
Compare Assisted Living around Columbia (Metro Area)
Info below is compiled from the SC Dept. of Public Health (DPH), senior community websites & trusted data sources such as Walk Score & BBB.
Communities are listed from highest to lowest based on our ranking methodology.
| Still Hopes Episcopal Retirement Community | AL IL MC NH SNF | West Columbia (Still Hopes Drive) | 22
Facility
22
SC AVG
90
Rank
#301 / 307 | Yes |
63
Facility
63
SC AVG
32
Rank
#14 / 230 | - | A+ |
| Wildewood Downs Retirement Community | AL IL MC NH SNF | Columbia (Williamsburg East) | 57
Facility
57
SC AVG
90
Rank
#228 / 307 | Yes |
33
Facility
33
SC AVG
32
Rank
#117 / 230 | 1 Bed / 2 Bed / 3 Bed | - |
| Atria Forest Lake | AL MC | Columbia | - | Yes |
65
Facility
65
SC AVG
32
Rank
#10 / 230 | Private Rooms | - |
| Harmony at Columbia | AL IL MC | Columbia | 110
Facility
110
SC AVG
90
Rank
#90 / 307 | Yes |
36
Facility
36
SC AVG
32
Rank
#100 / 230 | Studio / 1 Bed / 2 Bed | A+ |
| Rice Estate – Assisted Living | AL HOS IL MC NH RC SNF | Columbia | 40
Facility
40
SC AVG
90
Rank
#287 / 307 | No | - | - | A |
| Palmettos of Parklane | AL MC RC | Columbia (Springwood) | 85
Facility
85
SC AVG
90
Rank
#158 / 307 | Yes |
27
Facility
27
SC AVG
32
Rank
#139 / 230 | Suite | - |
| Rice Estate Rehabilitation and Healthcare | AL HOS IL MC NH RC SNF | Columbia | 80
Facility
80
SC AVG
90
Rank
#167 / 307 | No | - | - | A+ |
| Brookdale Harbison | AL | Columbia | 52
Facility
52
SC AVG
90
Rank
#241 / 307 | Yes |
36
Facility
36
SC AVG
32
Rank
#100 / 230 | Suite | - |
| Brookdale Columbia | AL IL MC NH SNF | Columbia (Dentsville) | 52
Facility
52
SC AVG
90
Rank
#241 / 307 | Yes |
35
Facility
35
SC AVG
32
Rank
#110 / 230 | Suite | - |
| Mill Creek Manor | AL IL MC | Columbia (Williamsburg East) | 59
Facility
59
SC AVG
90
Rank
#224 / 307 | Yes |
8
Facility
8
SC AVG
32
Rank
#196 / 230 | Private Rooms | B+ |
| Spring Oak Lexington | AL MC | Lexington | 90
Facility
90
SC AVG
90
Rank
#132 / 307 | Yes |
22
Facility
22
SC AVG
32
Rank
#154 / 230 | - | - |
| Fairforest Grove Senior Living | AL MC | Columbia (St. Andrews) | 66
Facility
66
SC AVG
90
Rank
#195 / 307 | No |
41
Facility
41
SC AVG
32
Rank
#79 / 230 | Studio | A+ |
| The Legacy of Lexington | AL | Lexington | 49
Facility
49
SC AVG
90
Rank
#261 / 307 | No |
32
Facility
32
SC AVG
32
Rank
#125 / 230 | Studio / 1 Bed / 2 Bed | - |
| Merrill Gardens at Columbia | AL IL | Columbia (Midtown - Downtown) | 52
Facility
52
SC AVG
90
Rank
#241 / 307 | Yes |
17
Facility
17
SC AVG
32
Rank
#163 / 230 | Studio / 1 Bed / 2 Bed | - |
| The Blake at Woodcreek Farms | AL MC | Elgin | 100
Facility
100
SC AVG
90
Rank
#109 / 307 | Yes |
17
Facility
17
SC AVG
32
Rank
#163 / 230 | Studio / 1 Bed / 2 Bed | A+ |
Spring Oak Lexington is a blissful senior living community located in a quiet neighborhood in Lexington, SC, offering various living options including assisted living, memory care, and short-term stay. Providing a comfortable and safe residence for seniors, the community includes 24-hour assistance from a team of skilled and dedicated professionals. A place where seniors may rest and keep their family’s minds at peace, Spring Oak Lexington Senior Living ensures the happiness and wellness of its residents.
