Real Estate Investing in Columbia, South Carolina (29223)

Everything the listing leaves out — vacancy, rent trend, cap rate, landlord climate. All free.

Richland County • Population: 52,835 • Data updated: September 2026

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Should you buy in 29223 (Columbia, SC)? Our answer, based on the numbers below.

🏠 For Homebuyers
GOOD FIT
Grade B (75/100)

Solid choice — values are growing steadily and the market is stable enough to buy with confidence.

📈 For Investors
MIXED
3.0 / 5 (52/100)

A middle-of-the-road market. Workable, but the best opportunities may be nearby ZIPs rather than this one.

⚠️ Risks to Know
CLEAN

No major risk flags on the data we track.

What’s happening in Columbia, SC (29223)?

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3.0/ 5

Investability

Overall investment appeal

3.0/ 5

Appreciation

Long-term value growth

4.0/ 5

Cashflow ROI

Rental yield potential

Avg Home Value $222,920
Avg Monthly Rent $1,481
1% Rule ✗ Does Not Meet
Median Income $52,603
% Renters 44.1%

Market Analysis: 29223 Columbia

Investors eyeing 29223 need to respect the fundamentals at play. Home values of $223K come alongside slower price movement and elevated management overhead.

In practical terms, the numbers look inviting — $223K purchase price, 0.0% nominal cap — the work to hit that pro forma in 29223 is substantial and deserves full respect.

The gap between 29223 and stronger Columbia ZIPs is not closing quickly. Investors should weight long-horizon assumptions accordingly.

Employment concentration in 29223 leans toward sectors with higher volatility. The demographic consequence is income fluctuation that investors need to factor into their pro forma.

Strategically, 29223 can be a high-return sleeve of a diversified portfolio — but it should not be the whole portfolio, and it should not be someone's first deal.

Explore the Data — Click a Tab Below
🏦 Current 30-yr Fixed Mortgage Rate: 6.76% as of Sep 10 Source: Freddie Mac PMMS

Here's what matters if you're considering buying a home in Columbia:

B Good
Buy Confidence Score: 76/100
Affordability
15/25
Appreciation
22/25
Stability
14/20
Timing
10/15
Rental backup
15/15
Affordability
Moderate
Homes cost 4.2× the median income
Value Trend
Stable (+2.9%)
How home values changed in the past year
Rental Backup
Strong
Could rent for $1,481/mo if you need to move
Market Conditions
COOL
More inventory, negotiating room for buyers
Bottom Line: Mixed signals in this market. Research specific properties carefully and be prepared to negotiate.
❄️
COOL MARKET
Columbia, SC Metro Area
More inventory, negotiating room for buyers
59 days
Average time to sell
Average
11.6%
Listings with price cuts
Few Cuts
0.0%
Sale price vs asking
Below Ask
0.0%
Income needed for mortgage
Affordable
📅 Market conditions as of August 29, 2026 — updated weekly from Columbia, SC metro data
🏠

Property Strategy for 29223

Which property type performs best in this market?

Best for Cash Flow
2BR
7.3% cap rate
Best for Appreciation
2BR
+8.7% 5yr CAGR
Best Overall Value
3BR
$66,950/bedroom
📊 Compare All Property Types →
Type Median Value Est. Rent Cap Rate 5yr CAGR $/Bedroom
2BR $136,797 $1,390 7.3% +8.7% $68,399
3BR $200,850 $1,770 6.3% +8.6% $66,950
4BR $297,649 $2,080 5.0% +7.4% $74,412
5BR $470,074 +7.9% $94,015

Market Trends

Home Value History (with trend line)

$235K$208K$180K$153K$125K$97KJul 2006Jul 2016Jul 2026

Rent History (with trend line)

$1,547$1,402$1,256$1,111$965$820Jul 2016Jul 2021Jul 2026

📊 How Does 29223 Compare?

Metric 29223 Columbia Columbia, SC South Carolina
Home Value $222,920 $72,920 N/A $299,690
5-Year CAGR 6.0% 5.8% N/A 7.3%
Avg Rent $1,481 $1,482 N/A -
Cap Rate 5.2% 5.0% - -
💡 Why Invest in 29223? Click to expand

With a 3/5 investability rating, this ZIP shows solid fundamentals for buy-and-hold investors.

