The typical owner-occupied home in Columbia is worth about $334,800, 26% below the New Jersey median of $454,400 and about the same as the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $6,750 a year in property taxes, about 2.02% of their home's value, close to the New Jersey rate of 2.11%. The median household earns $74,125 a year, so the median home costs 4.5 times the median income (4.4 times for New Jersey). 91% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 28% of those owners still have a mortgage.
Columbia at a glance
| Columbia | New Jersey | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $334,800 | $454,400 | $332,700 |
| Median property tax paid per year | $6,750 | $9,590 | $3,119 |
| Property tax as a share of value | 2.02% | 2.11% | 0.94% |
| Median household income | $74,125 | $103,556 | $80,734 |
| Homes lived in by their owners | 91% | 64% | 65% |
| Owner homes with a mortgage | 28% | 64% | 61% |
| Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage | – | $2,829 | $1,963 |
| Median rent | – | $1,720 | $1,413 |
| Median year homes were built | 1938 | 1970 | 1980 |
| Vacant homes | 0.0% | 7.5% | 10.1% |
| Population | 174 | 9,343,809 | 334,922,499 |
What a typical home costs per month in Columbia
At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Columbia home of $334,800 with 20% down costs about $2,505 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $3,063, 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 $107,351 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 41% of the median Columbia household income of $74,125; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $231,000.
| Down payment | $66,960 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $267,840 |
| Principal and interest | $1,802 |
| Property taxes (2.02% a year) | $564 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $140 |
| PMI | $0 |
| Total per month | $2,505 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
| Down payment | $11,718 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $328,736 |
| Principal and interest | $2,211 |
| Property taxes (2.02% a year) | $564 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $140 |
| FHA mortgage insurance | $148 |
| Total per month | $3,063 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
Questions about home buying in Columbia
What is the median home value in Columbia?
About $334,800 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.
How much are property taxes in Columbia?
Homeowners pay a median $6,750 a year, which is about 2.02% 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?
For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $2,505 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $107,351 a year.
More about Columbia
- Mortgage Refinance in Columbia
- Debt Relief in Columbia
- Home Equity Loans in Columbia
- 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