Fostering meaningful connections among its residents, the community conducts enrichment activities and outings. Spring Oak Lexington values the independence and dignity of the residents, providing them with care tailored to their needs. With its eye-pleasing and spacious residences, the community offers care like no other in a family-like environment.
Located in the charming state of South Carolina, Fairforest Grove offers a distinct senior living experience that sets it apart. As a regionally owned and managed community by Mainstay Senior Living, this community provides a warm and family-focused environment tailored specifically for seniors.
Unlike corporate-run facilities, Fairforest Grove takes pride in the personal connections formed with residents and their families, fostering a sense of belonging and kinship. From the moment visitors step through our doors, they are greeted with genuine warmth and friendliness.
Burrowed in the quiet place of Lexington, SC, The Legacy of Lexington is an enticing senior living community offering assisted living services. Here, residents can select from a wide array of spacious and comfortable accommodations ranging from one-bedroom to two-bedroom and suite. With its highly skilled and hardworking team, this community offers an emergency response system and 24/7 personalized care services.
With its top-tier amenities and other services, residents can enjoy delectable meals and snacks daily, weekly housekeeping and laundry services, in-house maintenance services, and free transportation to all professional services. Engage in diverse social activities and community events. Meet new companions and share meaningful memories within the beautiful spaces of this community. At The Legacy of Lexington, seniors are guaranteed a wonderful retirement.
Merrill Gardens at Columbia is an assisted living facility located in Columbia, South Carolina, offering independent living and hospice services on-site. The community is part of Merrill Gardens Senior Living, a senior care company, and provides vision care to its residents. The costs at Merrill Gardens at Columbia start at $3,225 and range up to $6,585, with the average price being $4,905, which is more than the average cost of assisted living in the area. The community is pet-friendly, and while South Carolina requires three meals to be provided per day, it can accommodate vegan or vegetarian diets.
Residents at Merrill Gardens at Columbia are required to have a scheduled, structured activity every day, and the community offers a variety of activities, including musical performances and social outings. The facility is located near five hospitals, with the two closest being Palmetto Health Richland and Palmetto Health Baptist, and has above-average reviews for the area. Merrill Gardens at Columbia offers 120 independent living and assisted living apartments, with concierge services, scheduled transportation, 24-hour staffing, and weekly housekeeping. The community features a variety of amenities, including a pet-friendly environment, pool, fitness programs, outdoor areas, and social outings, allowing residents to choose from a range of options to suit their individual needs and preferences.
Led by Nancy Faulski, The Blake at Woodcreek Farms is a 100-bed assisted living community in Elgin, South Carolina. The community administered by Blake At Woodcreek Farms sits in a quiet, rural setting near Spears Creek Church and operates in a two-story building that feels accessible and grounded.
The Blake at Woodcreek Farms offers flexible housing options suited to different needs and preferences. This includes studio, one-, and two-bedroom floor plans. This variety allows residents to pick a living space appropriate to their independence level and personal style. The car-dependent setting has a Walk Score of 17, typical for this region of South Carolina, so most outings involve a drive to nearby shops, services, or healthcare facilities. Daily life revolves around purposeful activities and engagement. The community organizes art classes, book club meetings, movie nights, exercise classes, gardening projects, and seasonal holiday celebrations. Such programs are tailored to keep occupants mentally and physically active while building friendships and a sense of belonging. The facility also provides a library, fitness center, and community garden, giving residents spaces to learn, move, and grow things. Dining here mirrors a restaurant-style approach with multiple menu options at each meal, allowing occupants to select what appeals to them instead of following a fixed menu. This philosophy extends throughout the community’s daily life approach.
For potential residents and their families, a tour of The Blake at Woodcreek Farms offers a chance to walk through the floor plans, see the activity spaces and dining room in action, and get a sense of how it handles the balance between support and independence that defines good assisted living.
Operating for 36 years, Carolina Gardens at Kathwood is an assisted living and memory care community in Columbia, South Carolina. The community at 4520 Trenholm Rd serves the Deaswood neighborhood in a somewhat walkable area where most daily activities need transportation.
