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City · 22,155 residents · Anoka County, Minnesota

Columbia Heights , Minnesota

In Columbia Heights, a typical home is worth $277,600 and typical rent is $1,295 a month. Compared with all of Anoka County, typical household income is 28% lower, the typical home value is 20% lower, and the share of households that own their home is 14 points lower.

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  • Typical home value

    $277,600

    20% below the county

    16% below Minnesota

    • Columbia Heights
    • Anoka
    • Minnesota

  • Typical rent

    $1,295a month

    12% below the county

    About the same as Minnesota

    • Columbia Heights
    • Anoka
    • Minnesota

  • Typical household income

    $73,691a year

    28% below the county

    17% below Minnesota

    • Columbia Heights
    • Anoka
    • Minnesota

  • Households that own their home

    66%

    14 points below the county

    6 points below Minnesota

    • Columbia Heights
    • Anoka
    • Minnesota

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

Market now, with Zillow data

Zillow data
Typical home value
$296,449
1.4% more than 12 months ago
Typical rent
$1,616 a month
8.4% more than 12 months ago

From Zillow (ZHVI/ZORI), September 2026. The Census figures above are 5-year averages (2020–2024).

Columbia Heights is in Anoka County. The FHA loan limit ($552,000 for a one-unit home), the fair market rents and the help on this page are those of all of Anoka County. See the county

Data updated: October 1, 2026 11 official sources

Only here

What sets Columbia Heights apart

What this place has that others do not, from public data, most unusual first.

  1. The typical household income in Columbia Heights is $73,691, 28% less than in Anoka County as a whole ($101,869).

  2. 66% of households in Columbia Heights own their home, against 80% in Anoka County.

  3. The typical home in Columbia Heights is worth $277,600, 20% less than in Anoka County as a whole ($346,500).

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (Average 2020–2024).

The homes here

Housing in Columbia Heights

What homes there are in Columbia Heights, what they cost, how that changed and how people live, from Census figures (2020–2024).

What homes there are

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Kind of home

Detached houses are the majority in Columbia Heights (60%), but less so than in Anoka County (70%).

Year built

Homes in Columbia Heights are older: the typical year built is 1963; in Anoka County, 1986.

There are fewer big homes in Columbia Heights than in Anoka County: 55% have 3 bedrooms or more, against 71%.

All homes, occupied or empty. A figure the Census cannot measure precisely enough here is not shown.

Census tables: B25024, B25034, B25035, B25041

What it costs here

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Value of owner-occupied homes

At least 97% of owner-occupied homes in Columbia Heights are worth less than $500,000, below the FHA loan limit for Anoka County ($552,000).

Monthly rent with utilities

With a mortgage

$1,716 a month

Anoka County: $1,949 a month

Without a mortgage

$680 a month

Anoka County: $686 a month

Owners with a mortgage

74%

Anoka County: 69%

In Columbia Heights, 74% of owners have a mortgage, and their typical cost is $1,716 a month, against $1,949 in Anoka County. Without one it drops to $680.

Value: what owners think their home is worth. Rent: rent plus utilities, for homes of every size. The FHA limit is the most an FHA loan (Federal Housing Administration) lends for a one-unit home; the fair market rent (FMR) is the one HUD uses for housing vouchers.

Census tables: B25075, B25063, B25088, B25081

How it changed

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2015–2019 and 2020–2024

Change since 2015–2019

Since 2015–2019, homes in Columbia Heights gained value faster than in Anoka County: 57% against 49%.

Rents in Columbia Heights rose at about the same pace as in Anoka County: 31% since 2015–2019, against 31%.

Here income did not keep up with housing: it rose 27%, while home values changed +57% and rent +31%.

Change between two 5-year periods that do not overlap, in each period's dollars, not adjusted for inflation.

