Columbia is the capital city of the U.S. state of South Carolina. With a population of 136,632 at the 2020 census, it is the second-most populous city in South Carolina. The city serves as the county seat of Richland County, and a portion of the city extends into neighboring Lexington County. It is the center of the Columbia, SC Metropolitan Statistical Area, which had an estimated population of 858,302 in 2023, and is the 70th-most populous metropolitan statistical area in the United States. The name Columbia is a poetic term used for the United States, derived from the name of Christopher Columbus, who explored for the Spanish Crown. Columbia is often abbreviated as Cola, leading to its nickname as "Soda City".
Richland County is located in the U.S. state of South Carolina. As of the 2020 census, its population was 416,147, making it the second-most populous county in South Carolina, behind only Greenville County. The county seat and largest community is Columbia, the state capital. The county was established on March 12, 1785. Richland County is part of the Columbia, SC Metropolitan Statistical Area. In 2020, the center of population of South Carolina was located in Richland County, in the city of Columbia. The county is also the location of the geographic center of South Carolina, southeast of Columbia.
Lexington County is a county located in the U.S. state of South Carolina. As of the 2020 census, the population was 293,991. Its county seat and largest community is Lexington. The county was chartered in 1785 and was named in commemoration of Lexington, Massachusetts, the site of the Battle of Lexington in the American Revolutionary War. Lexington County is the sixth-most populous county in South Carolina by population and is part of the Columbia, SC Metropolitan Statistical Area. It is located in the Midlands region of South Carolina.
The University of South Carolina Aiken is a public university in Aiken, South Carolina. It is part of the University of South Carolina System and offers undergraduate degree programs as well as master's degrees. Additional graduate courses and degree programs are offered through the University of South Carolina Extended Graduate Campus program. The University of South Carolina Aiken awards baccalaureate degrees in more than 30 major areas of study including the bachelor of science in business administration online through Palmetto College.
The Midlands region of South Carolina is the middle area of the state. The region's main center is Columbia, the state's capital. The Midlands is so named because it is halfway point between the Upstate and the Lowcountry. The main area code is 803.
Bluegrass Community and Technical College (BCTC) is a public community college in Lexington, Kentucky. It is one of sixteen two-year, open admission colleges of the Kentucky Community and Technical College System (KCTCS). It was formed from the consolidation of two separate institutions: Lexington Community College and Central Kentucky Technical College. Lexington Community College was the last remaining college in the University of Kentucky Community College System until a vote by the trustees transferred governance to KCTCS in 2004. Prior to 1984, the college was named Lexington Technical Institute. Central Kentucky Technical College was part of the Workforce Development Cabinet of the Kentucky State Government until the creation of KCTCS in 1997. KCTCS was formed in 1997 by the state legislature through House Bill 1 which combined the technical colleges of the Workforce Development Cabinet and the community colleges previously with the University of Kentucky. BCTC is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).
Richland County School District Two is a nationally recognized school district located in suburban Columbia, South Carolina, United States, in the northeast section of Richland County. It is one of the fastest growing districts in South Carolina, with a current student population above 28,000. It operates 40 schools and centers, two district child development programs, two alternative schools, an adult/community center and several magnet centers and programs at all grade levels. The district offices are in an unincorporated area.
Minneapolis College is a public community college in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It has one of the most diverse student populations in the state and enrolls nearly 11,100 credit students annually. Minneapolis College is part of Minnesota State, which offers two-year associate degrees, certificates, and diplomas.
Guilford Technical Community College is a public community college in the Piedmont Triad of North Carolina. It is the fourth largest institution in the North Carolina Community College System and the largest in the Piedmont Triad. Guilford Technical Community College also has campuses in Jamestown, High Point, Greensboro, and Colfax.
Dreher High School is a co-educational four-year public high school in Richland County School District One located in Columbia, South Carolina, United States. Dreher, established in 1938, is one of the oldest public high schools in South Carolina. In 2022, Dreher was ranked the seventh-best high school in South Carolina and 1,017th in national rankings by U.S. News & World Report.
Cardinal Newman High School is a diocesan, Roman Catholic middle and high school outside the city limits of Columbia, South Carolina. It is part of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Charleston.
Gateway Technical College is a public technical college in southeastern Wisconsin. It is one of the largest members of the state-run Wisconsin Technical College System, serving Kenosha, Racine, and Walworth counties.
The Old Campus District, University of South Carolina, is a historic district centered on The Horseshoe on the main campus of the University of South Carolina in Columbia, South Carolina. On June 5, 1970, it was listed in the National Register of Historic Places. On April 19, 1996 MTV Unplugged filmed Hootie & the Blowfish's concert on The Horseshoe before the release of their second album Fairweather Johnson.
Davidson-Davie Community College (DDCC) is a public community college with campuses in Davidson County and Davie County, North Carolina. It awards certificates, diplomas, and associate degrees in more than 50 programs. As a member of the Comprehensive Articulation Agreement (CAA), between the North Carolina Community College System and the University of North Carolina (UNC) System, credits earned at DCCC transfer to the university system. Davidson-Davie Community College also provides basic skill training and General Educational Development (GED) programs to the public.
Prisma Health is a not-for-profit health organization in South Carolina, formed by the merging of Palmetto Health and the Greenville Health System in November 2017. Its headquarters are on the property of Greenville Memorial Hospital in Greenville.
Trident Technical College (TTC) is a public community college with its main campus in Charleston, South Carolina and other campuses throughout Berkeley, Charleston, and Dorchester counties. It is part of the South Carolina Technical College System. Enrollment for each semester is approximately 12,000 students working their way toward college transfer associate degrees and technical associate degrees, diplomas, and certificates.
The COMET, officially the Central Midlands Regional Transit Authority (CMRTA), is a regional transportation authority formed by Richland County, City of Columbia, and Lexington County on April 24, 2000, by the Central Midlands Council of Governments. The COMET consists of an intergovernmental agreement signed by Richland County, the City of Columbia, the City of Forest Acres, and Lexington County to fund, operate and maintain public transit services and mass transportation in Richland and Lexington counties in the Columbia metropolitan area of South Carolina.
Central Carolina Technical College (CCTC) is a public community college in Sumter, South Carolina. It is part of the South Carolina Technical College System.
South Carolina Highway 602 (SC 602) is a 10.690-mile-long (17.204 km) state highway in the U.S. state of South Carolina. The highway connects Red Bank and West Columbia, via Springdale.
South Carolina Highway 760 (SC 760) is a 1.182-mile-long (1.902 km) state highway in the U.S. state of South Carolina. The highway travels through eastern Columbia, and connects the main part of the city with Fort Jackson. It is known as Fort Jackson Boulevard for its entire length.