The facility offers assisted living and memory care services, setting itself to cater to occupants at different care levels. With nearly four decades of experience, it’s established in the local senior living landscape. Residents benefit from proximity to neighborhood amenities: dining, shopping, and transportation services, along with fitness and recreation options.
Families exploring Carolina Gardens at Kathwood will see an in-person visit as the best way to know its residential layout, daily programming, dining options, and the specific support available for your dearest one’s care needs.
Greg Thompson serves as the regional president for Jenni-Lynn Assisted Living, located at 915 Hook Ave in West Columbia, South Carolina. The property has been in operation for 33 years and employs a full-time staff of 22 people. The single-story building design allows residents to move between their private living spaces and the common dining room without the use of stairs.
Daily activities include group exercise classes, neighborhood outings, and on-site beauty salon services. The community also features a pet-friendly policy. The surrounding area is car-dependent, with a walk score of 18 out of 100, meaning staff and visitors will need a vehicle to reach nearby spots like Walmart or local restaurants. The business currently maintains an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau.
Individuals looking into regional assisted living options can call the office to check on current room vacancies.
Operated by Presbyterian Communities of South Carolina, Laurel Crest is a continuum-of-care community in West Columbia, South Carolina. It offers assisted living, independent living, memory care, and nursing care under one roof. Cessandra Rowlette-Carter serves as the administrator. The 26-bed community is about 0.9 miles from West Columbia’s city centre. It has been operating for 31 years, giving it a long track record in the area.
Residents live in suite-style accommodations. They have access to a fitness centre, outdoor common areas, and recreational spaces. Organised activities and programmes give residents regular opportunities to build connections with one another and staff. Rehabilitative services include physical, occupational, and speech therapy. Home care services are also available for those who prefer to receive care in their own residence instead of moving to another level of care.
The community has a dedicated Alzheimer’s unit for residents living with dementia. Transportation services are available for appointments and outings, helping residents get around without relying on family for every trip. Residents can also bring their pets, allowing them to keep a companion animal during their stay.
The area has a Walk Score of 15 out of 100, which is car-dependent. Most errands and outings require a drive. That layout is typical for the area, especially for families used to suburban South Carolina settings, but it’s worth factoring into visit planning for residents who no longer drive.
Rice Estate Rehabilitation and Healthcare sits on Finley Road in Columbia’s Richland County, operated by Lutheran Homes of South Carolina Inc for the past 18 years. The 80-bed campus is not a single-use nursing facility. It carries nursing home care alongside assisted living, independent living, memory support, hospice, and respite services, a continuum that allows residents to move between levels of care without leaving the property.
With 69 of 80 beds occupied, the facility runs at 86% capacity. The 67-day average length of stay tells you something meaningful about who comes here: most residents are working through a defined recovery, not settling in indefinitely. That shorter-stay orientation shapes the staffing picture too.
Total nursing hours reach 4 hours and 38 minutes per resident per day, with registered nurses clocking 40 minutes of that daily. For a post-acute setting, that level of direct clinical contact is worth noting.
The named Rehabilitation & Nursing program anchors the short-stay side of the operation, and memory support is available for residents who need a higher level of cognitive care. The Magnolia Dining Room serves a daily menu built from fresh, local ingredients, with Private Dining Rooms available when families want a quieter setting. Courtyard Gardens, walking paths, and access to a protected wetlands area give the grounds an unhurried character that contrasts with typical urban nursing home campuses. A fitness room, beauty and barber salon, card room, and multi-purpose room fill out the common areas inside.
Rice Estate accepts Medicare and private pay. It is built for adults who need structured post-acute rehabilitation or longer-term nursing care within a setting that can accommodate changing care needs over time.
Providing assisted living and memory care, Forest Lake Manor is a Community Residential Care Facility (CRCF) in Columbia, South Carolina, with 60 licensed beds. Administered by Doretha L. Dennis with the ownership of Forest Lake Manor LLC, the community is dedicated to individuals requiring help with daily living as well as those experiencing cognitive decline.
24-hour staffing and emergency response systems are also provided, along with dining services that include three restaurant-style meals daily. Notably, communal dining or in-room meal service is available, which benefits residents who prefer greater privacy or who have mobility limitations that make dining room participation more difficult.
