CallataGuidesBusiness phone system for funeral homes and funeral services in Columbia, SC
Funeral homes and funeral services in the Columbia, SC metro area: 35 establishments in 2023, the local area codes, and what phone service costs a 14-person team.
- Establishments
- 35CBP 2023
- Employees
- 486mid-March 2023
- Per 100k residents
- 4.0U.S. 4.5
- Rank
- 69th of 727areas by count
The funeral home market in Columbia, SC
County Business Patterns counts 35 funeral homes and funeral services (NAICS 812210, Funeral Homes and Funeral Services) in the Columbia, SC metro area for 2023. Together they reported 486 mid-March employees and $17.1 million of payroll for the year. That ranks 69th of the 727 metro and micropolitan areas where Census published a count for this industry.
With 870,000 residents in the Census 2024 estimate, that is 4.0 funeral homes and funeral services per 100,000 people, 9.9% below the national rate of 4.5. Establishments average 13.9 employees, 96.0% above the U.S. average of 7.1. Payroll per employee comes to $35,241, 19.3% below the national $43,650.
| Measure | Columbia, SC | South Carolina | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Establishments | 35 | 274 | 15,183 |
| Mid-March employees | 486 (moderate noise) | 2,534 (moderate noise) | 107,566 |
| Annual payroll | $17,127,000 (moderate noise) | $92,525,000 | $4,695,206,000 |
| Employees per establishment | 13.9 | 9.2 | 7.1 |
| Payroll per employee | $35,241 | $36,513 | $43,650 |
| Establishments per 100,000 residents | 4.0 | 5.0 | 4.5 |
Census County Business Patterns 2023 (mid-March employment; annual payroll). Employees and payroll flagged high-noise are shown but not used in the text. Residents: Census Vintage 2024 estimates.
Establishment size: funeral homes and funeral services in Columbia, SC
Of the funeral homes and funeral services in Columbia, SC that had employees in March 2023, 32.4% had fewer than five (the U.S. share is 49.3%). 61.8% had fewer than ten. Small teams usually share the phone: the person who answers is often also serving a customer or doing the job, which is when calls get missed.
| Employment size | Establishments | Share | U.S. share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1–4 employees | 11 | 32.4% | 49.3% |
| 5–9 employees | 10 | 29.4% | 28.5% |
| 10–19 employees | 4 | 11.8% | 16.6% |
| 20–49 employees | 9 | 26.5% | 5.0% |
| 50 or more employees | 0 | 0.0% | 0.6% |
Employment-size classes count establishments by mid-March 2023 employment. Establishments with no March employees are excluded from the size classes, so shares are of establishments with employees. Source: Census County Business Patterns 2023.
What funeral homes and funeral services in Columbia, SC use the phone for
Funeral homes receive calls at any hour, often at a family's most difficult moment, so every call must be answered with care. Coordination with clergy, cemeteries and florists also happens by phone.
Typical inbound and outbound calls for funeral homes and funeral services in Columbia, SC:
- A florist calls about a delivery.
- A hospice calls about a transfer.
- A family calls about service times.
When nobody can pick up
Calls about a death come at any hour and must reach a staff member.
Callata transcribes voicemail and triages it for urgency, so the first callback in the morning can go to the caller who needs it most.
Callata vs. per-seat pricing for funeral homes and funeral services in Columbia, SC
The average funeral home in Columbia, SC has 13.9 employees, so a 14-person team is a reasonable benchmark. Priced per seat, 14 users would run $420.00 a month on RingCentral RingEX Core and $349.30 on Ooma Office Pro (month-to-month list prices, checked September 28, 2026). On Callata the same 14 people cost $279.00 a month, less than either per-seat plan.
The annual difference against RingCentral's monthly list price comes to $1,692. Some vendors discount annual contracts; the table shows month-to-month prices.
| Provider (plan) | Pricing basis | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Callata (Callata Office) | $99 incl. 5 users, $20 per extra user | $279.00 | $3,348.00 |
| Quo (Starter) | $19.00 per user | $266.00 | $3,192.00 |
| Nextiva (Core) | $23.00 per user | $322.00 | $3,864.00 |
| Ooma (Office Pro) | $24.95 per user | $349.30 | $4,191.60 |
| Dialpad (Standard) | $27.00 per user | $378.00 | $4,536.00 |
| RingCentral (RingEX Core) | $30.00 per user | $420.00 | $5,040.00 |
Competitor prices are each vendor's published month-to-month list price per user for its lowest plan that includes business calling and texting, checked September 28, 2026: Quo Starter $19, Nextiva Core $23, Ooma Office Pro $24.95 (Essentials excludes texting; one-time $29.95 activation not included), Dialpad Standard $27, RingCentral RingEX Core $30 ($20 billed annually). Prices exclude taxes and fees and may change; annual contracts lower some competitors' prices.
Local area codes for funeral homes and funeral services in Columbia, SC
NANPA records place the exchanges of the area's named cities and towns in 5 area codes. 803 has the most, with 324 of 372 exchanges (87%). Callata's plan includes up to 3 local numbers; you can pick them in the area codes your families recognize, subject to carrier inventory, or port the number you already have for free.
| Area code | Exchanges | Time zone | In service since | Overlay with |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 803 | 324 | Eastern | 1947 | 839 |
| 839 | 43 | Eastern | 2020 | 803 |
| 864 | 3 | Eastern | 1995 | 821 |
| 843 | 1 | Eastern | 1998 | 854 |
| 854 | 1 | Eastern | 2015 | 843 |
Exchanges are NANPA-assigned central office codes (NPA-NXX) in the rate centers matched to the area's named places. Source: NANPA utilized code and NPA reports.
Setting up Callata for a funeral home in Columbia, SC
Callata is a business phone system priced at $99 a month with 5 users included, then $20 per additional user. Callata Office includes up to 3 local business numbers, unlimited inbound calling, 1,500 pooled outbound US and Canada minutes per user each month, a browser softphone that can also ring your cell, voicemail with transcription, call recording with AI summaries, business-hours routing and E911 on every number.
If you already have a number in Columbia, SC, porting it to Callata is free. Texting from a local number requires a one-time carrier registration (10DLC, $49), and the numbers available in any area code depend on carrier inventory when you choose them.
Optional AI agents (receptionist, sales, support or scheduler) can answer calls after hours or when nobody picks up, take messages, text, email and transfer to your team. They are billed from prepaid AI minutes at $0.25 per minute, identify themselves as AI, and may only place outbound calls to people who consented, between 8am and 9pm.
Frequently asked questions
How many funeral homes and funeral services are there in Columbia, SC?
Census County Business Patterns counted 35 funeral homes and funeral services in the Columbia, SC metro area in 2023. They employed 486 people in mid-March.
What does a business phone system cost for a 14-person funeral home?
At month-to-month list prices checked September 28, 2026, 14 users cost $420.00 a month on RingCentral RingEX Core and $349.30 on Ooma Office Pro. On Callata, $99 a month with 5 users included, then $20 per additional user, the same team pays $279.00.
What area code should a funeral home in Columbia, SC use?
Area code 803 has the most assigned exchanges among the area's named places, followed by 839 and 864. If you already have a local number, you can port it to Callata for free.
Can an AI receptionist answer calls for a funeral home?
Yes. Callata's optional AI agents can answer when the team is busy or closed, take a message, text, email or transfer the call. They disclose that they are AI and are billed from prepaid AI minutes at $0.25 per minute.