There are many reasons why people relocate to this wonderful city. The main reasons are: cost of living, year round great temperature, a rich history and things to do.

1.  Cost of Living  -  South Carolina is a tax-friendly state with a relatively low cost of living. According to the Consolidated Multiple Listing service, the Median Home Sales Price in Columbia at the end of 2015 remained at $145,000. We also have a Homestead Tax Exemption which is a program that allows a homeowner who is 65 years or older, legally blind, OR 100% disabled to apply for a $50,000 reduction of the appraised value of their permanent primary residence for tax purposes. For example, if a 65+ year old owns a $150,000 home and has applied for the reduction, then for tax purposes, the tax assessor’s appraised value of his/her home would be only $100,000. This is a great deal! Furthermore, social security and many disability payments are not taxable. Columbia also enjoys some of the best Gasoline Prices in the country! And for those who like to keep an active mind and always learning, The University of South Carolina offers free tuition to SC residents over 60 years of age.

2.  Great Temperature - Several factors control the South Carolina climate. Most important are the state's location in the northern mid-latitudes, its proximity to both the Atlantic Ocean and the Appalachian Mountains, and elevation. Columbia is located in the center of the state and it’s sunny and warm for the most part of the year. There is no wet or dry season per say, the annual rainfall is about forty-five inches and snow is a rare sighting around these parts of the state.

Average Highs & Lows (in Fahrenheit)  Source: National Weather Servic

 Month             High        Low
January           57               34
February         60              36
March             68               42
April                77               50
May                 84               59
June                89               67
July                 92               71
August            91               70
September     85              64
October          76               51
November      67              41
December      58               35

3.  Rich History - Columbia was founded in 1786 and it was the United States first planned city and South Carolina's second capital. It was named for Christopher Columbus and was one of the premier southern cities, noted for its planter class citizens, fine homes and luxurious gardens. You can take self-guided tours or join a group tour to visit Neighborhoods, Gardens and Historic Houses.
You may also tour the State House which is located in downtown Columbia. The State House is built primarily out of blue granite which is South Carolina’s official state stone, and it’s completely fireproof allowing it to safely store many important state documents. Please watch this video courtesy of South Carolina Parks.

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4. Things to do  - If you enjoy sailing, fishing, picnics or admiring beautiful sunsets, then you’ll enjoy Lake Murray! Lake Murray was just ranked 24 out of 100 Best Bass Lakes in the Nation and has been voted in the top 10 places to Boat and Live.

If Golf is your sport of choice we have a variety of golf courses  that you can check out or you could choose to live in a golf course community.

The Columbia area has a great assortment of parks, ranging in size and activities. For the avid hiker and nature lover we have the Congaree National Park, the Sesquicentennial State Park and the Harbison State Forest Park. We also have regional parks where we enjoy festivals, music and food such as Finlay, Granby, River Front, South East, Memorial and Owens Field parks. For more information on these parks click here. Last but not least is the Riverbanks Zoo and Botanical Garden. The gardens can be enjoyed without going through the zoo and vice versa, although the zoo part is beautiful as well. Residents of Richland and Lexington counties receive free admission to the Zoo and Garden every Friday during the months of January and February.

For the Arts and Cultural scene Lover, Columbia is fantastic. We are home of the The Town Theatre, listed on the National Register of Historic Places and Trustus Theatre which are 2 of several theatres in Columbia. The South Carolina State Museum which has exhibits in technology, history and the arts. And has a planetarium and a 4-D theatre. The South Carolina Philharmonic Orchestra, The Columbia Museum of Art and various Art Galleries. There is always something to do in Columbia!

The Columbia area also has some great Medical facilities. Palmetto Health, Lexington Medical Center and Providence Hospitals are large health care providers with multiple locations. We also have a VA Hospital: Wm. Jennings Bryan Dorn VAMC.

I hope you make Columbia your next home!