Real Estate Investing in Columbia, South Carolina (29210)

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

Richland County • Population: 40,504 • Data updated: September 2026

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Should you buy in 29210 (Columbia, SC)? Our answer, based on the numbers below.

🏠 For Homebuyers
GOOD FIT
Grade B (70/100)

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
1 flag
  • Elevated vacancy: 11.6% vacancy may signal weakening demand.

What’s happening in Columbia, SC (29210)?

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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 $199,467
Avg Monthly Rent $1,166
1% Rule ✗ Does Not Meet
Median Income $49,100
% Renters 64.1%

Market Analysis: 29210 Columbia

Not every below-median market is a bargain. Columbia's 29210 ZIP stands at signals that favor experienced operators who can absorb the risk $199K pricing implies.

The 29210 ZIP can work — but only with a tight operating hand. Remote landlords and passive investors tend to struggle here more than the underwriting suggests.

On the rental side, 29210 offers a low basis, the region around Columbia has moved on in ways that the ZIP itself has not fully absorbed. The result is a discount with genuine reasons.

On balance, 40,504 residents fill the ZIP, renter turnover runs higher than neighboring postal codes and delinquency risk is a real line item rather than a theoretical one.

New investors are better served looking at Columbia's stable or hybrid ZIPs before stepping into 29210. The learning curve here is expensive when the lesson is wrong.

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: 75/100
Affordability
15/25
Appreciation
22/25
Stability
13/20
Timing
10/15
Rental backup
15/15
Affordability
Moderate
Homes cost 4.1× the median income
Value Trend
Stable (+1.8%)
How home values changed in the past year
Rental Backup
Strong
Could rent for $1,166/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 29210

Which property type performs best in this market?

Best for Cash Flow
1BR
15.7% cap rate
Best for Appreciation
4BR
+8.8% 5yr CAGR
Best Overall Value
1BR
$56,815/bedroom
📊 Compare All Property Types →
Type Median Value Est. Rent Cap Rate 5yr CAGR $/Bedroom
1BR $56,815 $1,240 15.7% +3.4% $56,815
2BR $115,573 $1,360 8.5% +7.5% $57,786
3BR $199,869 $1,730 6.2% +8.7% $66,623
4BR $270,369 $2,040 5.4% +8.8% $67,592
5BR $321,457 +8.5% $64,291

Market Trends

Home Value History (with trend line)

$212K$186K$160K$134K$108K$82KJul 2006Jul 2016Jul 2026

Rent History (with trend line)

$1,288$1,158$1,028$898$768$639May 2017Dec 2021Jul 2026

📊 How Does 29210 Compare?

Metric 29210 Columbia Columbia, SC South Carolina
Home Value $199,467 $72,920 N/A $299,690
5-Year CAGR 6.0% 5.8% N/A 7.3%
Avg Rent $1,166 $1,482 N/A -
Cap Rate 4.6% 5.0% - -
💡 Why Invest in 29210? Click to expand

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

64% of households rent in this area, creating consistent tenant demand for landlords.

📊 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 29210 (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
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Chevelle Property Management, LLC is located at 7803 St Andrews Rd, Irmo, South Carolina. summary from their website

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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
4.6%
Fair
5yr Growth
+6.0%
Strong

📉 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 $199,467
Monthly Rent $1,166
Price-to-Rent 14.3:1
1% Rule ✗ Fails

💰 Return Metrics

Gross Yield 7.0%
Cap Rate 4.6%
5-Year IRR 10.6%

📈 Home Appreciation

1-Year +1.8% ▲
3-Year CAGR +3.4% ▲
5-Year CAGR +6.0% ▲
10-Year CAGR +7.5% ▲

🏠 Rent Trends

1-Year +4.1% ▲
3-Year CAGR +4.1% ▲
5-Year CAGR +6.4% ▲
Negative Leverage — IRR / Tax Play Cap Rate: 4.6%  |  30yr Rate: 6.8%
Leverage reduces cash returns at current rates.