Census tables: B25077, B25064, B19013

How people live

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

MeasureColumbia HeightsAnoka CountyMinnesotaUnited States
Rental vacancy Unreliable estimate3.9%5.3%5.5%
Homeowner vacancy Unreliable estimate0.5%0.6%0.9%
More than one person per room 5.6%2.8%2.3%3.4%
People per household 2.482.672.432.53
Drive alone 66%73%69%69%
Carpool 8%7%8%9%
Public transit 3%1%2%3%
Walk or bike Unreliable estimate1%3%3%
Work from home 19%17%18%15%
Other means Unreliable estimate1%1%2%
Typical commute 20 to 29 minutes20 to 29 minutes20 to 29 minutes20 to 29 minutes

More households are short on space in Columbia Heights: 5.6% have more than one person per room; in Anoka County, 2.8%.

On average, a household in Columbia Heights has 2.48 people, fewer than in Anoka County (2.67).

In Columbia Heights, 66% of workers drive alone to work; in Anoka County, 73%.

Vacancy: empty homes offered for rent or for sale. Rooms: every room in the home, not only bedrooms. Commute: the minute range of the typical worker.

Census tables: B25004, B25003, B25014, B25010, B08301, B08303

Do the math

What would you pay each month for a home in Columbia Heights?

A typical home costs more than the typical income allows

We start with a typical home in Columbia Heights, worth $277,600, an FHA loan with 3.5% down and the latest average rate (7.18%). That payment would take 38% of the typical household income in Columbia Heights, which is $73,691 a year. For that payment to be 28% of income, a household would need to earn about $100,062 a year.

The calculator's FHA and conventional loan limits are those of all of Anoka County.

Your numbers

Local data
$

Starts at the typical home value in Columbia Heights. Change it to the price you have in mind.

Loan type
Your credit score

Your score changes which loans apply and FHA's minimum down payment. Your real rate also depends on your credit.

Down payment
%

That is $9,716 (3.5% of the price). The usual minimum for this loan is 3.5%.

This week's average ± a quarter or half point.

Term

National average as of November 5, 2026 (Freddie Mac); your rate may be different.

Adjust advanced details

Estimated monthly payment

Local data

$2,335

at 7.18% · 30 years

Loan amount
$272,572
Total interest
$392,167
Paid off in
November 2056

Includes $4,688 FHA upfront mortgage insurance premium.

Does it fit the income?

  • Comfortable

    up to $1,719 a month

  • Tight

    $1,719 to $2,211 a month

  • Hard

    more than $2,211 a month

    Your payment · 38%

Compared with the typical household income in Columbia Heights ($73,691 a year). Reference: HUD calls paying more than 30% of income for housing a cost burden.

Show the result as
per month$2,335
Principal & interest$1,846
Property tax$250
Home insurance$116
FHA mortgage insurance (MIP)$123

You need at least $9,716 for the down payment, plus closing costs.

Next step

This is an estimate to give you an idea, not a loan offer. Your real payment depends on your rate, your credit, and the insurance and taxes on the home you buy.

The city and its county

Columbia Heights and Anoka County

Columbia Heights is in Anoka County, Minnesota. The U.S. Census Bureau publishes its own numbers for the city: home values, rent, household income, how many households own their home and the property tax. They are American Community Survey estimates (average 2020–2024).

Columbia Heights's own numbers

Typical home value
$277,600
Typical monthly rent
$1,295
Typical yearly household income
$73,691
Households that own their home
66%
Effective property tax rate
1.08%

U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (average 2020–2024).

Numbers for all of Anoka County

FHA limit, one-unit home
$552,000
Conventional limit, one unit
$832,750
HUD fair market rent, 2 bedrooms
$1,734
Price change over 5 years (FHFA)
+36%
Homes in a high flood-risk zone
1.5%

HUD, FHFA and FEMA don't publish these numbers by city.

Other numbers are not published by city, only for the whole county: FHA and conventional loan limits, HUD’s fair market rents, FHFA’s price index and FEMA’s flood data. On this page, those numbers always say they are for all of Anoka County.

Everything about Anoka County

Buying

Buying a home in Columbia Heights

A typical home in Columbia Heights is worth $277,600: 20% below the county and 16% below Minnesota. With the typical household income in Columbia Heights ($73,691 a year), a typical home costs 3.8 times what the household earns in a year.

