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City · 139,643 residents · Richland County, South Carolina

Columbia , South Carolina

In Columbia, a typical home is worth $264,300 and typical rent is $1,204 a month. Compared with all of Richland County, typical household income is 13% lower, the typical home value is 9% higher, and the share of households that own their home is 15 points lower.

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  • Typical home value

    $264,300

    9% above the county

    2% above South Carolina

    • Columbia
    • Richland
    • South Carolina

  • Typical rent

    $1,204a month

    About the same as the county

    2% above South Carolina

    • Columbia
    • Richland
    • South Carolina

  • Typical household income

    $55,529a year

    13% below the county

    20% below South Carolina

    • Columbia
    • Richland
    • South Carolina

  • Households that own their home

    46%

    15 points below the county

    26 points below South Carolina

    • Columbia
    • Richland
    • South Carolina

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

Market now, with Zillow data

Zillow data
Typical home value
$227,148
0.9% more than 12 months ago
Typical rent
$1,500 a month
2.8% more than 12 months ago

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

Columbia is in Richland County. The FHA loan limit ($541,287 for a one-unit home), the fair market rents and the help on this page are those of all of Richland County. See the county

Data updated: October 1, 2026 11 official sources

Only here

What sets Columbia apart

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

  1. Nearby, in Woodfield, the typical home value is $150,800: 43% less than in Columbia ($264,300).

  2. 46% of households in Columbia own their home, against 60% in Richland County.

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

The homes here

Housing in Columbia

What homes there are in Columbia, 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

No kind of home is the majority in Columbia; the largest group, detached houses, adds up to 50%, less than in Richland County (64%).

Year built

The typical home in Columbia was built in 1980, 9 years before the typical one in Richland County.

Homes in Columbia are smaller: 51% have 3 bedrooms or more; in Richland County, 66%.

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

By price, most homes in Columbia sit under the FHA limit for Richland County ($541,287): about 81%.

Monthly rent with utilities

Measured against HUD's 2-bedroom fair market rent ($1,226), about 49% of rented homes in Columbia cost less.

With a mortgage

$1,621 a month

Richland County: $1,533 a month

Without a mortgage

$537 a month

Richland County: $528 a month

Owners with a mortgage

66%

Richland County: 67%

In Columbia, 66% of owners have a mortgage, and their typical cost is $1,621 a month, against $1,533 in Richland County. Without one it drops to $537.

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

Much as in Richland County, the typical home value in Columbia rose 46% since 2015–2019.

The typical rent in Columbia rose 29% since 2015–2019, about the same as in Richland County (26%).

Here income did not keep up with housing: it rose 17%, while home values changed +46% and rent +29%.

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

MeasureColumbiaRichland CountySouth CarolinaUnited States
Rental vacancy 6.8%6.3%8.3%5.5%
Homeowner vacancy Unreliable estimate1.1%0.9%0.9%
More than one person per room 1.6%1.6%2.0%3.4%
People per household 2.162.352.442.53
Drive alone 63%71%76%69%
Carpool 7%8%9%9%
Public transit 1%1%0%3%
Walk or bike 15%6%2%3%
Work from home 12%13%12%15%
Other means 3%2%2%2%
Typical commute 10 to 19 minutes20 to 29 minutes20 to 29 minutes20 to 29 minutes

Open rentals in Columbia look like those in Richland County: the rental vacancy rate is 6.8%.

Much as in Richland County, 1.6% of households in Columbia have more than one person per room.

Fewer people live in each home here: 2.16 on average, against 2.35 in Richland County.

Many here get to work on foot or by bike: 15%, more than in Richland County (6%).

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?

A typical home costs more than the typical income allows

We start with a typical home in Columbia, worth $264,300, an FHA loan with 3.5% down and the latest average rate (7.18%). That payment would take 46% of the typical household income in Columbia, which is $55,529 a year. For that payment to be 28% of income, a household would need to earn about $91,115 a year.

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

Your numbers

Local data
$

Starts at the typical home value in Columbia. 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 $9,251 (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

$2,126

at 7.18% · 30 years

Loan amount
$259,512
Total interest
$373,377
Paid off in
November 2056

Includes $4,463 FHA upfront mortgage insurance premium.

Does it fit the income?

  • Comfortable

    up to $1,296 a month

  • Tight

    $1,296 to $1,666 a month

  • Hard

    more than $1,666 a month

    Your payment · 46%

Compared with the typical household income in Columbia ($55,529 a year). Reference: HUD calls paying more than 30% of income for housing a cost burden.

