Retirement Communities in Columbia, South Carolina

CaringScore for Columbia, SC

CaringScore was designed to help millions of Americans find the best places to retire, age in place, or receive eldercare. The CaringScore for retirement communities in Columbia was based on more than 50 factors in three key categories: health, cost, and livability. By compiling and analyzing this data, Caring.com is able to rate the quality of life you or a loved one might expect should you choose retirement communities in Columbia.

A CaringScore can range from 1 (worst) to 10 (best), and provides a quick way to compare cities, counties, and even specific zip codes. With a CaringScore of 5.3, Columbia is on par with the national average for those seeking retirement communities.

The charts below highlight a few of the factors we used to calculate the CaringScore for Columbia. Choose a category score to learn more.

Physicians Per Capita

Cost of Healthcare Index

Sunny Days Per Year

HealthScore for Columbia, SC

HealthScore, a component of the overall CaringScore for retirement communities in Columbia, rates a region on a scale of 1 (less healthful) to 10 (more healthful). It's specifically tailored to anyone looking for retirement communities. The HealthScore for Columbia is based on the availability of healthcare resources, air and water quality, the overall health of the local population, and other key factors. With a HealthScore of 6.8, Columbia rates above average for those seeking retirement communities.

Easy access to physicians -- especially geriatricians and other key specialists -- is important to older adults seeking retirement communities. At 325.9 physicians per capita, Columbia scores 47.8 percent better than the national average. Columbia scores 230.8 percent better than the national average in geriatricians per capita, with 4.3, and scores 78.5 percent better than the national average in specialists per capita, with 34.8. These medical specialists include cardiologists, oncologists, and orthopedists. The average life expectancy from birth in Columbia is 76 years -- 2.4 percent lower than most of the country. Air quality in Columbia -- one factor in gauging the healthfulness of a region -- is 83.1 percent below average, and water quality -- another key measure of Columbia's environmental health -- is about average.

Doctors Per Capita	Columbia, SC	Nat'l Avg
Physicians	325.9	220.5
Geriatricians	4.3	1.3
Cardiologists	16	7.7
Oncologists	4.8	3.5
Orthopedists	9.6	7

Average Life Expectancy

CostScore for Columbia, SC

CostScore, part of the overall CaringScore for retirement communities in Columbia, rates the cost of living for older adults on a scale of 1 (more expensive) to 10 (less expensive). It's specifically tailored to people looking for retirement communities. The CostScore for Columbia is based on data such as the average monthly cost of retirement communities in the region, the cost of housing and healthcare, regional tax rates, and other key factors. With a CostScore of 4.8, Columbia is on par with the national average for retirement communities.

Because of the broad range of housing, service, and healthcare options available at retirement communities, no average monthly cost data is available for Columbia. The entry fee or purchase price for an independent living community can range from $50,000 to $500,000 or more, and typically requires an additional monthly service fee of $1,000 to $3,000 on average. The cost of living indices below provide the best proxy for comparing costs of retirement communities in Columbia to the rest of the country. Overall, the cost of living for Columbia is roughly equal to the national average. Average healthcare costs are 3.0 percent more expensive than the national average, and the cost of housing is 11.0 percent less expensive than average.

Cost of Living	Columbia, SC
Aggregate Index	99
Healthcare Index	103
Housing Index	89
Food Index	108
Utilities Index	112
Transportation Index	103

Cost of Healthcare Index

LivabilityScore for Columbia, SC

LivabilityScore makes up part of the overall CaringScore for retirement communities in Columbia. On a scale of 1 (less livable) to 10 (more livable), it's a rating of the quality of life in a region, specifically tailored to those looking for retirement communities. The LivabilityScore for Columbia is based on weather, crime rates, economic factors, average age of the population, and other key demographics. With a LivabilityScore of 3.6, Columbia rates below average for retirement communities.

Weather is an important factor in choosing the best place for retirement communities. The sun shines an average of 217 days each year in Columbia, 5.9 percent more sunny days than the rest of the U.S. sees. With an average temperature of 37°F in January, winters tend to be milder in Columbia than in other parts of the country, and summers are often hotter than other places, averaging 92°F in July.

Local crime rates are another important indicator. The violent crime rate in Columbia is 50.0 percent higher than the national average, and the property crime rate is 50.0 percent higher than average. At $38,547 per year, the population of Columbia earns a lower than average median household income. Columbia has an unemployment rate of 8.60 percent, roughly equal to the national average. And about 10.31 percent of the population in Columbia is of retirement age -- 65 or older -- which trails the national average by 21.7 percent.

Sunny Days Per Year

Avg Temperature (°F)

Property Crime Index

Amenities Per Capita	Columbia	Nat'l Avg
Parks	1.6	136.1
Libraries	3	18.8
Places of Worship	79.2	220.5
Public Transit	45.7	110.4
Grocery Stores	208.8	97.7
Pharmacies	41.6	13.8

Percent of Population Over Age 65