Property Makler
Advanced analytics for residential real estate investing

Columbia, SC housing market

Housing market indicators

Indicator	2022	2023	2024	2025*	2022	2023	2024	YTD
Median Listing Price per Square Feet	$143	$151	$154	$156	4.4%	5.6%	2%	1.3%
Active Listing Count	1,677	1,936	2,321	2,766	51.4%	15.4%	19.9%	19.2%
Median Days on Market	58	48	53	53	52.6%	-17.2%	10.4%	0%
Share of listings with price increase	8.5%	3.2%	1.9%	1.4%
Share of listings with price decrease	16.6%	17.4%	18.9%	20.1%

* last available value

Note: 12M MA - 12 months moving average, Permits - New Private Housing Structures Authorized by Building Permits. Source: FRED

The Columbia, SC Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) encompasses **Richland, Lexington, Kershaw, Calhoun, and Fairfield counties**, with a 2024 estimated population of **870,193** across 9,591 km².
Core cities include **Columbia** (population 144,788-146,933), **North Charleston** nearby but not in MSA, with suburbs like **Irmo** (12,234), **Chapin** (1,934), and **Lexington** towns.
Key geographic regions: Central urban core around Columbia; northwest suburbs (Irmo, Chapin); northeast (Camden in Kershaw); southeast rural Calhoun; west Fairfield industrial areas.

Area	City/Town	Population	Density (per sq mi)	Income (High/Low/Med)	Quality of Schools (GreatSchools range)	Crime Level	Property Tax (%)	Comments
Central Urban	Columbia	144,788-146,933	~1,500	Med	4-8	High	0.8-1.2	State capital, university hub, diverse neighborhoods
Northwest Suburbs	Irmo	12,234	1,741	High	7-9	Low	0.9	Family-friendly, lake access
Northwest Suburbs	Chapin	1,934	~800	High	8-10	Very Low	0.85	Top schools, growing commuter town
West Suburbs	Lexington	~24,000	1,200	Med-High	6-9	Med	1.0	Retail, manufacturing base
Northeast	Camden (Kershaw)	~8,000	900	Med	5-8	Med	0.95	Historic, rural edges
Southeast Rural	St. Matthews (Calhoun)	1,834	~600	Low	4-7	Med	1.1	Agriculture dominant
West Rural	Winnsboro (Fairfield)	~3,500	700	Low	3-6	High	1.15	Industrial decline areas

To view all table columns, please open this table on a laptop or desktop screen.

MSA median household income: ~$62,000, with central Columbia at $50,000 (low-med) and suburbs like Irmo/Chapin at $85,000+ (high).
Per capita income: $32,000 MSA-wide; higher in Lexington County ($38,000) vs. Fairfield ($25,000).
Bachelor's degree or higher: 32% MSA average; 45% in Columbia city (university influence); 25% in rural Calhoun/Fairfield.
50,000 college students boost education levels, mainly University of South Carolina in Columbia.
Poverty rate: 14% overall, peaking at 22% in central urban zones.

Healthcare and education: Largest employers, 25% of jobs; Prisma Health, USC, Lexington Medical Center.
Government: State capital drives 15% employment; agencies, military (Fort Jackson).
Manufacturing: 12% of workforce; automotive (BMW suppliers), aerospace in Lexington County.
Retail and logistics: Growing due to I-20/I-26 highways; Amazon facilities.
Professional services: 10%, expanding with tech influx.

Zoning openness: Moderate; suburbs like Lexington/Irmo allow multifamily, but central Columbia restricts high-density; recent reforms ease ADUs.
Regulatory strictness: Average; permitting 3-6 months, impact fees $5,000-$10,000 per unit; Richland County stricter than Lexington.
Construction workforce cost: Low-med; labor $25-35/hour, shortages in skilled trades due to 2% MSA growth.
New permits: 4,000+ units/year, focused on suburbs; land availability high in rural counties.
Inventory: 3-4 months supply, tightest in entry-level homes.

Net migration in: +10,000/year, from Northeast retirees/mid-career; 1.41% projected growth 2020-2025.
Growing industries: Healthcare (adds 2,000 jobs/year), logistics/tech (Amazon, Michelin expansion).
Declining: Rural manufacturing in Fairfield (-1% pop growth), pushing outflow to suburbs.
Remote workers: Influx to Irmo/Chapin for space/schools; median age 35-44 driving family demand.
Sales pace: Homes sell in 25-40 days, up 15% YoY in suburbs.

Affordability gap: Median home $280,000; rent $1,500, pricing out 40% of low-income households.
Inventory shortage: Only 2.5 months in hot suburbs, driving 7% annual price hikes.
Insurance costs: Rising 20% due to storms; flood zones in Calhoun challenge rural builds.
Labor shortages: Construction delays 20% of projects amid 4% unemployment.
Urban decay: Central Columbia blight, high crime deters investment.
Infrastructure lag: Schools overcrowded in growth areas like Lexington.

Area	Appreciation Potential	Risk	Key Drivers
Northwest Suburbs (Irmo/Chapin)	High	Low	School quality, migration in, low crime, highway access
West Suburbs (Lexington)	High	Med	Job growth manufacturing/logistics, new builds, income rise
Central Urban (Columbia)	Med	High	University demand vs crime blight, revitalization projects
Northeast (Camden)	Med	Med	Historic appeal, commuter growth, stable but slower
Southeast Rural (Calhoun)	Low	High	Pop decline, flood risk, low incomes
West Rural (Fairfield)	Low	High	Industrial loss, poverty, depopulation

To view all table columns, please open this table on a laptop or desktop screen.

Suburban northwest/west areas lead appreciation at 8-10% annually due to demand-supply mismatch.
Central holds med potential with upside from downtown redevelopment.
Rural southeast/west face depreciation risk from outflows, best for value buys or flips.
Overall MSA: Stable growth 4-6% prices, favors long-term family housing over speculative.