How much does it cost to rent in Columbia, TN?

As of August 2026, the median monthly rent in Columbia, TN is $1,586. This figure is based on aggregated data from public sources and community-submitted rents.

Is Columbia cheaper than other Tennessee cities?

Columbia falls in the middle range for Tennessee, ranking #39 out of 62 cities at $1,586/mo.

When was Columbia rent data last updated?

Columbia rent data reflects August 2026 and was last refreshed on August 17, 2026. RentDataNow refreshes all data monthly using public and private datasets.

What is the Fair Market Rent in Columbia, TN?

HUD sets the Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom home in Columbia, TN at $1,460 per month, which is 8% below the $1,586 market median. Fair Market Rent is the Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8) payment standard. It is a 40th-percentile gross rent that includes essential utilities such as electricity, water, gas, sewer, and trash, and HUD updates it once a year, so it measures something different from current market asking rent.

City Report · TN

Columbia

Name: Average Rent Prices in Columbia, TN
Creator: RentDataNow
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Pop. 45,441·39th most expensive in Tennessee·Columbia rents are up 11.6% over the past year

Median rent (all units)

$1,586/mo

Year-over-Year

+11.6%

Month-over-Month

+0.4%

vs US Median

-$376

Stable (Monthly)

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Most AffordableMost Expensive

Columbia · $1,586

More affordable than 70% of US cities · National median $1,962/mo

Rent Reality Score

69/100

Good value

OverheatedFairGreat value

Rents are 10% below what Columbia's 10-year trend predicts — a better deal than its own history suggests.

Actual rent

$1,586/mo

Expected by trend

$1,753/mo

The Rent Reality Score compares today's median rent to where Columbia's own long-run trajectory projects it should be. See the full rankings →

Medians by bedroom

Rent by unit size

Studio

$1,270

1 BR

$1,300

2 BR

$1,460

3 BR

$1,840

4 BR+

$2,240

Fair Market Rent (HUD)

$1,460/mo

These are HUD Fair Market Rents, the payment standard for a Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8). They often differ from the $1,586 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 →

Rent trends

12-month history

Loading…

Last updated: August 17, 2026

Annual cost

$19,032/yr

At $1,586/mo median

Rent Market Meter

Strong Landlord's Market

Renter's MarketBalancedLandlord's Market

Rents are up 11.6% year-over-year. Expect competition, and move quickly to lock in terms.

Based on rent-price momentum (+11.6% YoY, +0.4% MoM), not inventory.

Rent check

Is your rent fair?

Compare your rent to the local median.

Demographics

Who lives here

Columbia, TN is majority owner-occupied, has a large share of families with children, has a median income below the national average, 25.4% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Population

45,441

Median income

$63,719

Median age

35.5

Renters

36.7%

Age distribution

25.6%

24.1%

24.8%

15.5%

Under 1825.6%

18–3424.1%

35–5424.8%

55–6410%

65+15.5%

Gender

46.8%

53.2%

Male46.8%

Female53.2%

Race & ethnicity

69.9%

16.7%

White69.9%

Black16.7%

Hispanic11.1%

Asian1.1%

Other1.2%

Education (25+)

33.8%

32.2%

25.4%

No HS diploma8.6%

HS diploma33.8%

Some college32.2%

Bachelor's+25.4%

Housing tenure

63.3%

36.7%

Owner63.3%

Renter36.7%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates

2021 vs 2026

How Columbia, TN has changed in 5 years

Rent

$1,206 → $1,586

up 31.5%

Income

$50,892 → $63,719

up 25.2%

Population

40,957 → 45,441

up 10.9%

Renter share

39.3% → 36.7%

-2.6 pts

Bachelor's+

20.8% → 25.4%

+4.6 pts

Median age

34.9 → 35.5

+0.6 yrs

Compared with 2021, rent in Columbia, TN has increased by $380 per month, settling near $1,586 after starting the period at $1,206. Median household income grew from $50,892 to $63,719 between 2021 and 2024, a 25.2% shift. Rent outpaced income growth by roughly 6.3 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 40,957 to 45,441 between 2021 and 2024, a 10.9% change. About 36.7% of households rent today, against 39.3% in 2021. Educational attainment has shifted as well, with the share of adults holding a bachelor's degree or higher climbed from 20.8% to 25.4%. Taken together, the five-year picture in Columbia, TN reflects how housing costs and the people paying them have evolved through a stretch that included a pandemic, a hot rental market, and a recent cooling phase.

Community

Discussions about Columbia

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View Columbia rent history (2015–2026) →

Salary vs rent

Can you afford rent in Columbia on your salary?

At $1,586/mo, how Columbia rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).

Registered Nurse

Avg $86,922/yr · Rent = 21.9% income

affordable

Elementary School Teacher

Avg $61,714/yr · Rent = 30.8% income

stretched

Police Officer

Avg $71,088/yr · Rent = 26.8% income

affordable

Software Developer

Avg $127,061/yr · Rent = 15% income

very comfortable

Lawyer

Avg $162,352/yr · Rent = 11.7% income

very comfortable

Firefighter

Avg $57,785/yr · Rent = 32.9% income

stretched

Truck Driver

Avg $52,173/yr · Rent = 36.5% income

stretched

Electrician

Avg $64,308/yr · Rent = 29.6% income

affordable

By apartment size

Columbia rent by bedroom count

Median rent for each apartment size in Columbia. Click any size for full breakdown.

Local insights

Tips for renters in Columbia

About renting in Columbia, TN

Last updated: August 17, 2026

The median rent in Columbia is $1,586/mo as of August 2026. A studio apartment averages $1,270/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $1,460/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $1,300/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $1,840/mo.

At 30% of local median household income ($63,719/yr), Columbia ranks as moderate compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 11.6% over the past year.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Is Columbia an affordable city for renters?

Columbia is considered moderate for renters. At $1,586/mo, rent takes approximately 30% of the local median household income ($63,719/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%. Columbia slightly exceeds that threshold, so budgeting carefully matters here.

How much income do you need to rent in Columbia?

To keep rent at or below 30% of gross income, you would need to earn at least $63,000/year (~$30/hour full-time) to afford the median rent of $1,586/mo in Columbia. The local median household income is $63,719/yr, meaning the typical Columbia household meets that threshold.

Is rent going up or down in Columbia?

Rent in Columbia has increased 11.6% over the past year as of August 2026, putting upward pressure on renter budgets.

How does Columbia rent compare to other cities in Tennessee?

Columbia is middle-of-the-pack for Tennessee for rent, ranking #39 out of 62 tracked cities at $1,586/mo.

Which nearby cities are cheaper to rent in than Columbia?

Lawrenceburg is nearby and more affordable at $1,170/mo, which is $416 less than Columbia.

What percentage of Columbia residents rent vs. own?

According to Census data, approximately 36.7% of Columbia households are renters, while 63.3% are owner-occupied. Columbia leans toward homeownership, which can mean a smaller rental inventory.

How does Columbia rent compare to the national average?

Columbia's median rent of $1,586/mo is $376 (19%) below the US national median of $1,962/mo. Within Tennessee, it ranks #39 out of 62 tracked cities.

Income Affordability

30%

MODERATE

At $1,586/mo, rent takes ~30% of Columbia's median household income ($63,719/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.

Columbia 30%Benchmark 30%

State income taxNone

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Nearby cities