Columbia
South Carolina · Ranked #270 of 373 metros
60Moderate
💡
Housing in Columbia costs 3.73× the median income, below the national average of 4.5×. The median home price is $259K and median rent is $1,084/month. Columbia ranks #270 of 373 metros for affordability.
Median Home Price
🏠$259K
Need $75K income
Median Rent
🔑$1,084
Need $46K income
Housing Shortage
📉12,000
units needed
Building Permits
🔨5,892
annual
Median Income
💰$69K
Pop: 838,966
Rent Burden
⚠️31.5%
of renters paying >30%
Price Change (YoY)
📈+4.5%
Homeownership
🏡59.0%
Rent Burden
vs. National Average
Key Facts vs. National Average
| Metric | Columbia | National |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Income Ratio | 3.73x | 6.1x |
| Rent Burden | 31.5% | 31.5% |
| Homeownership Rate | 59.0% | 65.5% |
| YoY Price Change | +4.5% | +3.5% |
| YoY Rent Change | +3% | +2.8% |
| Mortgage Denial Rate | 14.5% | 13.5% |
| Eviction Rate | 5.5% | 3.6% |
House Price Index (2000–2025)
FHFA All-Transactions HPI
Since 2019: +68.8%Since 2000: +157.7%
HUD Fair Market Rents (FY2026)
Section 8 voucher payment standards
Studio$1,032/mo
1 Bedroom$1,164/mo
2 Bedroom$1,276/mo
3 Bedroom$1,623/mo
4 Bedroom$1,911/mo
Zillow Market Data
Home Value (ZHVI)
$250K
1yr: +0.7%5yr: +38.8%
Rent (ZORI)
$1,543/mo
1yr: +2.8%5yr: +39.1%
Note: ZORI reflects current listing prices and may differ from the Census ACS median rent shown above, which captures what renters actually pay including below-market and subsidized units.
Redfin Market Activity
Median Sale Price
$330K
Active Inventory
388
Days on Market
45
Sold Above List
0.0%
Price Drops
18.8%