Years of income to pay for a typical home

The typical home value divided by the typical household income for one year. The lower it is, the less buying weighs.

  • Columbia Heights 3.8 years
  • Anoka 3.4 years
  • Minnesota 3.7 years
  • United States 4.1 years
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

How prices have changed in Anoka County

According to FHFA’s house price index, home prices in Anoka County rose 78% in the 10 years through 2025.

FHFA does not publish this index by city: these are the numbers for all of Anoka County.

Period County Minnesota U.S.
Last year (2025) +2.4% +2.8% +2.9%
5 years (2020–2025) +36% +37% +47%
10 years (2015–2025) +78% +71% +85%

The index follows the price of the same homes over time (sales and appraisals with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac loans). It is not the average price of a home. FHFA considers its annual county indexes experimental. Source: FHFA, 2025 data

Columbia Heights next to Anoka County, Minnesota and the U.S.

Three numbers side by side. “Typical” means the median: half are above it and half below.

Typical home value
  • Columbia Heights $277,600
  • Anoka $346,500
  • Minnesota $329,300
  • United States $332,700
Typical monthly rent
  • Columbia Heights $1,295
  • Anoka $1,464
  • Minnesota $1,280
  • United States $1,413
Typical yearly household income
  • Columbia Heights $73,691
  • Anoka $101,869
  • Minnesota $89,062
  • United States $80,734
See the full table
Columbia Heights next to Anoka County and Minnesota
Measure Columbia Heights Anoka County Minnesota U.S.
Typical home value $277,600 $346,500 $329,300 $332,700
Typical monthly rent $1,295 $1,464 $1,280 $1,413
Typical yearly household income $73,691 $101,869 $89,062 $80,734
Households that own their home 66% 80% 72% 65%
Typical yearly property tax $3,003 $3,271 $3,357 $3,119
Effective property tax rate 1.08% 0.94% 1.02% 0.94%
Renters with high rent for their income 60% 51% 48% 51%

“Typical” means the median: half are above and half are below. ▲ and ▼ say whether the city is above or below Anoka County. “High rent” is the Census measure: renter households that pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

Four ways to pay for a typical home in Columbia Heights

For a typical $277,600 home in Columbia Heights, at Freddie Mac's average rate (7.18% as of November 5, 2026) over 30 years. The monthly payment adds principal and interest, Columbia Heights's typical property tax, an example home insurance and mortgage insurance when it applies.

  • FHA, 3.5% down $2,335a month

    Least cash to close
    Down payment
    $9,716
    Cash to close
    $18,044
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    FHA MIP · $123

  • Conventional, 5% down $2,284a month

    Down payment
    $13,880
    Cash to close
    $22,208
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    PMI · $132

  • Conventional, 20% down, no PMI $1,870a month

    Down payment
    $55,520
    Cash to close
    $63,848
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

  • ITIN, 15% down (example) $2,127a month

    Down payment
    $41,640
    Cash to close
    $49,968
    Rate
    8.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

The option that asks for the least cash to close is FHA, 3.5% down.

  • Cash to close = down payment plus 3% of the price in closing costs (example).
  • Minimum score: FHA requires 580 or higher for the minimum down payment (HUD Handbook 4000.1). * Fannie Mae requires 620 when a loan is underwritten by hand; its automated system has no fixed minimum.
  • The ITIN row is an example with a rate 1 percentage point higher: ITIN loans follow no federal rule and each lender sets its own down payment and rate. Nothing in this table promises an approval.

How much house can I afford? Estimate closing costs

Taxes and floods

Two costs that change from place to place

Property tax and flood insurance raise or lower what you pay each month. Here are the numbers for Columbia Heights and for Anoka County.

Property tax

Effective rate in Columbia Heights

1.08%of the home’s value each year

$3,003 a year for the typical owner in Columbia Heights.

  • Columbia Heights 1.08%
  • Anoka 0.94%
  • Minnesota 1.02%

What Minnesota publishes Homestead market value exclusion (Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes (Minnesota Statutes))

Exemptions and deadlines in Minnesota

Flood risk in Anoka County

FEMA does not publish these numbers by city: they are for all of Anoka County.

