Housing data for Columbia, SC
Columbia, SC has an estimated 139,643 residents and 62,021 homes (US Census Bureau, 2020–2024 American Community Survey).
It is a city in Richland County.
54.5% of households rent.
The median gross rent is $1,204 a month.
Its population grew measurably since 2015–2019 (+4.8%).
Figures last updated on .
- Residents
- 139,643 (±171)
- Housing units
- 62,021 (±1,078)
- Households that rent
- 54.5%
- Median gross rent
- $1,204
- Residents since 2015–2019
- +4.8%
What stands out in Columbia
Homes in buildings of 5 or more units: 33.3% (±2.1 points) in Columbia, higher than in Richland County (21.4%).
Households that rent: 54.5% (±1.9 points) in Columbia, higher than in Richland County (39.7%).
Households without a vehicle: 11.5% (±1.3 points) in Columbia, higher than in Richland County (7.2%).
Homes built before 1980: 49.5% (±2.0 points) in Columbia, higher than in Richland County (37.8%).
- Types of homes in Columbia
- Renters and owners in Columbia
- Commute and cars in Columbia
- Age of homes in Columbia
Housing in Columbia at a glance
- Median rent: $1,204 median gross rent a month
- Rent by bedrooms: $1,205 median gross rent, 2 bedrooms
- Rent burden: 60.0% of renters pay 30% or more of income
- Renters and owners: 54.5% of households rent
- Income and affordability: $55,529 median household income
- Home values: $264,300 median home value
- Homeowner costs: $1,621 median monthly cost with a mortgage
- Property taxes: $1,700 median real estate taxes a year
- Types of homes: 33.3% of homes are in buildings of 5 or more units
- Bedrooms: 51.2% of homes have 3 or more bedrooms
- Age of homes: 49.5% of homes were built before 1980
- Vacancy rate: 6.8% rental vacancy rate
- Heating fuel: 72.1% heat with electricity
- Commute and cars: 17.7 minutes average trip to work
- Crime reported to police: 791 violent crimes per 100,000 residents
- Growth: +4.8% residents since 2015–2019
- How long people stay: 40.4% moved in since 2020
- Crowding and facilities: 1.6% of homes have more than 1 person per room
Columbia against Richland County, its state and the nation
| Columbia | Richland County | South Carolina | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 139,643 (±171) | 422,117 (exact) | 5,296,225 (exact) | 334,922,499 |
| Housing units | 62,021 (±1,078) | 187,611 (±138) | 2,443,039 (±311) | 143,775,355 |
| Households that rent | 54.5% (±1.9 points) | 39.7% (±0.9 points) | 28.1% (±0.3 points) | 34.8% |
| Median gross rent | $1,204 (±$28) | $1,228 (±$21) | $1,180 (±$9) | $1,413 |
| Median household income | $55,529 (±$1,827) | $63,784 (±$1,530) | $69,324 (±$570) | $80,734 |
| Median home value | $264,300 (±$11,700) | $242,800 (±$4,791) | $259,000 (±$1,421) | $332,700 |
| Median real estate taxes (a year) | $1,700 (±$88) | $1,637 (±$39) | $1,251 (±$7) | $3,119 |
| Built before 1980 | 49.5% (±2.0 points) | 37.8% (±1.2 points) | 32.8% (±0.3 points) | 49.7% |
| Average commute | 17.7 minutes (±0.9) | 23.1 minutes (±0.5) | 25.6 minutes (±0.1) | 26.4 minutes |
| Households with broadband | 88.5% (±1.3 points) | 90.4% (±0.8 points) | 88.8% (±0.2 points) | 91.0% |
| Median age of residents | 28.6 years (±0.6) | 34.4 years (±0.2) | 40.2 years (±0.2) | 38.9 years |
Columbia covers 138.5 square miles of land, about 1,008 residents per square mile (Census Bureau Gazetteer).
