Retiring to Columbia, SC
Selling a home for $525,000 and keeping $150,000 in the bank leaves room to buy in 15 of 24 Columbia neighborhoods with 5+ sales, Oct 2025–Sep 2026 (after 6% selling costs, buying at the neighborhood median). The closest of those to a hospital is Downtown Columbia, Columbia (1 min to MUSC Health Columbia Medical Center Downtown, typical drive with no traffic). Property tax in Columbia runs about 0.66% of value a year (Census ACS 2023).
Questions? Call or text Chris Harris, REALTOR®: (270) 421-8726.
Next steps, your choice
Plan a scouting week
One neighborhood a day: the drive to the hospital and homes to see.
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Ask Chris
Chris Harris, REALTOR®, reads every note himself. He is not licensed in South Carolina, so for showings and offers he introduces you to a licensed agent there; he may receive a referral fee from that agent’s brokerage, which does not change your price. Can’t visit first? Say so in your note.
Ask Chris
Every neighborhood we have numbers for
Neighborhoods with 5+ sales, Oct 2025–Sep 2026 (Redfin), cheapest first by town. Minutes: typical drive, no traffic to the facility named for each kind, © openrouteservice.org by HeiGIT | Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
| Neighborhood | Town | Median sale | Sales | Hospital | VA medical center | Airport |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pinehurst | Columbia | $102,921 | 29 | 3 min | 13 min | 19 min |
| Hyatt Park | Columbia | $127,464 | 63 | 3 min | 19 min | 19 min |
| Belmont | Columbia | $154,957 | 22 | 5 min | 8 min | 22 min |
| South Kilbourne | Columbia | $179,530 | 103 | 10 min | 8 min | 21 min |
| The Congaree Vista | Columbia | $194,945 | 15 | 3 min | 16 min | 13 min |
| North Columbia | Columbia | $196,895 | 306 | 5 min | 13 min | 21 min |
| Sherwood Forest | Columbia | $220,938 | 15 | 3 min | 10 min | 20 min |
| Earlewood | Columbia | $248,430 | 63 | 3 min | 19 min | 19 min |
| Northeast Columbia | Columbia | $259,927 | 1681 | 12 min | 15 min | 28 min |
| Northwest Columbia | Columbia | $269,924 | 1398 | 16 min | 32 min | 21 min |
| Southeastern Columbia | Columbia | $271,924 | 1726 | 5 min | 9 min | 21 min |
| Downtown Columbia | Columbia | $296,917 | 144 | 1 min | 13 min | 18 min |
| Greater Lexington | Columbia | $311,038 | 2098 | 17 min | 33 min | 23 min |
| Wildewood | Columbia | $319,910 | 79 | 18 min | 19 min | 33 min |
| Chestnut Hill Plantation | Columbia | $324,909 | 41 | 22 min | 39 min | 28 min |
| Elmwood Park | Columbia | $364,898 | 24 | 3 min | 17 min | 15 min |
| University of South Carolina | Columbia | $369,896 | 22 | 4 min | 14 min | 18 min |
| Meadowfield | Columbia | $369,896 | 19 | 15 min | 5 min | 20 min |
| Spring Valley | Columbia | $403,887 | 50 | 21 min | 24 min | 37 min |
| Melrose Heights | Columbia | $408,609 | 38 | 5 min | 11 min | 20 min |
| Shandon | Columbia | $464,870 | 75 | 5 min | 9 min | 19 min |
| Lake Murray | Columbia | $479,866 | 836 | 19 min | 39 min | 27 min |
| Woodcreek Farms | Columbia | $669,812 | 61 | 24 min | 26 min | 39 min |
| Kings Grant | Columbia | $769,784 | 10 | 16 min | 12 min | 25 min |
Redfin groups these with Columbia, but we have no map location for them yet, so we can’t confirm they are in town: East Central City, University Hills, Bradley Acres, Broad River Corridor, Far North Columbia, West Metro, Colonial Park, Central Rosewood, Druid Hills, Cross Hill.
Check crime data
We don’t grade neighborhoods on crime. Look up the streets you’re considering in Columbia with the agency that patrols them:
- Columbia Police Department (city police)
- Richland County Sheriff’s Department (addresses outside city limits)
- FBI Crime Data Explorer (agency-level reports)
What South Carolina doesn’t tax
- Social Security benefits taxed federally are not subject to South Carolina income tax.
- Retirement income deduction of up to $10,000 per person at 65 and older ($3,000 under 65), plus an age-65 deduction of up to $15,000 ($30,000 joint when both are 65+); the two together cannot exceed $15,000 per taxpayer.
- Beginning with tax year 2022, all military retirement income included in South Carolina taxable income can be deducted.
Full details: South Carolina retirement taxes →
Source: South Carolina Department of Revenue, Individual Income Tax FAQ (read 2026-10-17). Figures change each year; confirm with the agency before you rely on them. Not tax advice.
The twenty-year test
Which of these do you need in the house you will live in for twenty years?
Email me homes that pass
The alert matches what the listing feed has: price, bedrooms, bathrooms, year built and house type. Chris checks each match for the features the listing feed can’t see.
Home prices: Redfin neighborhood medians, Jul–Sep 2026, neighborhoods with 5+ sales. Property tax: Census ACS 2023 effective rates. Selling costs estimated at 6% of the sale price.