Rents are 3% below what Columbia's 10-year trend predicts — a better deal than its own history suggests.
Rent by unit size
These are HUD Fair Market Rents, the payment standard for a Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8). They often differ from the $1,500 market median above, and that is expected: FMR is the 40th percentile of standard-quality units and counts gross rent, so it includes essential utilities such as electricity, water, gas, sewer, and trash. The market median is asking rent, which usually excludes utilities. HUD sets FMR once a year; market rent here updates monthly.
Source: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents. Read the methodology →
12-month history
Last updated: October 17, 2026
What the numbers show
December. Asking rents in Columbia usually run 0.6% below trend in December and 0.7% above it in July, about $19 a month apart at today's median. Based on 11 years of data.
Rent in Columbia is at its highest level since Zillow's records here began in January 2015.
Rent in Columbia changed +3.1% over the year to September 2026. Across the 54 South Carolina cities Zillow tracks, the typical change was +3.1%.
From 2019 to 2024, rent in Columbia rose 42.8% while median household income rose 17.4% ($47,286 to $55,529). Rent outpaced income.
Rent in Columbia is 50.9% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 37.3% over the same stretch.
Rent has risen 8 months in a row, and rose in 10 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($55,529) is $1,388 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 1-bedroom ($1,302); a 2-bedroom is $1,441.
The priciest of 10 ZIP codes in Columbia, 29201 ($1,959/mo), costs 1.7 times the cheapest, 29210 ($1,161/mo).
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Columbia. The seasonal pattern compares Zillow’s seasonally adjusted and unadjusted series. Income is the Census median household income (5-year estimates). Fair Market Rents are HUD’s, which include utilities.
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Who lives here
Columbia, SC is roughly split between renters and owners, skews toward younger working-age adults, has a median income below the national average, 45.9% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Columbia, SC has changed in 5 years
Compared with 2021, rent in Columbia, SC has climbed by $432 per month, settling near $1,500 after starting the period at $1,068. On the earnings side, the typical household in Columbia, SC now reports about $55,529, up from $48,791 in 2021. Rent outpaced income growth by roughly 26.6 percentage points, which means renters are spending a larger slice of each paycheck on housing than they did in 2021. Headcount in the area went from 137,276 to 139,643 between 2021 and 2024, a 1.7% change. For context, the 2021 to 2026 window covers an unusually volatile run for US rents nationally, and Columbia, SC reflects that arc in its own way.
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Can you afford rent in Columbia on your salary?
At $1,500/mo, how Columbia rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Columbia rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Columbia. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Columbia
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Columbia is $1,500/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $1,179/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $1,441/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $1,302/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $1,839/mo.
At 32% of local median household income ($55,529/yr), Columbia ranks as moderate compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 3.1% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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At $1,500/mo, rent takes ~32% of Columbia's median household income ($55,529/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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