The current 30-yr mortgage rate (6.8%) exceeds the estimated cap rate (4.6%). 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
11.6%
Moderate risk
Landlord Climate
5.0/5
Friendly
Value Trend (5yr)
+6.0%
Growing
Eviction process: Fast Rent control: Favorable

Demographics in 29210

Population: 40,504

💰 Median Household Income
$49,100
This area
$49,100
State
$58,636
USA
$74,580
🏠 Renter Occupied
64.1%
This area
64.1%
State
26.9%
USA
34.0%
💼 Unemployment Rate
4.3%
This area
4.3%
State
-1.4%
USA
3.7%
🎓 College Educated
28.5%
This area
28.5%
State
14.2%
USA
33.7%
👤 Median Age
33.0 years
This area
33.0 years
State
22.7 years
USA
38.9 years
🏚️ Vacancy Rate
11.6%
This area
11.6%
State
17.5%
USA
10.5%
👥 Population by Ethnicity
Black/African American 55.5%
White 35.7%
Other/Mixed 7.1%
Hispanic/Latino 2.4%
Asian 1.7%
👶 Under 18
18.4%
This area
18.4%
USA
22.0%
👴 65 and Over
10.9%
This area
10.9%
USA
17.3%
📊 Poverty Rate
16.5%
This area
16.5%
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 29210

B+ Avg School Grade
12 Schools
12.2:1 Avg Class Size
$30,921 Avg Per Pupil

Schools in This ZIP Code

A+ Excellent

Columbia High

📚 09 – 12 High School
👥
693 Students
👨‍🏫
14.9:1 Class Size
💰
$22,848 Per Student
A+ Excellent

Pine Grove Elementary

📚 Pre-K – 05 Elementary
👥
530 Students
👨‍🏫
12.3:1 Class Size
💰
$22,848 Per Student
A+ Excellent

St. Andrews Middle

📚 06 – 08 Middle
👥
700 Students
👨‍🏫
13.7:1 Class Size
💰
$22,848 Per Student
A Very Good

H. B. Rhame Elementary

📚 Pre-K – 05 Elementary
👥
470 Students
👨‍🏫
15.2:1 Class Size
💰
$22,848 Per Student
A Very Good

Leaphart Elementary

📚 Pre-K – 05 Elementary
👥
501 Students
👨‍🏫
11.1:1 Class Size
💰
$15,709 Per Student
A Very Good

Sandel Elementary

📚 Pre-K – 05 Elementary
👥
507 Students
👨‍🏫
15.8:1 Class Size
💰
$22,848 Per Student
A Very Good

Seven Oaks Elementary

📚 Pre-K – 05 Elementary
👥
502 Students
👨‍🏫
9.1:1 Class Size
💰
$15,709 Per Student
B+ Above Average

Broad River High

📚 09 – 12 High School
👥
16 Students
👨‍🏫
5.3:1 Class Size
💰
$60,626 Per Student
B+ Above Average

Sara Babb High

📚 09 – 12 High School
👥
3 Students
👨‍🏫
0.8:1 Class Size
💰
$60,626 Per Student
C+ Average

The Palmetto Empowerment and Enrichment Academy

📚 05 – 12 High School Limited Data
💰
$24,571 Per Student
C+ Average

Kirkland High

📚 09 – 12 High School
👥
32 Students
💰
$60,626 Per Student
C+ Average

SC Connections Academy

📚 K – 12 K-12 Charter
👥
5,955 Students
👨‍🏫
23.4:1 Class Size
💰
$18,946 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
Barber Tech Academy-Columbia
32 students · 1.3 mi
D
Kenneth Shuler School of Cosmetology and Nails-Columbia
124 students · 1.5 mi
D
Fortis College-Columbia
513 students · 2.7 mi
C
Columbia International University
2,631 students · 2.7 mi
C
Columbia College
1,572 students · 4.4 mi
D
Paul Mitchell the School-Columbia
300 students · 4.4 mi
C
Benedict College
1,731 students · 5.5 mi
C
Allen University
677 students · 5.6 mi

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the median home value in Columbia, SC?

Median home price in Columbia, SC is near $199K, with a 5-year CAGR of 0.0%. Prices have been steady and supportive of buy-and-hold strategies.

How strong are rents in Columbia, SC?

Rents in Columbia, SC run near $1,166/mo. Compared with median home prices of $199K that produces solid gross yields for typical rentals.

Is the tenant base reliable 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 viable is house hacking in Columbia, SC?

House hacking works a challenging in Columbia, SC. Rents of $1,166/mo against $199K acquisition make the strategy solid for owner-occupants.

What is it like being a landlord in Columbia, SC?

Rental owners in Columbia, SC deal with a landlord-friendly legal framework. Most standard eviction processes run on reasonable timelines.

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How 29210 ranks in Columbia, SC

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