A healthy rental market with 44% renter-occupied households ensures tenant availability.

📊 See where this ZIP ranks in our Best-of lists →
A great house in the wrong ZIP is still a bad deal — screen every market by cash flow & cap rate.
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Landlord Ground Truth

Real numbers from people who own or manage rentals in ZIP 29223 (Columbia, SC). Anonymous, moderated, never written by AI.

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Property managers serving Richland County

Manage rentals here? List your business →

Columbia Property Management offers consistent, first-class service for apartments and rentals in Columbia, SC, focusing on real estate management. summary from their website

Single-familySmall multifamilyCommercial
Unclaimed — is this your business? Claim it free

CAMS Community Association Management Services provides management and financial services for community associations, offering support for homeowners and board members. summary from their website

HOA
Unclaimed — is this your business? Claim it free

Chevelle Property Management, LLC is located at 7803 St Andrews Rd, Irmo, South Carolina. summary from their website

Unclaimed — is this your business? Claim it free

Listings are shown for convenience — Repit doesn’t endorse or vet these companies. Ratings shown come only from email-verified visitors.

Investability
Good
Cap Rate
5.2%
Fair
5yr Growth
+6.0%
Moderate

📉 Market Crash Risk Index

Based on Columbia, SC metro

2/10
Low Risk
Price YoY
0/3
N/A
Rent YoY
0/2
N/A
Below List
1/3
52%
Days Pending
1/2
59 days

View all metro crash risk rankings →

📊 Market Snapshot

Home Value $222,920
Monthly Rent $1,481
Price-to-Rent 12.5:1
1% Rule ✗ Fails

💰 Return Metrics

Gross Yield 8.0%
Cap Rate 5.2%
5-Year IRR 11.2%

📈 Home Appreciation

1-Year +2.9% ▲
3-Year CAGR +2.4% ▲
5-Year CAGR +6.0% ▲
10-Year CAGR +6.8% ▲

🏠 Rent Trends

1-Year -0.3% ▼
3-Year CAGR +2.4% ▲
5-Year CAGR +5.1% ▲
Negative Leverage — IRR / Tax Play Cap Rate: 5.2%  |  30yr Rate: 6.8%
Leverage reduces cash returns at current rates.

The current 30-yr mortgage rate (6.8%) exceeds the estimated cap rate (5.2%). Financing reduces your cash-on-cash return below the cap rate. Markets like this may still make sense as IRR plays — factoring in appreciation, depreciation, and a future refinance when rates drop.

Run an IRR Analysis →

⚠️ Risk Signals

Composite view of factors that can impact a ZIP's stability and your downside risk.

Vacancy
7.9%
Low risk
Landlord Climate
5.0/5
Friendly
Value Trend (5yr)
+6.0%
Stable
Eviction process: Fast Rent control: Favorable

Demographics in 29223

Population: 52,835

💰 Median Household Income
$52,603
This area
$52,603
State
$58,636
USA
$74,580
🏠 Renter Occupied
44.1%
This area
44.1%
State
26.9%
USA
34.0%
💼 Unemployment Rate
3.9%
This area
3.9%
State
-1.4%
USA
3.7%
🎓 College Educated
36.0%
This area
36.0%
State
14.2%
USA
33.7%
👤 Median Age
37.5 years
This area
37.5 years
State
22.7 years
USA
38.9 years
🏚️ Vacancy Rate
7.9%
This area
7.9%
State
17.5%
USA
10.5%
👥 Population by Ethnicity
Black/African American 59.1%
White 26.9%
Other/Mixed 9.4%
Hispanic/Latino 6.4%
Asian 4.6%
👶 Under 18
22.5%
This area
22.5%
USA
22.0%
👴 65 and Over
16.6%
This area
16.6%
USA
17.3%
📊 Poverty Rate
12.7%
This area
12.7%
USA
11.5%

Crime & Safety

🚧

Crime & Safety Data Coming Soon

We're integrating comprehensive crime statistics including violent crime rates, property crime, and safety scores to help you make informed investment decisions.

