Data through September 2026 · updated 2026-11-08 · free, from Zillow, Realtor.com, the Census Bureau and other public sources
Typical home value$252,979+1.6% YoY · prices are rising
Market right nowBalanced, leaning buyersMore homes for sale than last year, 24% have cut their price
Income needed to buy, per year$54,841About 0.8× the local median income ($71,069): affordable for a typical household
Days on market57 daysSlower than a year ago: buyers have time to negotiate
Next 12 months+0.8%Zillow expects prices to rise slightly
The typical home in Columbia, SC is worth $252,979, up 1.6% from a year ago. That is slightly above what local incomes have historically supported: fair value is about $230,408, so the area is 9.8% overvalued. It is a balanced market, leaning toward buyers: homes take about 57 days to sell, listings are up 22% from a year ago, 24% of listings have had a price cut. Zillow expects prices to rise about 0.8% over the next year. A household needs about $54,841 a year to afford the typical home here at today's 7.18% mortgage rate (20% down, payment at 30% of income); the median household earns $71,069. Typical rent is $1,557 a month, or $1,818 for a house. In the latest IRS figures, 5,522 more people moved in than out.
Home value over time
Solid: typical home value · dashed: fair value (household income × the 20-year average price-to-income ratio). Sources: FHFA, Zillow, U.S. Census Bureau.
Prices and affordability
Typical home value
$252,979
Change in 1 year
+1.6%
Overvalued %
+9.8%
Show 7 more
Fair home value
$230,408
Change in 5 years
+27.0%
Zillow forecast, next 12 months
+0.8%
Home value to income
3.6×
Monthly mortgage payment (20% down)
$1,371
Income needed to afford it
$54,841
Property tax rate
0.56%
Rent and investing
Typical rent
$1,557
Typical rent for houses
$1,818
Price-to-rent ratio
13.5×
Show 3 more
HUD Fair Market Rent, 2 bedrooms
$1,203
Gross rental yield
7.39%
Cap rate (estimate)
4.80%
Market activity
Listings vs a year ago
+21.8%
Days on market
57
Listings with a price cut
24.1%
Show 3 more
Homes for sale
3,361
Pending sales per 100 listings
42
Asking price per sq ft
$155
People and jobs
Median household income
$71,069
Population change (1 year)
+1.0%
Unemployment rate
5.5%
Show 4 more
Population
879,918
Income adjusted for cost of living
$75,847
Net moves in (IRS)
+5,522
Cost of living (US = 100)
93.7
Schools, risk and environment
School rating (1 to 10)
5.7
FEMA hazard risk score (0 to 100)
86.6
Unhealthy air days a year
0
Show 4 more
Flood risk score
87.2
Wildfire risk score
70.5
Walkability (1 to 20)
7.9
Road, rail and air noise
54 dB
Questions people ask
Is Columbia, SC overvalued?
Home prices in Columbia, SC are slightly above what local incomes have historically supported: fair value is about $230,408, so the area is 9.8% overvalued.
Is Columbia, SC a buyer's or seller's market?
Columbia, SC is a balanced market, leaning toward buyers: homes take about 57 days to sell, listings are up 22% from a year ago, 24% of listings have had a price cut.
Are home prices going down in Columbia, SC?
Home values in Columbia, SC are up 1.6% over the last year. Zillow's forecast for the next 12 months is +0.8%.
How much do you need to earn to buy a home in Columbia, SC?
A household needs about $54,841 a year to afford the typical home in Columbia, SC at today's 7.18% mortgage rate (20% down, payment at 30% of income); the median household earns $71,069.