Homes in the high-risk zone
1.5%
1,891
Of those, with NFIP insurance
7.4%
County Minnesota U.S.
Homes in the high-risk zone 1.5% 0.7% 3.5%
Of those, with NFIP insurance 7.4% 17% 48%

Most homeowners insurance policies do not cover flood damage.

Look up your address on FEMA’s map

Renting

Renting in Columbia Heights

Typical rent in Columbia Heights is $1,295 a month: 12% below the county. In Columbia Heights, 60% of renter households pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

HUD publishes a fair market rent for all of Anoka County, by unit size. To pay the 2-bedroom one ($1,734 a month) without spending more than 30% of your income, you would need to earn $33.35 an hour working full time.

HUD fair market rent for all of Anoka County

What you need to earn to pay it without spending more than 30% of income, working full time.

Size Fair rent a month Hourly wage Yearly income
Studio $1,265 $24.33 $50,600
1 bedroom $1,427 $27.44 $57,080
2 bedrooms $1,734 $33.35 $69,360
3 bedrooms $2,264 $43.54 $90,560
4 bedrooms $2,538 $48.81 $101,520

Includes basic utilities. It isn't the lowest or highest rent: it's a reference point. Source: HUD, Fiscal year 2027

By ZIP code

Fair market rent by ZIP code in Columbia Heights

HUD also publishes a fair market rent for each ZIP code (Small Area FMR, fiscal year 2027). Columbia Heights is in ZIP code 55421.

For 2 bedrooms it is $1,610: $124 less than the fair market rent for Anoka County ($1,734).

  • 55421 $1,610$2,100

1 of these ZIP codes crosses the city line: HUD sets the rent by ZIP code, not by city. A ZIP code counts for Columbia Heights when at least 50% of its land is inside the city or it covers at least 15% of the city (Census 2020 boundaries). Source: Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) Fiscal year 2027 Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) Source: Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file Data from 2020 data Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file

Is your rent high for your ZIP?

Low-income apartments

Low-income apartments in Columbia Heights

HUD lists 5 buildings with rents for lower incomes in Columbia Heights. These are the largest.

  • Legends of Columbus Heights 3700 Huset Pkwy NE, Columbia Heights 55421 191 low-income homes · 1 bd: 79 · 2 bd: 46 · 3 bd: 66 · In service since 2018 · For older adults
  • Parkview Villa 965 40th Ave NE, Columbia Heights 55421 146 homes, 142 low-income · 1 bd: 141 · 2 bd: 5 · In service since 2016 · For older adults, people with disabilities, families
  • Heights Manor 3850 Stinson Blvd NE, Columbia Heights 55421 85 low-income homes · For older adults (763) 781-6518
  • Columbia Village 1675 44th Ave NE, Columbia Heights 55421 40 homes, 39 low-income · For older adults (763) 706-2575
  • Columbia Court Townhomes Multiple Building Addresses, Columbia Heights 55421 22 low-income homes · 2 bd: 8 · 3 bd: 10 · 4 bd: 4 · In service since 2001

See all 54 buildings in Anoka County Source: HUD, Retrieved November 6, 2026

Free help

Help to buy or rent in Columbia Heights

You do not have to do this alone. A HUD-approved housing counseling agency helps for free or at low cost: getting ready to buy, understanding your credit, or solving a problem with your rent.

There is 1 HUD-approved agency with an office in Anoka County; none says it serves in Spanish.

An older man and his daughter go over papers with a professional.

HUD counseling is free or low-cost

Assistance programs in Columbia Heights

No down payment, repair or rent-help program on our list is for Columbia Heights or Anoka County. The ones below are statewide in Minnesota: they work in Columbia Heights the same as in the rest of the state.

Which programs do I qualify for? All programs in Minnesota

  • Deferred Payment Loan (Start Up)

    Statewide in Minnesota

    Minnesota state agency loan for the down payment and closing costs alongside the Start Up mortgage for first-time buyers: up to $14,000 (or $18,000 in the Plus version), with no interest or monthly payments, repaid at the end of the mortgage. Offered by Minnesota Housing (Minnesota Housing Finance Agency).

