St. Andrews, SC Apartment Renter's Guide

St. Andrew don't forsake me / St. Andrew / Don't forsake me" (- The White Stripes, "St. Andrew")

St. Andrews is a census designated place, which is a bit like a teenage town as opposed to a grown-up city. It boasts a population of 20,493 people, who probably live in St. Andrews to avoid living in the real city of Columbia. It is actually a suburb type of place nestled in between the Broad River and the Lower Saluda River. However, you cannot escape the fast lane (literally), no matter where you live. St. Andrews is also nestled between highways 20 and 26, the latter taking commuters and university students into Columbia. It is an area that is all houses and apartments, though it is close to the Columbia Canal and Riverfront Park and the Riverside Golf Course.

The whole of St. Andrews, SC is basically an urban neighborhood. It has a total area of a mere 6.4 square miles, making it more like a development than a town. It is clearly designed to cater to renters because property rentals make up 64 percent of residents. Monthly rental rates are very affordable for the typical unit and for rent to own homes. There are a number of single-family residences in St. Andrews so it’s not difficult to find house rentals also. 

St. Andrews caters to singles, if you can believe the statistics. Singles make up over 71 percent of the population. The median age is only 31 years old, so this could be a fun place to live if you're looking for young, single, and hopefully employed neighbors. Of course, with the University of South Carolina located in Columbia, the large number of single residents may be because there are many students living in St. Andrews. St. Andrews is only a 15-minute drive away from the university.

St. Andrews is close to the Columbia Canal and Riverfront Park on the Broad River which has walking and bicycle paths, trails, fishing and some historic buildings. Harbison State Forest, which has over 18 miles of trails for mountain biking and hiking and 2,137 acres of forest, is only a 13-minute drive from St. Andrews. In other words, you can choose your lane – south to the city or north to the forest. Some would call it the perfect balance.