Photo: Akhenaton06 · CC BY-SA 3.01,997 homes sold in Columbia in the last year, at a typical $270K
Almost every sale is a house. Below: what each kind of home sells for, the best months to buy, how hard you’ll have to bid, and a shortcut to every site where Columbia homes are listed.
Every place Columbia homes are listed, in one stop
We don’t copy listings: the agents’ sites have the photos and the latest price changes. Set what you want once and we open each site already filtered to Columbia.
For sale
Rent
New, land & open houses
Links open the listing sites; TownRatings isn’t paid for them and doesn’t rank one above another. Rentals and government-owned homes come from sources outside the MLS.
Houses are 0% of Columbia’s sales, at a typical — (year to May 2026)
1,997 homes sold in the year to September 2026.
More homes sell than most years, at 1.7 times the 2016 price
1,997 sales in the last year, against 2,599 in 2021 and a low of 2 in 2012. The typical sale went from $162K in 2016 to $270K.
Source: Redfin Data Center, MLS sales; from June 2026 each month is a 3-month rolling window, its counts divided by 3. Typical price and $/sq ft are the monthly medians, weighted by sales. Redfin stopped publishing towns’ figures by property type after May 2026, so houses and condos are shown for the year to then.
Bidding wars in Columbia are back to pre-pandemic levels, but 20% fewer homes come up for sale
We read every month of Columbia’s home sales since 2012 so you don’t have to. Each figure covers 12 months, because a single month in a town is too few sales to mean much. Latest: the year to September 2026, 1,997 sales.
If you’re buying in Columbia
- Shop in March. It brings about 218 new listings a month, close to the busiest month, with fewer bidding wars (19% over asking).
- Bid near asking. Buyers paid 98.3% of the list price on average; 16% paid over.
- You’ll usually have time. Only 34% of homes go under contract within two weeks; the typical one takes 42 days.
Spring brings both the most homes and the most bidding wars
May has the most new listings (about 247 a month), and the most competition: 24% close over asking. March and April offer nearly as much choice with fewer homes bid up (19%). February has the least competition (16%).
Averages for each calendar month, 2015 on.
Calmer than the 2021 frenzy, and about like South Carolina as a whole
| Columbia now | 2017–19 | 2021 peak | SC now | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sold over askingShare of sales that closed above the list price | 16% | 12% | 33% | 12% |
| Gone within two weeksShare of homes under contract within 14 days | 34% | 3% | 3% | 25% |
| Price paid vs. askingAverage sale price ÷ list price | 98.3% | 96.1% | 98.9% | 97.7% |
| Days to sellMedian days from listing to contract | 42 | 50 | 55 | 81 |
507 homes for sale on a typical day
That’s 84.5 times the 2012 low (6), 20% fewer than in 2017–19 and well under 2015’s 931.
Columbia ranks 32nd of 124 busy South Carolina markets for bidding wars
Share of sales over asking in the last year, among towns with 60 or more sales. Columbia is in the middle of the pack.
Source: Redfin Data Center, city figures, January 2012 to September 2026 (MLS sales, not seasonally adjusted; from June 2026 each month is a 3-month rolling window, its counts divided by 3). Ratios are weighted by homes sold; price cuts by homes for sale.
Owning the typical Columbia home costs about $1,553 a month
Price: Columbia’s typical sale, last 12 months. Property tax at Columbia’s 0.6% (median bill ÷ median value, Census ACS); insurance at 0.35% of price a year. Before PMI, HOA dues, upkeep and the tax deduction. Whether Columbia is affordable on local pay is on Cost of living.
Six things worth knowing
New listings in May
The month with the most choice. December has the fewest, about 153.
Best time to buyProperty tax, a year
Of a home’s value: the median bill over the median home value. On a $270K home, about $1,740 a year.
Taxes vs. neighborsSchools
The schools grade for Columbia, from test results, graduation and how much students grow.
Schools in ColumbiaTypical commute
The average one-way trip to work for people who live in Columbia.
Work & commuteCheck the flood map
Flood insurance isn’t in a standard policy, and lenders require it in FEMA flood zones. Check the address before you make an offer.
Natural hazardsLook up any property
Assessed value, lot size and every past sale of a home you’re eyeing are public, at the town or county assessor and the registry of deeds.
Woodfield, Dentsville, Capitol View and Cayce sell for less a square foot
The busier markets within 25 miles of Columbia, by what sold. Prices, taxes and how far a paycheck goes next door are on Cost of living.
| Sold | Typical sale | $/sq ft | Over asking | Days to sell | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbia | 1,997 | $270K | $165 | 16% | 42 |
| Cayce | 212 | $239K | $156 | 6% | 48 |
| Forest Acres | 209 | $337K | $196 | 17% | 42 |
| Dentsville | 106 | $183K | $124 | 15% | 50 |
| Woodfield | 70 | $185K | $127 | 21% | 53 |
| Capitol View | 37 | $205K | $142 | 23% | 53 |
| Arcadia Lakes | 23 | $494K | $194 | 19% | 40 |
Redfin Data Center, October 2025 to September 2026. Towns with fewer than 20 sales are left out, and Redfin doesn’t report every town separately.
Post your home to Columbia, free
Selling it yourself, renting out an apartment or looking for a roommate? Post it to Columbia. People who follow the town see it, and so do people comparing Columbia with their own town. No commission, no listing fee.
Questions about buying a home in Columbia
What do homes sell for in Columbia, SC?
1,997 homes sold in the year to September 2026 at a typical $270K, $165 a square foot.
Is Columbia a buyer’s or seller’s market?
A seller’s market: 591 homes were for sale in September 2026 and 155 sold, about 3.8 months of supply. Buyers paid 98.3% of asking on average.
When is the best time to buy in Columbia?
May brings the most new listings. The sales history shows which months have fewer bidding wars.
How much are property taxes in Columbia?
About 0.6% of a home’s value a year. On a $270K home that’s near $1,740.
Where can I see homes for sale in Columbia?
Zillow, Redfin, Realtor.com and Homes.com all carry Columbia’s MLS listings; the search links above open each one filtered to Columbia.
Sales, prices, days on market and listings: Redfin Data Center (MLS, monthly, not seasonally adjusted; from June 2026 each month is a 3-month rolling window, its counts divided by 3). Property tax rate: Census American Community Survey. Two-bedroom rent: HUD Fair Market Rent. Typical home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Schools grade: TownRatings (how grades work).