Located in Columbia’s established Forest Acres area, the community benefits from proximity to medical providers, shopping, and broader healthcare resources throughout the Columbia metropolitan region. The neighborhood setting also appeals to families seeking a more residential atmosphere while still maintaining access to urban services and healthcare infrastructure.
With dedicated memory care services, flexible dining accommodations, and a neighborhood location, Forest Lake Manor may be a good fit for older adults in Columbia and the Midlands region seeking assisted living or memory care support within a community-oriented residential setting.
Ranking Methodology
How we rank these communities
Every community above is evaluated across six weighted categories using public data including state inspection records, review platforms, BBB profiles, and operator-published materials.
Weighting overview
- 35%Resident Experience
- 25%Regulatory
- 15%Visual Media
- 10%Website
- 10%Stability
- 5%Environment
01
Resident & Family Experience 35%
The single largest share of every ranking. Aggregated review sentiment and volume from major platforms — the closest signal to real resident experience.
- Includes
- Review Sentiment
- Review Volume
02
Regulatory & Safety Record 25%
State inspection records, citations, and complaint visits. We weight per-inspection rates more heavily than raw counts.
- Includes
- State Inspections
- Citations/Inspection
- % Inspections w/ Citations
- Complaint Visits
- Accreditations
- BBB Rating
03
Visual Media & Transparency 15%
Communities that publish high-quality visuals give families a real preview. No photos or tours = a negative transparency signal.
- Includes
- Video Tours
- Virtual Walkthroughs
- Photo Quantity
- Photo Quality
04
Website & Operator Transparency 10%
Site quality and whether the operator publishes basic accountability information — staff names, contact details, ownership.
- Includes
- Website Content
- Mobile Usability
- Staff Info Available
- Owner Info Available
05
Community Stability 10%
Operational signals indicating whether a community is well-run and meeting demand.
- Includes
- Occupancy Rate
- Bed Options
06
Environment & Pricing 5%
Walkability and pricing transparency. Walk Score is weighted higher for Independent Living than for Memory Care, where most residents do not leave unaccompanied.
- Includes
- Walk Score
- Pricing Transparency
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Frequently Asked Questions about Assisted Living in Columbia, SC
What's the difference between assisted living and memory care in South Carolina?
Assisted living in South Carolina supports residents with daily activities (bathing, dressing, medication management) while preserving independence. Memory care is a specialized form of assisted living for residents living with Alzheimer's or dementia, and adds 24/7 secured environments, dementia-trained staff, and structured routines designed to reduce confusion and wandering.
What's the difference between assisted living and a nursing home in South Carolina?
Assisted living in South Carolina is a residential model focused on housing, hospitality, and help with daily activities. Nursing homes (skilled nursing facilities) provide 24/7 medical care from licensed nurses for residents with significant health needs, and are regulated more strictly under both state and federal CMS rules.
Does South Carolina Medicaid cover assisted living?
South Carolina Medicaid does not directly pay room-and-board for assisted living, but most states (including South Carolina) offer Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) waivers that can offset the cost of care services delivered inside a licensed community. Eligibility, waitlists, and covered services vary — check directly with the state Medicaid agency.
What is assisted living?
Assisted living combines private or semi-private apartments with help on activities of daily living (meals, bathing, dressing, medication management) and a social calendar — for residents who need some support but do not need 24/7 medical care.
How many assisted living facilities are listed on this page?
This page features 21 assisted living facilities in Columbia, SC. Use the filters and comparison tools above to compare ratings, amenities, and pricing.
How do I choose the right assisted living facility in Columbia, SC?
Start by matching the level of care offered to the resident's current and anticipated needs, then compare licensing status, staff-to-resident ratios, recent inspection results, and pricing. Tour at least two or three communities in Columbia, SC, talk to current residents and families, and confirm what is included in the base rate versus billed as add-on services.
What should I look for when visiting assisted living facilities in Columbia, SC?
Pay attention to staff interactions with residents, cleanliness and odor, food quality at meal times, the activity calendar, and how questions about pricing and care plans are answered. Ask to see the most recent state inspection report, the move-out / level-of-care-change policy, and a sample monthly bill that lists every fee.



















