
Baltimore, Md. |
107.6 |
105.7 |
115.0 |
110.5 |
101.1 |
105.3 |
103.1 |
Boston, Mass. |
136.8 |
115.7 |
180.8 |
144.8 |
109.7 |
129.4 |
113.7 |
Detroit, Mich. |
106.6 |
100.0 |
121.7 |
102.8 |
101.5 |
100.6 |
99.5 |
Minneapolis, Minn. |
102.6 |
97.3 |
103.0 |
102.2 |
95.5 |
95.1 |
107.0 |
Jackson, Miss. |
92.3 |
86.5 |
85.2 |
109.5 |
93.4 |
87.0 |
95.7 |
St. Louis, Mo. |
99.9 |
103.4 |
96.5 |
94.6 |
96.9 |
100.9 |
103.7 |
Billings, Mont. |
97.5 |
104.2 |
85.8 |
103.1 |
99.5 |
103.4 |
101.8 |
Omaha, Neb. |
92.3 |
89.6 |
86.0 |
104.9 |
99.4 |
94.1 |
93.0 |
Las Vegas, Nev. |
109.8 |
110.8 |
121.7 |
91.6 |
109.4 |
112.7 |
104.6 |
Albuquerque, N.M. |
103.3 |
100.2 |
107.9 |
122.3 |
100.0 |
96.8 |
96.8 |
Buffalo, N.Y. |
98.8 |
102.9 |
90.8 |
130.8 |
103.6 |
95.6 |
94.0 |
New York (Manhattan), N.Y. |
212.1 |
137.1 |
399.2 |
146.6 |
117.4 |
139.2 |
136.2 |
Charlotte, N.C. |
93.5 |
94.3 |
84.7 |
85.3 |
99.4 |
104.7 |
100.0 |
Cincinnati, Ohio |
95.1 |
92.5 |
85.1 |
110.4 |
101.0 |
101.5 |
97.8 |
Cleveland, Ohio |
102.7 |
112.9 |
100.0 |
115.2 |
100.8 |
101.5 |
98.3 |
Oklahoma City, Okla. |
92.0 |
89.0 |
86.0 |
96.4 |
97.4 |
96.2 |
95.1 |
Eugene, Ore. |
109.5 |
104.2 |
120.4 |
85.1 |
102.3 |
112.1 |
111.0 |
Portland, Ore. |
110.9 |
116.8 |
109.0 |
117.1 |
107.1 |
111.6 |
109.5 |
Philadelphia, Pa. |
119.0 |
116.4 |
126.5 |
125.6 |
103.5 |
110.4 |
117.0 |
Memphis, Tenn. |
89.9 |
92.8 |
77.6 |
89.7 |
94.0 |
99.3 |
97.0 |
Dallas, Tex. |
95.2 |
93.6 |
84.4 |
97.1 |
102.5 |
102.3 |
101.5 |
El Paso, Tex. |
91.5 |
105.6 |
80.3 |
98.7 |
95.0 |
100.0 |
91.7 |
San Antonio, Tex. |
94.2 |
83.5 |
97.2 |
80.4 |
89.1 |
97.3 |
100.5 |
Salt Lake City, Utah |
97.3 |
103.8 |
93.2 |
88.4 |
97.5 |
108.0 |
99.4 |
Richmond, Va. |
101.0 |
108.4 |
97.9 |
102.3 |
95.0 |
98.0 |
102.4 |
Seattle, Wash. |
118.6 |
111.8 |
132.5 |
109.2 |
110.2 |
123.4 |
114.0 |
Milwaukee, Wis. |
101.0 |
95.1 |
110.1 |
93.7 |
103.4 |
92.6 |
98.2 |
Cheyenne, Wyo. |
107.7 |
114.8 |
115.6 |
111.9 |
95.2 |
96.9 |
101.7 |
1. Data is from the second quarter 2004 through first quarter 2005.
2. Indicates relative price levels for consumer goods and services. The average composite index for the nation is 100%, and each city's index is read as a percentage of the overall average.
3. Miscellaneous goods and services readily available across the U.S., including fast food, haircut, toiletries, denim jeans, newspaper subscription, movie ticket, beer, and wine.
Source: ACCRA Cost of Living Index, ACCRA, P.O. Box 100127, Arlington Va., 22210.
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