How Columbia has changed since 2015–2019
| 2015–2019 | 2020–2024 | Amount of change | Verdict | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 133,273 (±234) | 139,643 (±171) | +4.8% | Measurable increase |
| Housing units | 55,155 (±995) | 62,021 (±1,078) | +12.4% | Measurable increase |
| Median gross rent | $933 (±$15) | $1,204 (±$28) | +29.0% | Up after inflation |
| Median home value | $181,100 (±$5,540) | $264,300 (±$11,700) | +45.9% | Up after inflation |
| Median household income | $47,286 (±$1,707) | $55,529 (±$1,827) | +17.4% | No measurable change after inflation |
| Median owner cost with a mortgage | $1,303 (±$43) | $1,621 (±$62) | +24.4% | No measurable change after inflation |
| Median real estate taxes | $1,331 (±$36) | $1,700 (±$88) | +27.7% | No measurable change after inflation |
| Households that rent | 54.0% (±1.3 points) | 54.5% (±1.9 points) | +0.5 percentage points | Not a measurable change |
| Rental vacancy rate | 7.6% (±1.2 points) | 6.8% (±1.6 points) | −0.8 percentage points | Not a measurable change |
The Census Bureau publishes 2015–2019 dollars in 2019 dollars and 2020–2024 dollars in 2024 dollars.
Prices (the CPI-U, US Bureau of Labor Statistics) rose 22.7% between 2019 and 2024, so a dollar figure’s verdict compares the two after raising the earlier one by that much, using the Census Bureau’s test for a difference.
The two periods do not overlap, as the Census Bureau recommends for 5-year estimates.
Crime reported to police in Columbia
In 2025, the Columbia Police Department reported 791 violent and 3,157 property crimes per 100,000 residents to the FBI.
ZIP codes in Columbia
| ZIP code | Share of the ZIP’s land in this place | Residents | Median gross rent | Median home value | Median household income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 29207 | 100% | 8,012 | — | — | — |
| 29208 | 100% | 2,445 | — | — | — |
| 29225 | 100% | 443 | — | — | — |
| 29205 | 94% | 22,223 | $1,109 | $349,700 | $64,231 |
| 29204 | 69% | 18,159 | $1,031 | $199,600 | $50,189 |
| 29201 | 56% | 24,605 | $1,174 | $255,800 | $32,297 |
| 29210 | 36% | 39,962 | $1,117 | $194,400 | $50,871 |
| 29206 | 34% | 19,759 | $1,419 | $369,500 | $91,847 |
| 29212 | 25% | 27,657 | $1,452 | $247,000 | $77,142 |
| 29209 | 18% | 38,041 | $1,326 | $206,500 | $58,772 |
A ZIP code is a mail route rather than a boundary, so the Census Bureau publishes figures for ZIP Code Tabulation Areas built from census blocks; the share column says how much of each one’s land lies in this place.
Places near Columbia
| Place | Distance | Median gross rent | Median home value | Households that rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Woodfield | 1.9 mi | $1,169 | $150,800 | 48.1% |
| Arcadia Lakes | 3.4 mi | — | $351,000 | 10.0% |
| Dentsville | 3.7 mi | $1,250 | $163,700 | 61.5% |
| Forest Acres | 3.9 mi | $1,263 | $279,300 | 22.5% |
| Capitol View | 5.2 mi | $1,181 | $187,600 | 53.8% |
| Arthurtown | 7.5 mi | $830 | $120,100 | 75.0% |
| Cayce | 9.9 mi | $1,360 | $166,800 | 39.5% |
| Hopkins | 10 mi | $799 | $99,300 | 13.9% |
Places in South Carolina most like Columbia
| Place | Median gross rent | Median home value | Median household income | Households that rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Capitol View | $1,181 | $187,600 | $46,645 | 53.8% |
| Clemson | $1,007 | $398,400 | $49,520 | 65.7% |
| Dentsville | $1,250 | $163,700 | $45,473 | 61.5% |
| Ben Avon | $1,116 | $211,300 | $47,489 | 57.5% |
| Greenville | $1,312 | $487,500 | $71,472 | 58.9% |
| North Charleston | $1,430 | $302,200 | $62,956 | 50.2% |
Matched on rent, home value, income, the share who rent, the age of the homes, the share in apartment buildings and the commute, each measured against the spread across South Carolina.
HUD Fair Market Rent for Columbia, fiscal year 2027
| Studio | 1 bedroom | 2 bedrooms | 3 bedrooms | 4 bedrooms |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $992 | $1,126 | $1,226 | $1,546 | $1,754 |
HUD income limits for Columbia, fiscal year 2026
| Household size | Extremely low (30%) | Very low (50%) | Low (80%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 person | $19,400 | $32,350 | $51,750 |
| 2 people | $22,200 | $37,000 | $59,150 |
| 3 people | $27,320 | $41,600 | $66,550 |
| 4 people | $33,000 | $46,200 | $73,900 |
| 5 people | $38,680 | $49,900 | $79,850 |
| 6 people | $44,360 | $53,600 | $85,750 |
| 7 people | $50,040 | $57,300 | $91,650 |
| 8 people | $55,720 | $61,000 | $97,550 |
These are the limits HUD sets for its housing programs in the Columbia, SC HUD Metro FMR Area, where HUD’s median family income for fiscal year 2026 is $92,400.
