The typical owner-occupied home in Columbia County is worth about $194,900, 46% below the Florida median of $359,000 and 41% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $1,434 a year in property taxes, about 0.74% of their home's value, close to the Florida rate of 0.76%. The median household earns $59,205 a year, so the median home costs 3.3 times the median income (4.8 times for Florida). 72% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 48% of those owners still have a mortgage.
Columbia County at a glance
| Columbia County | Florida | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $194,900 | $359,000 | $332,700 |
| Median property tax paid per year | $1,434 | $2,730 | $3,119 |
| Property tax as a share of value | 0.74% | 0.76% | 0.94% |
| Median household income | $59,205 | $74,568 | $80,734 |
| Homes lived in by their owners | 72% | 68% | 65% |
| Owner homes with a mortgage | 48% | 56% | 61% |
| Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage | $1,416 | $1,959 | $1,963 |
| Those costs as a share of the owners' income | 19.7% | 23.6% | 21.0% |
| Median rent | $976 | $1,669 | $1,413 |
| Rent as a share of renters' income | 29.1% | 35.2% | 30.6% |
| Median year homes were built | 1992 | 1988 | 1980 |
| Vacant homes | 9.5% | 14.7% | 10.1% |
| Population | 71,789 | 22,416,077 | 334,922,499 |
What a typical home costs per month in Columbia County
At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Columbia County home of $194,900 with 20% down costs about $1,250 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $1,575, because the loan is bigger and FHA adds mortgage insurance.
Lenders usually want housing costs under about 28% of gross income, which means an income of roughly $53,583 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 25% of the median Columbia County household income of $59,205; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $215,000.
The median rent here is $976 a month, so owning the median home costs about $274 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.
| Down payment | $38,980 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $155,920 |
| Principal and interest | $1,049 |
| Property taxes (0.74% a year) | $120 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $81 |
| PMI | $0 |
| Total per month | $1,250 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
| Down payment | $6,822 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $191,370 |
| Principal and interest | $1,287 |
| Property taxes (0.74% a year) | $120 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $81 |
| FHA mortgage insurance | $86 |
| Total per month | $1,575 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
Questions about home buying in Columbia County
What is the median home value in Columbia County?
About $194,900 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.
How much are property taxes in Columbia County?
Homeowners pay a median $1,434 a year, which is about 0.74% of the median home value. Your bill depends on your home's assessed value and local rates.
What income do you need to buy a home in Columbia County?
For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $1,250 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $53,583 a year.
More about Columbia County
- Mortgage Refinance in Columbia County
- Debt Relief in Columbia County
- Home Equity Loans in Columbia County
- Guides and quotes for mortgage refinance on our sister site, MortgageRefinance.com
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates; Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey, week of November 12, 2026. Estimates for small places have wide margins of error. About our data