Columbia, SC

Business Ideas & Market Opportunities

The Columbia market is currently outpacing the national growth rate. Our analysis identifies 103 active sectors where local supply has not yet met the demand indicated by the national baseline.

Active Local Businesses

25,059

Total Competition Pool

Market Size

840K

Total Metro Population

5-Year Growth Rate

+7.5%

🔥 Outpacing US(+0.1% avg)

Underserved Sectors

127

Niches with LQ < 0.8

Analyst Tip

Viewing all opportunities. Use the View Mode toggle above to filter by business model, or search to find specific niches.

Showing 20 of 314 opportunities

Tobacco Stores

Growth
+300.0%
Scale
$56K PAY
Saturation
1.17
56 establishments

Outpatient Mental Health and Substance Abuse Centers

Growth
+171.4%
Scale
$280K PAY
Saturation
0.51
19 establishments

All Other Miscellaneous Schools and Instruction

Growth
+166.7%
Scale
$112K PAY
Saturation
1.34
24 establishments

Mobile Food Services

Growth
+150.0%
Scale
$42K PAY
Saturation
0.72
20 establishments

Fruit and Vegetable Retailers

Growth
+133.3%
Scale
$67K PAY
Saturation
1.64
14 establishments

Other Activities Related to Real Estate

Growth
+119.0%
Scale
$173K PAY
Saturation
1.71
92 establishments

Drafting Services

Growth
+100.0%
Scale
$96K PAY
Saturation
1.62
10 establishments

Computer Facilities Management Services

Growth
+100.0%
Scale
$2.1M PAY
Saturation
1.17
16 establishments

All Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services

Growth
+90.7%
Scale
$230K PAY
Saturation
1.42
82 establishments

General Freight Trucking, Local

Growth
+90.0%
Scale
$277K PAY
Saturation
1.09
114 establishments

Nail Salons

Growth
+87.5%
Scale
$71910.0M REV
Saturation
0.55
1,189 establishments

Private Mail Centers

Growth
+85.7%
Scale
$164K PAY
Saturation
0.76
13 establishments

General Freight Trucking, Long-Distance, Truckload

Growth
+84.2%
Scale
$472K PAY
Saturation
1.04
140 establishments

Other Residential Care Facilities

Growth
+78.6%
Scale
$599K PAY
Saturation
1.99
25 establishments

All Other Personal Services

Growth
+77.1%
Scale
$75K PAY
Saturation
1.08
62 establishments

Facilities Support Services

Growth
+76.9%
Scale
$487K PAY
Saturation
1.17
23 establishments

Other Personal and Household Goods Repair and Maintenance

Growth
+76.7%
Scale
$150K PAY
Saturation
2.08
53 establishments

Other Management Consulting Services

Growth
+76.5%
Scale
$184K PAY
Saturation
0.89
30 establishments

Other Computer Related Services

Growth
+75.0%
Scale
$216K PAY
Saturation
1.18
35 establishments

Offices of All Other Miscellaneous Health Practitioners

Growth
+73.5%
Scale
$16933.0M REV
Saturation
1.01
510 establishments

Analyst Insights & Due Diligence

Administrative data provides the map, but not the terrain. We recommend three specific validation steps for Columbia:

1

Demographic Fit

Does the local population age or income level explain the "Supply Gaps"? (e.g., A gap in luxury services may be due to lower local income).

2

Regulatory Check

Verify local licensing requirements. High barriers to entry often protect "High Yield" sectors from new competition.

3

Competitor Health

Investigate the "Momentum" sectors. Are existing businesses thriving, or is the growth due to high turnover and failure rates?