A program can use its own limits; tax-credit and local programs often do.
Survey years: 2020–2024 (American Community Survey 5-year estimates), compared with 2015–2019.
Margins of error are at the 90% confidence level.
What you can do on Seayora in Columbia
One account for renting, owning, managing and fixing homes, with these figures beside you.
Own or manage a rental?
List it, sign the lease and collect rent online, with the figures for Columbia beside you.
Create a landlord account · See what landlords get
Looking for a place to rent?
Browse homes for rent near Columbia, save the ones you like and apply online.
Browse rentals · Create a renter account
Do repairs, renovations or maintenance?
Get found by owners and renters near Columbia, and send estimates and invoices from your phone.
Questions about Columbia
What is the average rent in Columbia, SC?
The Census Bureau publishes the median rather than the average: the median gross rent in Columbia is $1,204 (±$28) a month (2020–2024 American Community Survey), so half of renting households pay less and half pay more.
How much is a one-bedroom apartment in Columbia?
The median gross rent for a one-bedroom home in Columbia, SC is $1,124 (±$51) a month (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
Are renters in Columbia rent-burdened?
60.0% of renting households in Columbia pay 30% or more of their income in gross rent, the share housing researchers usually call rent-burdened (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
How many renters are there in Columbia?
Columbia has an estimated 28,914 (±1,249) renting households, 54.5% of its occupied homes (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
What is the median household income in Columbia?
The median household income in Columbia is $55,529 (±$1,827) a year (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
What is the average home value in Columbia, SC?
The Census Bureau publishes the median: $264,300 (±$11,700) for owner-occupied homes in Columbia (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
Is Columbia growing?
In Columbia, the number of residents went from 133,273 in 2015–2019 to 139,643 in 2020–2024 (+4.8%), a measurable increase.
What ZIP codes are in Columbia?
The ZIP codes that cover Columbia are 29207, 29208, 29225, 29205, 29204, 29201, 29210, 29206, 29212, 29209.
Sources
- Demographic and Housing Estimates (DP05), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Columbia city, South Carolina
- Selected Housing Characteristics (DP04), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Columbia city, South Carolina
- Selected Economic Characteristics (DP03), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Columbia city, South Carolina
- Median Real Estate Taxes Paid by Mortgage Status (B25103), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Columbia city, South Carolina
- Selected Social Characteristics (DP02), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Columbia city, South Carolina
- Total Population (B01003), 2015–2019 ACS 5-year estimates — Columbia city, South Carolina
- Median Gross Rent (B25064), 2015–2019 ACS 5-year estimates — Columbia city, South Carolina
- HUD Fair Market Rents, fiscal year 2027: Columbia, SC HUD Metro FMR Area
- HUD Income Limits, fiscal year 2026: Columbia, SC HUD Metro FMR Area
- US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates for ZIP Code Tabulation Areas
- FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program, Crime Data Explorer: Columbia Police Department (ORI SC0400100)
- FBI: Uniform Crime Reporting statistics and their proper use
- Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), US city average, all items, US Bureau of Labor Statistics: annual averages 2019 and 2024
- US Census Bureau, 2024 Gazetteer Files
To check these figures in the Census Bureau’s own API, request the variables below from the 2024 ACS 5-year data profile (acs/acs5/profile) for Columbia city, South Carolina (place:16000, in state:45).
Each estimate (E or PE) has a margin of error beside it (M or PM).
The 2015–2019 figures are B01003_001E, B01003_001M, B25064_001E, B25064_001M from the 2019 release.
The API needs a free key.
DP05_0001E, DP05_0001M, DP04_0001E, DP04_0001M, DP04_0047PE, DP04_0047PM, DP04_0134E, DP04_0134M, DP03_0062E, DP03_0062M, DP04_0089E, DP04_0089M
This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Figures are published by the US Census Bureau, HUD, the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the FBI; Seayora reproduces them and does not adjust them, except where a sentence says it compares dollar figures after inflation. They describe the whole place, not any one building or street, and are not an appraisal, a rent determination, a tax bill, a safety rating or legal advice.
Figures last updated on .