COLUMBIA AND THE MIDLANDS AREA

This years 2008-09 issue of LIVING HERE: A guide to Columbia and the Midlands area compiled 5 great reasons, "Why You'll Love Living Here!"

IT'S IN THE MIDDLE: Columbia is in the center of a smallish state, so wonderful weekend trips are only two hours away: two hours to the beach, two hours to the mountains.

IT'S WALKABLE: Urban doesn't have to mean slivers of nature. From any high point in the city, the leafy green of live oaks reassure. Plus, in Columbia, you don't even have to leave town for a stroll by the river.

IT'S TASTEFUL: You expect soul food, barbecue and other Deep South delights. But you'll also find taquerias, Indian restaurants, Thai restaurants, Japanese restaurants, upscale French, Italian oor seafood restaurants, vegan and vegetarian restaurants and international markets scattered about the city and its suburbs.

IT'S FAMILY FRIENDLY: Almost any month brings family-friendly events, many of them free. Plus, Columbia is home to the world-class Riverbanks Zoo, several museums, parks and more.

IT'S EDUCATION FOCUSED: Want to brush up on your French? enhance your computer skills? Get those kids a state education? Earn a degree? The city is home to several institutions of higher learning, among them is USC!

Some More Facts About Columbia....

Here you will find everything you need to know about Columbia, SC. From schools to attractions, you will learn about our great city.

Columbia Facts:

• The Capital of South Carolina
• Population: Population (year 2000): 116,278. Estimated population in July 2006: 119,961 (+3.2% change)

Males: 56,999	(49.0%)
Females: 59,279	(51.0%)

• Counties: Richland County and Lexington County
• Average Temperature: 65 degrees
• Airports: Columbia Metropolitan and Columbia Owens Downtown
• Colleges and Universites: University of South Carolina / Columbia College / Midlands Tech / Allen University / Benedict College

• Zip codes: 29201, 29202, 29203, 29204, 29205, 29206, 29207, 29209, 29210, 29212, 29223, 29229

Attractions:

• Riverbanks Zoo (www.riverbanks.org)
• Colonial Center (www.thecolonialcenter.com)
• The State Museum (www.museum.state.sc.us)

Climate, Natural Disasters Economy, Business, Jobs Education Geography Government, Elections

History Population, Demographics Symbols, Official Recognitions Taxes, Licenses Transportation

SC Geography

• Borders – Atlantic Ocean, Georgia, North Carolina

• Time zone – Eastern

• Total area – 31,189 square miles (40th largest state)
  Land area – 30,111 square miles (96.5%)
  Inland water area – 1,006 square miles
  Coastal water area – 72 square miles
  

• Greatest distances
  North to south – 219 miles
  East to west – 273 miles
  

• Geographic center – Richland County (13 miles southeast of Columbia)
  

• Largest county (land area only) – Horry (1,133 square miles)
• Largest county (land & water area) – Berkeley (1,230 square miles)
• Smallest county – McCormick (360 square miles)

• Highest mountain – Sassafras Mountain (3,560 feet)
• Highest waterfall – Raven Cliff Falls (400 feet)
• Largest island – Johns Island
• Largest barrier island – Hilton Head Island
• Largest lake – Lake Marion (172.8 square miles)
• Largest river – Santee River (143 miles long and drains 40% of the state)
  
• Longest river – Savannah River (238 miles = length of river segment that borders SC)
  

• Miles of coast – 187
• Miles of coastal shoreline – 2,876 – 11th longest
• Miles of oceanfront beaches – 182
• Lowcountry – area along SC coast from Pawleys Island south to the Savannah River – sometimes spelled Low Country.
  

SC Climate, Natural Disasters

• Average annual precipitation – 45 inches
  

• Average January 15 low in Columbia – 37° F
  Average January 15 high – 57° F
  

• Average July 15 low in Columbia – 71° F
  Average July 15 high – 92° F
  

• Record low – -19° F (1977, Caesar's Head)
  Record high – 111° F (1925, Blackville and Calhoun Falls ... 1954, Camden)
  

• Worst earthquake – Charleston – August 31, 1886
  
• Worst hurricane – Hugo – September 21-22, 1989
  

Population, Demographics

• Estimated population – 4,321,249 (2006 - 24th largest state)
  
• Population per square land mile – 143.5 (2006)
  