    Deferred

    See the program Official page

  • Monthly Payment Loan

    Statewide in Minnesota

    Minnesota Housing loan of up to $14,000 for the down payment and closing costs, which you repay over 15 years at the same rate as your Minnesota Housing mortgage; it works with Start Up (first-time buyers) or Step Up. Offered by Minnesota Housing (Minnesota Housing Finance Agency).

    Repayable

    See the program Official page

Housing counselors near Columbia Heights

The HUD-approved agencies closest to the center of Columbia Heights, in a straight line, nearest first. If one says it serves in Spanish, its card says so.

  • NSC (naca Counseling Subsidiary) - Minneapolis, MN

    6300 Shingle Creek Pkwy Ste 145, Brooklyn Center · 3 miles away · Spanish

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Budget and financial counseling
    • and 5 more
    (763) 656-6222

  • Capi USA

    5930 Brooklyn Blvd, Brooklyn Center · 4 miles away · Spanish

    Also serves in Hmong.

    • Budget and financial counseling
    • Budget and credit workshops
    • and 3 more
    (612) 721-0122

  • Navicore Solutions-Roseville, MN

    1700 Highway 36 W Ste 510, Roseville · 5 miles away · Spanish

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Budget and financial counseling
    • and 3 more
    (866) 472-4557

Every agency in Anoka County All counseling agencies in Minnesota

Help in Spanish near Columbia Heights

3 of the 3 agencies on this list say they serve in Spanish.

Ask for service in Spanish

When you call, say “Spanish, please” or ask if someone speaks Spanish. If not, ask whether they offer an interpreter.

Housing authorities of Columbia Heights

HUD lists no housing authority with an office in Anoka County. One in a neighboring county or the state’s may serve the area.

All housing agencies in Minnesota Source: HUD

Cities

Other cities in Anoka County

These cities are also in Anoka County. They share its loan limits and fair market rents, but home values and rent change from one to the next.

Everything about Anoka County Housing in Minnesota

Nearby cities

The cities closest to Columbia Heights, with the typical home value.

Neighboring counties

If Anoka County is out of reach, look next door. Each number is that county's own.

Keep going

Guides for your next step

Short explanations, in plain language and with official sources, for buying or renting in Columbia Heights.

All guides
A mother holds hands with her two daughters on the beach at sunset.

Questions

Housing questions about Columbia Heights

Short answers with the numbers for Columbia Heights and all of Anoka County. If your case is different, a HUD-approved counseling agency can guide you for free or at low cost.

How much does a typical home cost in Columbia Heights?

The typical home value in Columbia Heights is $277,600, according to the U.S. Census Bureau (average 2020–2024). For comparison, in Anoka County it is $346,500.

How much does it cost to rent in Columbia Heights?

Typical rent in Columbia Heights is $1,295 a month, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. HUD’s fair market rent for 2 bedrooms in Anoka County is $1,734.

What is the FHA loan limit in Columbia Heights?

Columbia Heights uses the FHA limit for all of Anoka County (2026): $552,000 for a one-unit home and $1,061,550 for a four-unit home.

How much property tax do owners pay in Columbia Heights?

The typical homeowner in Columbia Heights pays $3,003 a year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That is 1.08% of the home’s value; in Anoka County, the rate is 0.94%.

Where can I find free help to buy or rent in Columbia Heights?

There is 1 HUD-approved counseling agency with an office in Anoka County. They can help you get ready to buy, with your credit, or with rent.

Sources: American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates (Average 2020–2024); FHA mortgage limits (HUD) (2026 data); Conforming loan limits (FHFA) (2026 data); Fair Market Rents (HUD) (Fiscal year 2027); Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) (Fiscal year 2027); Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file (2020 data); HUD-approved housing counseling agencies (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Public Housing Agencies (HUD) (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS) (As of November 5, 2026); FHFA House Price Index (HPI) (2025 data); Homes with flood insurance (NFIP, FEMA) (As of August 3, 2026).