Columbia Senior AdvisorHow much licensed senior care does Columbia have?
The City of Columbia had about 147,035 residents in Census Bureau estimates for July 1, 2025, and DPH lists 26 senior-serving community residential care facilities and 12 nursing homes with Columbia mailing addresses in the four areas we map.
| Part of Columbia | Senior CRCFs | Alzheimer's unit flag | Nursing homes | Home care / hospice offices |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Downtown, Shandon & Forest Acres | 4 | 1 | 3 | 96 |
| North Columbia, Eau Claire & Farrow Road | 8 | 0 | 3 | 9 |
| Northeast Columbia, Sandhills & Clemson Road | 11 | 6 | 5 | 66 |
| St. Andrews, Harbison & Broad River Road | 3 | 1 | 1 | 63 |
Does a Columbia mailing address mean inside city limits?
No. DPH records each facility's postal city, and a Columbia address covers large unincorporated areas such as Dentsville, Spring Valley, St. Andrews and Harbison, some of them in Lexington County, as well as the city itself.
The city's population rose from 136,725 in the 2020 estimates base to 147,035 in 2025. For care decisions the mailing address matters less than the drive for the relatives who will visit most, which is why the area pages group facilities by ZIP code.
Which hospitals serve Columbia seniors?
DPH's list shows general hospital campuses in Columbia run by Prisma Health (Richland, Baptist and Baptist Parkridge) and MUSC Health (Downtown and Northeast), with Lexington Medical Center just across the river in West Columbia; most rehab and nursing home referrals begin with a discharge from one of them.
- MUSC Health Columbia Medical Center Downtown (258 licensed beds)
- MUSC Health Columbia Medical Center-Northeast (74 licensed beds)
- Prisma Health Baptist (352 licensed beds)
- Prisma Health Baptist Parkridge (76 licensed beds)
- Prisma Health Richland (641 licensed beds)
Where do Columbia families get free help?
The Central Midlands Council of Governments Area Agency on Aging at 220 Stoneridge Drive, Suite 350, Columbia, SC 29210 ((803) 376-5390) is the aging and disability resource center for Richland and Lexington counties and runs the regional long-term care ombudsman program and SHIP Medicare counseling.
Licensing complaints go to DPH Healthcare Quality at 1-800-922-6735, and suspected abuse of an adult at home to DSS Adult Protective Services at 1-888-227-3487. Prisma Health SeniorCare PACE-Midlands serves Richland and Lexington counties.
Care types in Columbia
Assisted living in Columbia
Area by area →Memory care in Columbia
Area by area →Nursing homes in Columbia
Area by area →Home health & hospice in Columbia
Area by area →Columbia at a glance
| Senior care in Columbia is | Senior care in Columbia is not | |
|---|---|---|
| Licensing | S.C. Department of Public Health, for every facility type | Licensed by the city or Richland County |
| Geography | Clustered in Northeast Columbia and North Columbia | Spread evenly across neighborhoods |
| Programs | Central Midlands aging services, PACE-Midlands, Community Choices | Run by the city |
| Data | DPH roster and CMS ratings | Reviews or rankings |