• Smallest town – Peak - 62 (2005)
  
• Largest city – Columbia - 117,088 (2005)
  

• Smallest county – McCormick - 10,108 (2005)
  
• Largest county – Greenville - 407,383 (2005)
  

• Percent urban – 76 (2006)
  
• Percent rural – 24 (2006)
  

• Percent women – 51.7 (2005)
  
• Percent men – 48.3 (2005)
  

• Percent white – 67.4 (2005 - ranked 43rd)
  
• Percent black – 28.5 (2005 - ranked 6th)
  
• Percent Hispanic – 3.3 (2005 - ranked 36th)
  

• Median age – 37.1 (2005)
  
• Percent under 18 – 24.1 (2005)
  
• Percent 18-64 – 63.6 (2005)
  
• Percent 65 and older – 12.3 (2005)
  

History

• Who is South Carolina named for?

• First European contact with native Americans – by Spanish at Winyah Bay in June 1521
  

• First European enslavement of native Americans – by Spanish at Winyah Bay in July 1521
  

• First French settlement – Parris Island in 1562
  

• Charles I of England granted "Carolana" to Sir Robert Heath – 1629
  

• Charles II of England granted "Carolina" to eight Lords Proprietors – March 24, 1663
  

• First English settlement – Charles Town (1670 - named for Charles II)
  

• Separated from North Carolina – 1710
  

• Lords Proprietors overthrown – December 21, 1719
  

• First state constitution signed - March 26, 1776 (John Rutledge elected president)
  

• America's first military victory – British fleet defeated at Battle of Sullivan's Island (June 28, 1776)
  

• Declaration of Independence signed in Philadelphia – August 2, 1776 (Four SC signers were Thomas Heyward, Jr, Thomas Lynch, Jr, Arthur Middleton, and Edward Rutledge)
  

• First state governor – John Rutledge (1779)
  

• Capital moved – from Charleston to Columbia (1786)
  

• Ratified US Constitution – May 23, 1788 (8th state)
  

• Seceded from Union – December 20, 1860 (1st state)
  

• Fired on Fort Sumter – April 12, 1861
  

• First SC governor elected by popular vote – James Lawrence Orr (October 18, 1865)
  

• End of Reconstruction – April 11, 1877
  

• Last county formed – Allendale (1919)
  

• First woman elected to SC Senate – Mary G. Ellis from Jasper County (1929)
  

• Public colleges integrated – 1965
  

• In-migration begins to exceed out-migration – late 1960s
  

• Public K-12 schools integrated – 1970
  

• First black state representatives elected in the 20th Century – 1970
  

• First Republican governor since Reconstruction – James B. Edwards (1975)
  

• First black state senator elected in the 20th Century – I. DeQuincy Newman (1983)
  

• First black US Representative elected since Reconstruction – James E. Clyburn (1992)
  

Symbols, Official Recognitions

• Nickname – Palmetto State
  Earlier nickname – Iodine State
  
• State – flag – Note: No one knows what the crescent on the caps of Moultrie's troops represented
  
• State – seal
  
• State – motto - South Carolina has two state mottoes
  
• State – songs
  
• State music – The Spiritual
  
• State opera – Porgy and Bess
  
• State popular music – Beach music
  
• State dance – The Shag
  
• State folk dance – Square Dance
  
• State waltz – Richardson Waltz
  
• Current poet laureate – Marjory Wentworth
  
• All state's – poet laureates - past and present
  

• State tree – Palmetto
  
• State flower – Carolina or Yellow jessamine ("JES-uh-min" often pronounced "jaz'min")
  
• State grass – Indian grass
  
• State fruit – Peach
  
• State beverage – Milk
  
• State hospitality beverage – Tea
  

• State amphibian – Spotted salamander
  
• State animal – Whitetail deer
  
• State bird – Carolina wren
  
• State butterfly – Eastern tiger swallowtail
  
• State dog – Boykin Spaniel
  
• State fish – Striped bass
  
• State game bird – Wild turkey
  
• State insect – Carolina mantid
  
• State reptile – Loggerhead turtle
  
• State spider – Carolina wolf spider
  

• State gem – Amethyst
  
• State shell – Lettered olive
  
• State stone – Blue granite

• Other State symbols – official recognitions
  

Government, Elections

• Capital – Columbia
  
• Number of counties – 46
  

• Governor – Mark Sanford
  
• Number of Supreme Court justices – 5
  

• Name of legislature – General Assembly
  
• Number of state representatives – 124
  
• Number of state senators – 44
  

• Number of US representatives – 6
  
• Number of US senators – 2
  
• Number of electoral votes – 8
  

• Number of registered voters – 2,495,806 (April 2007)
  
