Where students live
Two clusters: walkable downtown/Vista and Five Points high-rises at premium per-bed rates, and cheaper shuttle-served cottage communities along Bluff Rd near Williams-Brice Stadium.
Premium walkable towers run $800–$1,100+/bed; Bluff Rd cottages run $475–$815/bed. Top properties waitlist by spring — Greene Crossing and Sawyer on Lincoln are already full for 2026–27.
Apartments & rentals students actually use
| Community | Distance | Units & sizes | Furnished? | Rent | Links |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Standard at Columbia Downtown, Assembly St | Walkable | Studio–5BR, 403–1,500 sq ft | Furnished | From ~$1,261/bed | website · floor plans |
| Greene Crossing The Vista / Innovista | Walking distance | Studio–4BR; 3x3 ~1,068 sq ft | Furnished | From $1,057/bed (waitlist) | website · floor plans |
| Station at Five Points Five Points | ~5-min walk | 1x1 747 · 2x2 1,022 · 3x3 1,415 · 4x4 1,486 sq ft | Furnished | $789–$1,609/bed | website · floor plans |
| Garnet Crossing Bluff Rd, stadium corridor | ~0.5 mi | Cottages 2–5BR, 1,395–2,166 sq ft | Both | $705–$815/bed | website · floor plans |
| Redpoint Columbia Bluff Rd | Private shuttle | 2–4BR apts + townhomes, 1,200–1,900 sq ft | Furnished | $475–$749/bed, utilities incl. | website · floor plans |
| Sawyer on Lincoln Vista / BullStreet edge | Minutes | 1–3BR | Furnished | Sold out Fall 2026 | website · floor plans |
Rates, sizes, and floor-plan links from official property sites, August 2026. Several are promotional starting rates and change often — verify with the property.
What you'll need
Most student communities here come furnished — use the checklist's furnished filter. Conventional Columbia rentals are unfurnished.
Apartment checklist Apartment shop
Staying in the dorms instead? Head back to the South Carolina dorm dimensions and dorm packing list.