The typical owner-occupied home in Columbia is worth about $196,500, 23% below the Pennsylvania median of $254,500 and 41% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $3,732 a year in property taxes, about 1.90% of their home's value, higher than the Pennsylvania rate of 1.30%. The median household earns $54,437 a year, so the median home costs 3.6 times the median income (3.3 times for Pennsylvania). 53% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 62% of those owners still have a mortgage.
Columbia at a glance
| Columbia | Pennsylvania | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $196,500 | $254,500 | $332,700 |
| Median property tax paid per year | $3,732 | $3,311 | $3,119 |
| Property tax as a share of value | 1.90% | 1.30% | 0.94% |
| Median household income | $54,437 | $77,971 | $80,734 |
| Homes lived in by their owners | 53% | 69% | 65% |
| Owner homes with a mortgage | 62% | 58% | 61% |
| Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage | $1,501 | $1,762 | $1,963 |
| Those costs as a share of the owners' income | 20.7% | 19.4% | 21.0% |
| Median rent | $1,075 | $1,209 | $1,413 |
| Rent as a share of renters' income | 36.3% | 29.2% | 30.6% |
| Median year homes were built | 1938 | 1965 | 1980 |
| Vacant homes | 7.5% | 9.2% | 10.1% |
| Population | 10,278 | 13,018,639 | 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 $196,500 with 20% down costs about $1,450 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $1,778, 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 $62,164 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 32% of the median Columbia household income of $54,437; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $172,000.
The median rent here is $1,075 a month, so owning the median home costs about $375 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.
| Down payment | $39,300 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $157,200 |
| Principal and interest | $1,057 |
| Property taxes (1.90% a year) | $311 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $82 |
| PMI | $0 |
| Total per month | $1,450 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
| Down payment | $6,878 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $192,941 |
| Principal and interest | $1,298 |
| Property taxes (1.90% a year) | $311 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $82 |
| FHA mortgage insurance | $87 |
| Total per month | $1,778 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
Questions about home buying in Columbia
What is the median home value in Columbia?
About $196,500 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 $3,732 a year, which is about 1.90% 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 $1,450 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $62,164 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