The typical owner-occupied home in Columbia is worth about $96,500, 63% below the South Dakota median of $257,400 and 71% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $1,333 a year in property taxes, about 1.38% of their home's value, higher than the South Dakota rate of 1.06%. The median household earns $58,295 a year, so the median home costs 1.7 times the median income (3.4 times for South Dakota). 98% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 42% of those owners still have a mortgage.
Columbia at a glance
| Columbia | South Dakota | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $96,500 | $257,400 | $332,700 |
| Median property tax paid per year | $1,333 | $2,724 | $3,119 |
| Property tax as a share of value | 1.38% | 1.06% | 0.94% |
| Median household income | $58,295 | $75,081 | $80,734 |
| Homes lived in by their owners | 98% | 69% | 65% |
| Owner homes with a mortgage | 42% | 54% | 61% |
| Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage | $1,611 | $1,680 | $1,963 |
| Those costs as a share of the owners' income | 27.5% | 20.4% | 21.0% |
| Median rent | – | $946 | $1,413 |
| Median year homes were built | 1953 | 1980 | 1980 |
| Vacant homes | 6.7% | 10.5% | 10.1% |
| Population | 161 | 907,428 | 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 $96,500 with 20% down costs about $671 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $831, 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 $28,736 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 14% of the median Columbia household income of $58,295; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $196,000.
| Down payment | $19,300 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $77,200 |
| Principal and interest | $519 |
| Property taxes (1.38% a year) | $111 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $40 |
| PMI | $0 |
| Total per month | $671 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
| Down payment | $3,378 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $94,752 |
| Principal and interest | $637 |
| Property taxes (1.38% a year) | $111 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $40 |
| FHA mortgage insurance | $43 |
| Total per month | $831 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
Questions about home buying in Columbia
What is the median home value in Columbia?
About $96,500 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 $1,333 a year, which is about 1.38% 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 $671 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $28,736 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