2014 Census estimates: Columbia area cracks 800k population

The Columbia metro area cracked 800,000 in population last year, holding steady as the second-largest metro area in the state and the 72nd largest in the country.

More than 8,000 people joined the Columbia metropolitan statistical area between July 1, 2013, and July 1, 2014, raising the population 1 percent from 792,422 to 800,495, according to U.S. Census Bureau estimates released Thursday.

Since 2010, Columbia’s metro population has grown by 4.3 percent, adding more than 33,000 people. The area, encompassing Richland, Lexington, Calhoun, Fairfield, Kershaw and Saluda counties, accounts for 16.5 percent of South Carolina’s more than 4.8 million people.

While the Columbia metro area is second to the Greenville-Anderson-Mauldin metro area in population, Columbia proper is the largest city in the state, with some 133,358 people as of the most recent estimates from July 2013.

Three South Carolina metro areas were among the nation’s 20 fastest-growing between 2013 and 2014: Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach was second, Hilton Head-Bluffton-Beaufort was 13th and Charleston-North Charleston was 17th.

South Carolina is the country’s 24th most populous state, growing 4.5 percent in population since 2010.

This story was originally published March 26, 2015 at 12:07 PM with the headline "2014 Census estimates: Columbia area cracks 800k population."