Show the result as
per month$2,126
Principal & interest$1,758
Property tax$141
Home insurance$110
FHA mortgage insurance (MIP)$117

You need at least $9,251 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 and Richland County

Columbia is in Richland County, South Carolina. 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's own numbers

Typical home value
$264,300
Typical monthly rent
$1,204
Typical yearly household income
$55,529
Households that own their home
46%
Effective property tax rate
0.64%

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

Numbers for all of Richland County

FHA limit, one-unit home
$541,287
Conventional limit, one unit
$832,750
HUD fair market rent, 2 bedrooms
$1,226
Price change over 5 years (FHFA)
+54%
Homes in a high flood-risk zone
1.1%

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 Richland County.

Everything about Richland County

Buying

Buying a home in Columbia

A typical home in Columbia is worth $264,300: 9% above the county and 2% above South Carolina. With the typical household income in Columbia ($55,529 a year), a typical home costs 4.8 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 4.8 years
  • Richland 3.8 years
  • South Carolina 3.7 years
  • United States 4.1 years
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

How prices have changed in Richland County

According to FHFA’s house price index, home prices in Richland County rose 84% in the 10 years through 2025.

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

Period County South Carolina U.S.
Last year (2025) +3.1% +3.6% +2.9%
5 years (2020–2025) +54% +60% +47%
10 years (2015–2025) +84% +104% +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 next to Richland County, South Carolina and the U.S.

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

Typical home value
  • Columbia $264,300
  • Richland $242,800
  • South Carolina $259,000
  • United States $332,700
Typical monthly rent
  • Columbia $1,204
  • Richland $1,228
  • South Carolina $1,180
  • United States $1,413
Typical yearly household income
  • Columbia $55,529
  • Richland $63,784
  • South Carolina $69,324
  • United States $80,734
See the full table
Columbia next to Richland County and South Carolina
Measure Columbia Richland County South Carolina U.S.
Typical home value $264,300 $242,800 $259,000 $332,700
Typical monthly rent $1,204 $1,228 $1,180 $1,413
Typical yearly household income $55,529 $63,784 $69,324 $80,734
Households that own their home 46% 60% 72% 65%
Typical yearly property tax $1,700 $1,637 $1,251 $3,119
Effective property tax rate 0.64% 0.67% 0.48% 0.94%
Renters with high rent for their income 60% 59% 52% 51%

“Typical” means the median: half are above and half are below. ▲ and ▼ say whether the city is above or below Richland 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

For a typical $264,300 home in Columbia, at Freddie Mac's average rate (7.18% as of November 5, 2026) over 30 years. The monthly payment adds principal and interest, Columbia's typical property tax, an example home insurance and mortgage insurance when it applies.

  • FHA, 3.5% down $2,126a month

    Least cash to close
    Down payment
    $9,251
    Cash to close
    $17,180
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    FHA MIP · $117

  • Conventional, 5% down $2,078a month

    Down payment
    $13,215
    Cash to close
    $21,144
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    PMI · $126

  • Conventional, 20% down, no PMI $1,683a month

    Down payment
    $52,860
    Cash to close
    $60,789
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

  • ITIN, 15% down (example) $1,928a month

    Down payment
    $39,645
    Cash to close
    $47,574
    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 and for Richland County.

Property tax

Effective rate in Columbia

0.64%of the home’s value each year

$1,700 a year for the typical owner in Columbia.

  • Columbia 0.64%
  • Richland 0.67%
  • South Carolina 0.48%

What South Carolina publishes Special 4% assessment ratio for your legal residence (South Carolina General Assembly (South Carolina Code of Laws))

Exemptions and deadlines in South Carolina

Flood risk in Richland County

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

Homes in the high-risk zone
1.1%
1,407
Of those, with NFIP insurance
69%
County South Carolina U.S.
Homes in the high-risk zone 1.1% 4% 3.5%
Of those, with NFIP insurance 69% 85% 48%

Most homeowners insurance policies do not cover flood damage.

Look up your address on FEMA’s map

Renting

Renting in Columbia

Typical rent in Columbia is $1,204 a month: about the same as the county. In Columbia, 60% of renter households pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

HUD publishes a fair market rent for all of Richland County, by unit size. To pay the 2-bedroom one ($1,226 a month) without spending more than 30% of your income, you would need to earn $23.58 an hour working full time.

HUD fair market rent for all of Richland 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 $992 $19.08 $39,680
1 bedroom $1,126 $21.65 $45,040
2 bedrooms $1,226 $23.58 $49,040
3 bedrooms $1,546 $29.73 $61,840
4 bedrooms $1,754 $33.73 $70,160

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

HUD also publishes a fair market rent for each ZIP code (Small Area FMR, fiscal year 2027). Columbia has 6 ZIP codes with their own.

For 2 bedrooms it runs from $1,150 in 29204 to $1,640 in 29225.

5 of the 6 are above the fair market rent for Richland County ($1,226).