Expected: Q1 2025

🎓 Schools in 29223

A Avg School Grade
9 Schools
14.4:1 Avg Class Size
$19,198 Avg Per Pupil

Schools in This ZIP Code

A+ Excellent

Jackson Creek Elementary

📚 Pre-K – 05 Elementary
👥
586 Students
👨‍🏫
11.5:1 Class Size
💰
$18,376 Per Student
A+ Excellent

Joseph Keels Elementary

📚 Pre-K – 05 Elementary
👥
478 Students
👨‍🏫
11.0:1 Class Size
💰
$18,376 Per Student
A+ Excellent

L. W. Conder Elementary

📚 Pre-K – 05 Elementary
👥
472 Students
👨‍🏫
11.4:1 Class Size
💰
$18,376 Per Student
A+ Excellent

Polo Road Elementary

📚 Pre-K – 05 Elementary
👥
659 Students
👨‍🏫
11.4:1 Class Size
💰
$18,376 Per Student
A+ Excellent

Windsor Elementary

📚 Pre-K – 05 Elementary
👥
529 Students
👨‍🏫
10.1:1 Class Size
💰
$18,376 Per Student
A+ Excellent

L. B. Nelson Elementary

📚 Pre-K – 05 Elementary
👥
553 Students
👨‍🏫
12.3:1 Class Size
💰
$18,376 Per Student
A Very Good

Richland Northeast High

📚 09 – 12 High School
👥
1,301 Students
👨‍🏫
13.0:1 Class Size
💰
$18,376 Per Student
B+ Above Average

E. L. Wright Middle

📚 K – 08 School
👥
1,285 Students
👨‍🏫
15.1:1 Class Size
💰
$18,376 Per Student
C+ Average

SC Whitmore School

📚 09 – 12 High School Charter
👥
478 Students
👨‍🏫
34.1:1 Class Size
💰
$25,770 Per Student
About Repit School Scores

Traditional school ratings rely heavily on standardized test scores, which often reflect family income more than school quality. Repit takes a different approach.

We evaluate schools based on factors that research shows actually impact educational outcomes:

  • Class Size — Smaller classes mean more individual attention
  • School Funding — Resources available for programs, staff, and facilities
  • Community Factors — Neighborhood characteristics that influence student success
  • School Environment — Size, type, and structure

Scores are updated annually using federal education data.

🎓 Nearby Colleges & Universities

8 Nearby
D
South University-Columbia
509 students · 2.3 mi
C
Southeastern College-Columbia
249 students · 3.1 mi
C
Southeastern Esthetics Institute
318 students · 5.1 mi
C
Columbia College
1,572 students · 7.0 mi
C
Benedict College
1,731 students · 7.9 mi
C
Allen University
677 students · 8.0 mi
C
Columbia International University
2,631 students · 8.8 mi
C
Kenneth Shuler School of Cosmetology-Columbia
74 students · 8.9 mi

Frequently Asked Questions

How should investors approach Columbia, SC?

A careful cash-flow rentals with hands-on management strategy Columbia, SC best. The market produces steady results for that approach at the $223K price point.

How qualified is the tenant pool in Columbia, SC?

Working renters make up the core of the Columbia, SC tenant base. The pool is reasonable for investors targeting long-term holds.

How much is rent in Columbia, SC?

Rental rates in Columbia, SC average $1,481/mo. Tenant demand and $223K home values make the yield look reasonable by investor standards.

Can I live-in-and-rent in Columbia, SC?

Columbia, SC offers a challenging house-hacking opportunity. Small multifamily or rent-by-the-room plays can pair well with the $1,481/mo rent level.

How does Columbia, SC rate as a rental market?

Investors tracking Columbia, SC will find a 3.0/5 rating supported by $223K median home values and $1,481/mo rents. That profile suits long-term holders targeting predictable returns.

You know 29223 now. You don’t know where it ranks.

This page stays free — all of it. What one page can’t tell you is how 29223 compares to every other market. Investor ($19/mo) screens every U.S. ZIP by cap rate, the 1% rule, vacancy and landlord climate, and exports your shortlist.

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How 29223 ranks in Columbia, SC

Every ZIP in this metro, ranked. Free.

Cash Flow → Appreciation → Affordable →
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