| Measure | Columbia (SC)South Carolina, United States Remove Columbia (SC) | RoanokeVirginia, United States Remove Roanoke |
|---|---|---|
| Scores (out of 10) | ||
| Overall score | 6.7 | 6.8 |
| Connector Score | 7.9 | 8.5 |
| Safety | 3.8 | 5.0 |
| Affordability | 7.0 | 7.2 |
| Transportation | 10.0 | 9.0 |
| Car-free friendliness | 8.5 | 7.5 |
| Walkability | 7.9 | 7.8 |
| Things to do | 6.1 | 6.4 |
| Food & dining | 6.1 | 5.8 |
| Places to stay | 5.8 | 5.6 |
| Nature & outdoors | 5.5 | 5.5 |
| Scenic value | 5.8 | 6.8 |
| Family friendliness | 6.8 | 6.5 |
| Solo-traveler friendliness | 5.9 | 5.8 |
| Nightlife | 6.6 | 3.5 |
| Remote-work friendliness | 6.3 | 5.9 |
| Road-trip convenience | 6.5 | 6.5 |
| Train-trip convenience | 8.8 | 8.8 |
| Bus-trip convenience | 8.0 | 1.5 |
| Cost (per person per day, USD) | ||
| Budget | $125 | $103 |
| Mid-range | $193 | $158 |
| Luxury | $325 | $273 |
| Living there | ||
| Cost of living index (national = 100) | 95 | 93 |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent | $1,300 | $1,200 |
| Median home price | $264,300 | $190,500 |
| Population | 147K | 99K |
| Getting there | ||
| Accessible by | Drive Train Bus Airport | Drive Train Airport |
| Car recommended | — | — |
| Travel time from Columbia (SC) | — | 5 h 32 min details |
| Character | ||
| Best for | Car-free travel | Car-free travel, History |
| Known for | National & state parks, Lakes & rivers, Museums & galleries, Food scene, Nightlife, Shopping, Family & kids | Mountains & hiking, Lakes & rivers, Museums & galleries, Historic sites, Food scene, Shopping, Family & kids |
| When to go | Peak: Periods: USC football home weekends, St… | Peak: Fall foliage and summer |
Scores and costs are estimates from public data and our own research; check the city pages for sources and dates.