Relocating to Columbia, South Carolina
Well, when most of us refer to Columbia, we mean the Columbia, SC region, and that includes six counties, as shown on this link here 
.
Of the current permanent staff for the Office of Legal Education, about 60 percent of the staff live in Richland County, 30 percent in Lexington County, about 5 percent on Kershaw County, and the remaining five percent live in a county outside the Metropolitan Statistical area.
The Columbia Metropolitan Area of Chamber of Commerce has a helpful website, and Gardner Guides has a general relocation guide.
The General Services Administration has published this handbook for relocating Federal employees.
The State newspaper’s 2011-2012 Guide to Columbia and the Midlands
Click on some of the categories below for more expanded information:
Fast Facts about South Carolina:
- Geography and Population
- Statistical information from the U.S. Census Bureau.
- Most everyone knows that South Carolina is the Palmetto State, but did you know that "Spiritual" is South Carolina’s state musical style, and the State Dog is the Boykin Spaniel? Learn more here.
- Useful statistics and demographics from the SC Budget and Control Board
- Read about average weather and temperatures for Columbia, South Carolina
Places of Worship
Places of Worship in South Carolina. SCIWAY.NET has a listing here by city ; some houses of worship may not have loaded information on this site, so if it’s not here, try Google.
Area Banks and Credit Unions
- Department of Justice employees working at the National Advocacy Center or the Close Hipp building are eligible for membership in the Carolina Collegiate Federal Credit Union.
- You can find other credit unions in South Carolina by using this locator. Community banks can be found here and a list of other banks in South Carolina is here.
- Note: These references are not an endorsement of any of these banks or credit unions by the Department of Justice; they are provided merely as a reference guide to help you with your relocation.
Hospitals and Health Care
- Lexington Medical Center
- Moncrief Army Medical Hospital
- Palmetto Health
- Palmetto Baptist Hospital
- Palmetto Richland Hospital
- Palmetto Parkridge
- Providence Hospital
- Providence Northeast
- Wm. Jennings Bryan Dorn VA Medical Center
Child and Elder Care
- Child Care - Search for licensed child care centers.
- Elder Care - The Central Midlands Agency on Aging provides a number of services for elder care and senior citizens.
Schools
There are a wide variety of schools in the Columbia regions. Each County has at least one school districts, many have multiple districts, and some districts cross County borders. Here’s an overall directory of schools in the area and a list of the public school districts in Richland and Lexington counties:
- Richland One
- Richland Two
- Lexington One
- Lexington Two
- Lexington Three
- Lexington Four
- Lexington/Richland Five
- East Point Academy of South Carolina– Mandarin Chinese Immersion School
There are also many private schools in Richland and Lexington counties, and a statewide listing by County is available here .
University of South Carolina
The Executive Office for United States Attorneys (EOUSA) and the University of South Carolina (USC) have “teamed up” since 1993, when the first cooperative agreement between USC and EOUSA was approved. That original agreement has been amended many times since then, as the partnership between EOUSA and USC has grown.
- Residency Requirements for in-state tuition rates for families relocating to South Carolina:
- When a person moves to SC for employment purposes and establishes legal residency in the state (has a permanent place of residence in the state, obtains a SC driver’s license, registers vehicle in the state), the person and their dependents are eligible to pay in-state fees immediately, provided the move and the full-time employment occur on or before the date that classes begin for the applicable semester. To maintain eligibility to pay in-state fees under the full-time employment provision, the employed person must continue to work full-time in the state until he or she qualifies to pay in-state fees under the full-time twelve-month requirement. If the person’s employment terminates before he or she qualifies to pay in-state fees under the twelve-month requirement, the person’s eligibility to pay in-state fees will end under the full-time employment provision.
- Need to complete your bachelor’s degree? USC has a program to assist you:
- Numerous USC baccalaureate programs welcome transfer students with good academic records. The Adult Student Services Office is an excellent first stop for potential students age 25 and over. Assistance is available for reviewing past transcripts, exploring current academic ambitions, and finding a good match for the two. The Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies (BAIS) may be of interest to students who have earned significant credits and want an individually tailored degree. The Adult Student Advancement Program (ASAP) offers a second chance to promising students whose past college-level academic performance may not have been strong.
