Columbia housing market
Typical home value
$253K
▲ 1.6% 1 yr
Typical rent
$1,557/mo
▲ 2.2% 1 yr
12-month forecast
+0.8%
#412 of 546 metros
Gross rent yield
7.4%
#85 of 546 · U.S. 6.3%
Days to pending
57 days
▲ +11 days 1 yr
Listings with a price cut
34%
▲ +2.2 pts 1 yr
Key takeaways
- 1The typical home is worth $252,979, up 1.6% in a year and up 27% over five years.
- 2Zillow forecasts home values rising 0.8% over the next 12 months (U.S.: +1.1%).
- 3Typical rent is $1,557/mo (+2.2% YoY), a 7.4% gross yield, above the U.S. 6.3%.
- 4At 7.32% with 20% down, the typical home costs $1,390/mo in principal and interest, $167 less than renting.
- 5Homes go under contract in 57 days (+11 days vs last year); 34% of listings have had a price cut.
Market temperature
Buyer's market
Buyer'sNeutralSeller's
Zillow Market Heat Index: 34/100, #376 hottest of 546 metros. Below 44 favors buyers; above 55 favors sellers.
Home values and rent
How fast homes are selling
For saleNew listings
Affordability
To buy (20% down)To rent
Source: Zillow Research (ZHVI, ZORI and market activity data).
How Columbia compares
| Measure | Columbia | United States | Rank of 546 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Home value, 1-yr change | +1.6% | +1.2% | #322 |
| Home value, 5-yr change | +27.0% | +19.7% | |
| 12-month forecast | +0.8% | +1.1% | #412 |
| Rent, 1-yr change | +2.2% | +2.7% | #381 |
| Gross rent yield | 7.4% | 6.3% | #85 |
| Price-to-rent ratio | 13.5 | 15.8 | |
| Mortgage P&I on typical home | $1,390 | $2,012 | |
| Income needed to buy | $66,185 | $100,902 | |
| Days to pending | 57 | 56 |
Cities in the Columbia metro
6 cities with home value and rent data.
| Columbia | $227K | ▲ 0.9% | $1,500 | ▲ 2.8% | 7.9% |
| Lexington | $305K | ▲ 1.3% | $1,774 | ▲ 1.7% | 7.0% |
| Irmo | $278K | ▲ 0.4% | $1,810 | ▲ 1.6% | 7.8% |
| Blythewood | $340K | ▲ 0.8% | $1,554 | ▲ 0.1% | 5.5% |
| Elgin | $299K | ▲ 2.0% | $1,780 | ▲ 1.0% | 7.1% |
| West Columbia | $228K | ▲ 2.8% | $1,558 | ▲ 5.3% | 8.2% |
Run the numbers
Rental property calculator
Cash flow on a typical Columbia rental ($253K, $1,557/mo), pre-filled.
Mortgage calculator
Monthly payment on a typical Columbia home.
Rent vs buy
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Columbia?
Other South Carolina metros
Greenville, SC
$312K home$1,566 rent6.0% yield
▲ 1.4% 1 yr
Charleston, SC
$437K home$2,037 rent5.6% yield
▼ 0.2% 1 yr
Myrtle Beach, SC
$340K home$1,722 rent6.1% yield
▲ 0.6% 1 yr
Spartanburg, SC
$275K home$1,475 rent6.4% yield
▲ 1.1% 1 yr
Hilton Head Island, SC
$522K home$1,971 rent4.5% yield
▲ 0.7% 1 yr
Florence, SC
$193K home$1,516 rent9.4% yield
▲ 5.5% 1 yr
Sumter, SC
$200K home$1,467 rent8.8% yield
▲ 0.9% 1 yr
Orangeburg, SC
$163K home$1,180 rent8.7% yield
▲ 4.7% 1 yr
Gross yield = 12 × typical rent ÷ typical home value, before expenses. Mortgage estimate: 20% down, 30-year fixed at the current Freddie Mac average, principal and interest only. Forecast: Zillow Home Value Forecast. Data refreshed Oct 26, 2026.