  • 29201 $1,640$2,070
  • 29204 $1,150$1,470
  • 29205 $1,270$1,600
  • 29207 $1,270$1,600
  • 29208 $1,640$2,070
  • 29225 $1,640$2,070

3 of these ZIP codes cross the city line: HUD sets the rent by ZIP code, not by city. A ZIP code counts for Columbia 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

HUD lists 78 buildings with rents for lower incomes in Columbia. These are the largest.

  • Northeast Housing 105 Rosewood Hills Dr, Columbia 29205 360 low-income homes · Run by Housing Authority of the City of Columbia · Average payment: $388 a month · Average wait: 147 months · Homes at several sites (803) 254-3886
  • Southeast Housing 100 Lorick Cir, Columbia 29203 359 low-income homes · Run by Housing Authority of the City of Columbia · Average payment: $543 a month · Average wait: 68 months · Homes at several sites (803) 254-3886
  • Colony Apartments (m15-Sg450980) 3545 W Beltline Blvd, Columbia 29203 300 low-income homes · 2 bd: 300 · In service since 2017 · For families (803) 799-5679
  • Austin Woods (was Cedar Wood) 7648 Garners Ferry Rd, Columbia 29209 240 low-income homes · Studio: 10 · 1 bd: 50 · 2 bd: 164 · 3 bd: 16 · In service since 2003 · For families
  • Waters at Longcreek 1401 Longcreek Dr, Columbia 29210 220 homes, 217 low-income · 1 bd: 64 · 2 bd: 140 · 3 bd: 16 · In service since 2018

See all 82 buildings in Richland County Source: HUD, Retrieved November 6, 2026

Free help

Help to buy or rent in Columbia

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 Richland County; 1 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

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

Which programs do I qualify for? All programs in South Carolina

  • Palmetto Home Advantage

    Statewide in South Carolina

    South Carolina state agency program with forgivable down payment assistance of 0%, 3% or 4% of the loan, with no monthly payments, for any buyer in all 46 counties. Offered by SC Housing (South Carolina State Housing Finance and Development Authority).

    Forgivable

    See the program Official page

  • SC Housing Homebuyer Program

    Statewide in South Carolina

    South Carolina state agency fixed-rate mortgage with forgivable help for the down payment, closing costs or prepaid expenses: a 0% second mortgage with no monthly payments, forgiven if you live in the home 15 years. Offered by SC Housing (South Carolina State Housing Finance and Development Authority).

    Forgivable

    See the program Official page

Housing counselors near Columbia

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

  • NSC (naca Counseling Subsidiary) - Columbia, SC

    810 Dutch Square Blvd Suite 220, Columbia · 11 miles away · Spanish

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Budget and financial counseling
    • and 5 more
    (803) 255-0223

  • Southeastern Housing & Community Development Fka Southeastern Housing Foundation

    986 Doyle St, Orangeburg · 38 miles away

    • Budget and financial counseling
    • Fair housing pre-purchase workshops
    • and 3 more
    (803) 534-9950

  • New America Corporation

    1136 Russell St, Orangeburg · 38 miles away

    • Pre-purchase counseling
    • Homebuyer education workshops
    (803) 534-0035

Every agency in Richland County All counseling agencies in South Carolina

Help in Spanish near Columbia

1 of the 3 agencies on this list says it serves 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

HUD’s record names them for Columbia or Richland County. They run public housing or Section 8 vouchers. Ask whether their waiting list is open.

  • Housing Authority of the City of Columbia Public housing and Section 8 vouchers (803) 254-3886

One other authority has an office in Richland County: see the list Source: HUD

Cities

Other cities in Richland County

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

Everything about Richland County Housing in South Carolina

Nearby cities

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

Neighboring counties

If Richland 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.

All guides
A couple spread mulch under the avocado trees of their family orchard, he on the tractor and she with a shovel.

Questions

Housing questions about Columbia

Short answers with the numbers for Columbia and all of Richland 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?

The typical home value in Columbia is $264,300, according to the U.S. Census Bureau (average 2020–2024). For comparison, in Richland County it is $242,800.

How much does it cost to rent in Columbia?

Typical rent in Columbia is $1,204 a month, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. HUD’s fair market rent for 2 bedrooms in Richland County is $1,226.

What is the FHA loan limit in Columbia?

Columbia uses the FHA limit for all of Richland County (2026): $541,287 for a one-unit home and $1,041,125 for a four-unit home.

How much property tax do owners pay in Columbia?

The typical homeowner in Columbia pays $1,700 a year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That is 0.64% of the home’s value; in Richland County, the rate is 0.67%.

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

There is 1 HUD-approved counseling agency with an office in Richland County. 1 says it serves in Spanish. 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).