• Percent of potential voters registered – 58 (Nov 11, 2006 election)
  
• Percent of registered voters who voted – 45 (Nov 11, 2006 election)
  
• Percent of potential voters who voted – 26 (Nov 11, 2006 election)
  

• Voter registration requirements
  

Taxes, Licenses

• Sales tax rates – 6% (6 counties) - 7% (31 counties) -
  7.5% (1 county) - 8% (8 counties) - Adobe Reader
  
• State fuel tax – 16.8 cents per gallon
  
• Highest income tax rate for individuals – 7%
  
• Corporate state income tax rate – 5% (There is no local tax on corporate income)
  
• Tax forms, instructions, help
  

• Driver's licenses – non-commercial
  
• Commercial driver's licenses – CDL
  
• Vehicle titles and registrations
• Vehicle inspections – South Carolina no longer has a vehicle inspection program
  
• Marriage licenses
  

Education

• Number of K-12 public school districts – 85
  
• Number of K-12 public schools – 1,144
  
• Annual operating expenditure per student – $8,706 (2003-2004)
  
• Percent of 25+ year olds who have completed high school – 76.3 (2000)
  

• Number of public two-year technical colleges – 16
  
• Number of private two-year colleges – 6
  
• Number of public four-year colleges – 11
  
• Number of private four-year colleges – 21
  
• Percent of state residents 25 and older who have a degree – 23 (2005)
  

Economy, Business, Jobs

• Number of Fortune 500 company headquarters – 1 (SCANA)
  
• Business failure rate. – 35 per 10,000 concerns (1997)
  
• Percent union members in manufacturing – 3.3 (2007)
  
• Right-to-work law – Yes
  
• Average hourly earnings in manufacturing – $14.93 (March 2006)
  
• Average hourly earnings for all jobs – $12.43 (May 2005)
  
• Annual personal income per capita – $28,285 (2005 - ranked 43rd)
  
• Annual personal income per capita as a percent of US annual income per capita – 82%
  
• Median household income – $39,316 (2005 - ranked 41st)
  
• Cost of living index rate for Charleston – 97.9 (2005)
  Cost of living index rate for Columbia – 96.4 (2005)
  Cost of living index rate for Myrtle Beach – 93.4 (2005)
  Cost of living index rate for Spartanburg – 90.9 (2005)
  
• Number of residents per physician – 490 (2005)
  
• Largest foreign investor country – Germany
  
• Percent employed by foreign-owned companies – 8.1 (2004)
  
• Median value of owner-occupied homes – $113,100 (2005 - ranked 39th)
  
• Percent homes owner-occupied – 70.1 (2005 - ranked 17th)
  
• Average monthly contract rent – $611 (2005)
  
• Gross sales – $88,179,240,639 (fiscal year 2003-2004)
  
• Per capita retail sales – $9895.00 (2002)
  
• Leading agricultural products – forestry, poultry, tobacco, cotton, soybeans
  

Transportation

• Miles of interstate highways – 844 (2006)
  Miles of state primary roads – 9,411.97 (1998)
  Miles of state secondary roads – 31,287.32 (1998)
  Number of bridges. – about 10,600 (1998)
  
• Longest driving time within state – about 5 hours
  
• Number of private & commercial vehicles – 3,339,458 (2005)
  
• Number of public vehicles – 52,006 (2005)
  
• Miles of railroad tracks for freight – 2,283 (2005)
  
• Number of commercial airports – 6
  Busiest passenger airport – Charleston International Airport
  Busiest cargo airport – Columbia Metropolitan Airport
  
• Number of general aviation airports – 68 (2005)
  
• Number of public marine terminals – 3 (Charleston is the busiest)
  

Related Resources

• South Carolina – Encarta Encyclopedia
  
• South Carolina – Information Please Almanac
  
• South Carolina – Information Please Encyclopedia
  
• South Carolina – Internet Public Library
  
• Free SC vacation kit and accommodations guide