- Numerous USC baccalaureate programs welcome transfer students with good academic records. The Adult Student Services Office
- Under the Academic Common Market (ACM) you can qualify for in-state tuition at out many out-of state schools in 16 Southeastern states if your state does not offer a degree program that your child (or you!) want to pursue. For more information, please see this link - Southern Educational Regional Board
- ACM applies to residents of SREB states only, the District of Columbia is not included, but Maryland and Virginia residents would qualify. DC does offer a tuition equalization grant - DC Tuition Assistance Grant Program (DCTAG) . ACM applies to specific majors only.
For Virginia residents, only Insurance and Risk Mgt, Retailing, and Russian would qualify.
For Maryland residents the approved majors are Advertising, Insurance and Risk Management, Journalism and Mass Communications, Marine Science, Retailing, and Sport and Entertainment Management.
Students should refer to their state ACM coordinator website for more information and procedures for applying for ACM.
- In addition to USC, there are many other fine two and four year universities in South Carolina. Here’s a list of South Carolina Colleges and Universities accredited by The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools . The SACS is the regional body for the accreditation of degree-granting higher education institutions in the Southern states. (Click on South Carolina in the map.)
- Midlands Technical College is the primary community and technical college in the Columbia area.
Housing
View statistics and demographics on Real Estate in Columbia, South Carolina.
Taxes
The South Carolina and its local governments impose a variety of taxes. The Tax Foundation’s rankings of South Carolina’s tax burden may be found here .
- Income Taxes - Information on South Carolina’s income tax is available from the South Carolina Department of Revenue here .
- Personal Property Taxes - Counties in South Carolina impose a personal property tax on cars and boats. Here is information on Car Taxes for Richland, Lexington, and Kershaw counties.
- Real Estates Taxes - South Carolina Association of Counties provides information on the real estate tax rates for each county. Page three shows the formula for how taxes are computed on real estate. These links can help you provide estimates for real estate taxes in Richland county. Zillow also shows real estate tax assessments for most properties.
- Sales Taxes - The Sales Tax rate is six percent statewide. Some counties impose an additional 1% sales tax. Both Lexington and Richland counties have imposed the option 1% tax, for a total sales tax rate of 7%. Click for a list of tax rates by zip code.
As of August, 2010, the sales tax on new cars is capped at $300. So, whether you buy a Chevy Cobalt or a Rolls Royce Silver Cloud, the tax is $300. Also, the sales tax for residents over 85 years old is 5 percent!
Utilities
- Cable/Broadband - Many employees obtain service through Time Warner or ATT’s U-verse service .
- Electricity - Most homes in the Columbia area are served by South Carolina Electric and Gas . (SCE&G). SCE&G provides electricity to all areas and natural gas to some areas. Some areas in the region are served by Mid Carolina Electric Cooperative
- Landline Phones - The local carrier for most employees is att.com Some employees bundle their home phone service with cable/broadband/ dialtone through ATT’s U-verse service or a package from Time Warner
Vehicles
- Registering Your Car in South Carolina - Everything you ever wanted to know about registering your car in South Carolina is available South Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles . Counties in South Carolina impose a personal property tax on cars. Here is information on Car Taxes for Richland , Lexington , and Kershaw counties. As a general rule, you have to pay your property taxes before you can get your car tags.
- Driver’s License - Of course, if you have a car, you’ll need a driver’s license. You can transfer a valid license from your old residence within 90 days of moving to the Palmetto State. See this link for additional information .
- Car Insurance - The South Carolina Department of Insurance has provided this helpful guide to car insurance , including minimum coverage information. A good tip: Shop around! See this page from Consumers Reports magazine for additional information.
- Personal Property Taxes - Counties in South Carolina impose a personal property tax on cars and boats. Here is information on Car Taxes for Richland , Lexington , and Kershaw counties.
