Columbia, SC land: flood and parcels
46,114 parcels
On the county tax roll
- In a FEMA flood zone4.1%special flood hazard area
Free account: 25 parcel cards a day on the map, with sale history, road access and elevation. Get started free
Our map has no zoning layer for Columbia yet. Ask the city's or Richland County's planning office which zoning applies to a parcel.
Around Columbia
Parcels to start with
Flood zones and wetlands
Recorded flood claims in Columbia
679 insured flood claims were recorded in and around Columbia from 1978 to Sep 2026; 32% were on buildings rated outside the mapped flood zone (zone X, B or C). The busiest year was 2015, with 400 claims. FEMA paid $43.2 million on them in total.
| Years | Claims |
|---|---|
| 1978–79 | 21 |
| 1980–89 | 52 |
| 1990–99 | 74 |
| 2000–09 | 37 |
| 2010–19 | 476 |
| 2020–26 | 19 |
Area statistics for buildings with NFIP flood insurance, not any one parcel: a lot that never had an insured building has no claims to count. OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims v3, as of Sep 2026.
What flood insurance costs in Columbia
What NFIP policyholders in and around Columbia pay a year for a single-family home, by flood zone: the middle half of premiums on policies that took effect Sep 2025–Sep 2026. It is what insured homes here pay, not a quote for any one building.
| Flood zone | Policies | Middle half | Full-risk median |
|---|---|---|---|
| A zones (special flood hazard area) | 328 | $760–$1,240 | $1,400 |
| X zone (outside the mapped flood zone) | 243 | $390–$860 | $530 |
Full-risk premium: the median of FEMA's own full-risk premium for the same policies (Risk Rating 2.0). A discounted policy rises toward it a step each year, within the law's cap on yearly increases. Zones are the flood zone each policy is rated in. OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Policies v3, as of Sep 2026.
Counted in the 96 census block groups that lie mostly inside Columbia, so the edges may reach past the town line. This product uses the Federal Emergency Management Agency's OpenFEMA API, but is not endorsed by FEMA. The Federal Government or FEMA cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data.
People and new homes in Columbia
- Population147,035July 2025 estimate, +8.2% since 2020 (the whole city)
- Median household income$55,5292020–2024 average, ±$1,827
- New homes permitted1,9562025, 910 single-family; 1,700 in 2021
- Permitted so far in 20262,317Jan–Aug, against 1,131 a year earlier
U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2025 (May 2026); U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year (B19013) (Jan 2026); U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey (Sep 2026).
Typical lot sizeThe typical lot, from the roll
The median parcel in Columbia is 0.22 acre (46,114 parcels with a size).
Acres from each parcel's own outline (the state's parcel layer carries no deeded acres). Condominium units that share one point (each carrying the whole complex's acres) are left out of the lot sizes.
Land parcels in ColumbiaFarm and timber parcels to start with
- 63.7 acres of land
- 63.1 acres of land
- 62.4 acres of land
- 60.5 acres of land
- 59.1 acres of land
- 56.3 acres of land
- 55.9 acres of land
- 55.9 acres of land
- 55.5 acres of land
Land tracts of 5 acres or more, each with its own page of public land facts.
Nearby townsTowns around it
Questions about Columbia landAnswers from the public records
How many parcels are in Columbia, SC?
46,114 parcels on the SC Revenue and Fiscal Affairs Office statewide parcel layer for Richland County (last edited Sep 2026, pulled Oct 2026), covering 83,519 acres.
How much vacant land is in Columbia, SC?
Richland County's parcels come from the state's parcel layer, which carries no land-use class or building record, so we don't call any Richland County parcel vacant.
What is the typical lot size in Columbia?
The median parcel is 0.22 acre, from 46,114 parcels with a recorded size.
How much of Columbia is in a flood zone?
4.1% of parcels are in a FEMA special flood hazard area (National Flood Hazard Layer, as of Sep 2026). Check each parcel's own flood line before you buy.
Are there wetlands in Columbia?
1.3% of parcels are a quarter or more wetland on the USFWS National Wetlands Inventory, a mapping guide, not a legal delineation.
What is Columbia zoned?
Our map has no zoning layer for Columbia yet. Ask the city's or Richland County's planning office which zoning applies to a parcel.
Are there land prices for Columbia?
No land prices for Columbia yet. Area prices print only where South Carolina's own price test passed for the county, and it has not for Richland County.
How many people live in Columbia?
About 147,035 (Census estimate for July 1, 2025), +8.2% since 2020, counting the whole city.
How many new homes are being built in Columbia?
Building permits authorized 1,956 new housing units in 2025 and 2,317 from January to Aug 2026 (against 1,131 a year earlier) (Census Building Permits Survey).
Where does this data come from?
Parcels: SC Revenue and Fiscal Affairs Office statewide parcel layer. Flood: FEMA National Flood Hazard Layer. Wetlands: USFWS National Wetlands Inventory. Towns: U.S. Census places. Every figure is counted from those files on our map.
More in Richland CountyIts other towns
About these numbersSources, dates and how these figures are built
What Groundwork can price in Columbia
Facts only: no price estimate on any parcel here.
Sources
Parcels: SC Revenue and Fiscal Affairs Office statewide parcel layer (layer last edited Sep 2026, pulled Oct 2026); flood: FEMA National Flood Hazard Layer (as of Sep 2026); wetlands: USFWS National Wetlands Inventory (as of Oct 2026); town limits: U.S. Census Bureau TIGER/Line places; counted on our map built Oct 2026.