Skip to main content
Data from U.S. Census Bureau · 2026 · Methodology
CitySpend

Columbia, SC

Population: 136,754 (2022) · Mid-Size Cities (100K–250K)

B
65/100

Good fiscal health — above-average across most metrics

Total Spending
$2.7B
Per Capita
$19,896
Total Revenue
$8.8B
Total Debt
$190.0M

Spending Breakdown

Other
39.3%$1.1B
Utilities
23.4%$637.9M
Housing & Community Development
18.1%$492.9M
Parks & Recreation
6.4%$173.1M
Hospitals
5.2%$142.5M
Fire Protection
2.3%$63.9M
Highways & Roads
2.3%$62.1M
Public Welfare
2.2%$59.2M
Sewerage
0.7%$19.2M

Spending data sourced from the Census Bureau's Annual Survey of State & Local Government Finances. Per-capita comparisons use the Lincoln Institute's Fiscally Standardized Cities methodology for fair cross-city benchmarking.

Revenue Sources

Sales Tax
1.0%$85.2M
Income Tax
0.1%$5.8M
Intergovernmental
10.6%$935.7M
Charges & Fees
12.9%$1.1B
Other
10.2%$893.9M

Per Capita Spending by Department

Fire Protection$467/person
Highways & Roads$454/person
Parks & Recreation$1,265/person

Score Breakdown

Budget Balance & Reserves (25%)100/100
Debt Burden (20%)0/100
Pension Funding (20%)76/100
Spending Efficiency (15%)62/100
Revenue Diversity (10%)100/100
Trend Direction (10%)50/100

Debt Overview

Total Debt$190.0M
Long-Term Debt$8.6M
Debt Per Capita$1,389
Cash & Securities$243.0M

Compare Cities

See how Columbia stacks up against another city.

vs Charleston, SCvs North Charleston, SCvs Mount Pleasant, SC
Data source: U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances (2023). Population from American Community Survey.

Other Cities in South Carolina

Charleston, SC

Pop. 150K

C
Total Spending
$3.6B
Per Capita
$23,793

North Charleston, SC

Pop. 116K

A
Total Spending
$1.5B
Per Capita
$12,917

Mount Pleasant, SC

Pop. 91K

B
Total Spending
$1.1B
Per Capita
$12,111

Rock Hill, SC

Pop. 74K

A
Total Spending
$1.3B
Per Capita
$17,824

Compare Columbia With

Charleston, SC

Spending: $23,793/person · Grade: C

North Charleston, SC

Spending: $12,917/person · Grade: A

Mount Pleasant, SC

Spending: $12,111/person · Grade: B

Rock Hill, SC

Spending: $17,824/person · Grade: A

Frequently Asked Questions

Columbia, SC spends $19,896 per resident, based on total expenditures of $2.7B for a population of 136,754. The city has a Fiscal Health Score of B (65/100).

Columbia, SC has total expenditures of $2.7B and total revenue of $8.8B. The city carries $190.0M in total debt, based on Census Bureau data from 2023.

Columbia, SC employs 0 government workers, of which 0 are full-time. The average government salary is $0, with 0.0 employees per 10,000 residents.

Columbia, SC has a Fiscal Health Score of B (65/100). This score evaluates budget balance, debt burden, pension funding, spending efficiency, revenue diversity, and 3-year fiscal trajectory compared to peer cities of similar population.

Last updated: