Columbia, Missouri Housing Market Prices
Columbia Home Prices and Rent at a Glance
The median home price (often called the average home price), rent costs, affordability metrics, and housing stock characteristics for this housing market.
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Median home price 78% above the Missouri median$259,097
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Median rent 5% above the Missouri median$1,082
Housing Market Overview
| Metric | Columbia | Missouri Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $259,097 | $145,462 | $248,835 |
| Price Trend (Annual %) | 1.6% | 5.2% | 7.5% |
| Median Gross Rent | $1,082 | $1,033 | $1,407 |
| Rent Trend (Annual %) | 4.1% | 4.0% | 5.1% |
| Household Income Trend (Annual %) | — | — | — |
The median home price in Columbia is about 78% higher than in Missouri. Rent is about 5% higher than the Missouri average.
Median Home and Rent Price Trends
Median Home Prices, 2015-2024
Median Rent Prices, 2015-2024
Both home prices and rent are rising in Columbia, up about 1.6% and 4.1% a year respectively. Rent is changing faster.
Median rent in Columbia rose about 38.9% between 2015 and 2024, from $779 to $1,082. Over the same span, rent in Missouri rose about 38.6%.
Affordability
On average, housing unit costs 4.3 yearly household incomes in Columbia.
Buying the median-priced home in Columbia costs roughly 19.9 years of rent at the median monthly rate. That is a moderate price-to-rent ratio, where buying and renting are often similarly cost-effective in Columbia. The price-to-rent ratio in Missouri is about 11.7.
| Metric | Columbia | Missouri Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $259,097 | $145,462 | $248,835 |
| Median Household Income | $60,936 | $70,801 | $80,455 |
| Price-to-Income Ratio | 4.3 | 2.1 | 3.1 |
Home Prices vs Income Over Time
Between 2015 and 2024, the median home price in Columbia rose about 48.5%, while median household income rose about 50.7% between 2009 and 2025 — income grew faster than the home price.
Income Growth vs Housing Cost Growth (Year-over-Year %)
Compare income and housing cost trends.
Occupancy & Tenure
| Metric | Columbia | Missouri Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homeownership Rate | 43.1% | 60.5% | 58.5% |
| Rental Rate | 50.4% | 28.3% | 31.2% |
| Vacancy Rate | 6.6% | 11.2% | 10.2% |
| Median Tenure (years) | 9.0 | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Median Year Moved In | 2017 | 2011 | 2011 |
Columbia has a homeownership rate of 43.1%, lower than the Missouri average of 60.5%. Its housing vacancy rate is 6.6%, compared with 11.2% in Missouri.
Housing Stock
| Metric | Columbia | Missouri Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Household Size | 2.22 people | 2.40 people | 2.53 people |
| Median Structure Built Year | 1988 | 1978 | 1978 |
| Median Number of Rooms | 5.3 | 5.7 | 5.5 |
The typical housing unit in Columbia was built around 1988. On average, 2.2 people live in a home with about 5.3 rooms, staying for about 9.0 years on average.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about the housing market in Columbia, Missouri.
What is the median home price in Columbia, Missouri?
The median home price in Columbia, Missouri is $259,097, higher than the Missouri average of $145,462.
What is the average home price in Columbia, Missouri?
The typical home price in Columbia, Missouri, reported as the median sale price, is $259,097. The median is used instead of a mathematical average because it is not skewed by a small number of very expensive or very cheap homes, so it better reflects what a typical buyer pays.
What is the median rent in Columbia, Missouri?
The median gross rent in Columbia, Missouri is $1,082 per month, higher than the Missouri average of $1,033.
What was the median gross rent in Columbia in 2020?
In 2020, the median gross rent in Columbia, Missouri was $873 per month.
What is the price-to-rent ratio in Columbia, Missouri?
The price-to-rent ratio in Columbia, Missouri is about 19.9, meaning it would take roughly 19.9 years of rent payments at the median rent to equal the median home price. That is a moderate price-to-rent ratio, where buying and renting are often similarly cost-effective in Columbia.
Are home prices or rent rising faster in Columbia, Missouri?
Both home prices and rent are rising in Columbia, up about 1.6% and 4.1% a year respectively. Rent is changing faster.
What is the homeownership rate in Columbia, Missouri?
43.1% of households in Columbia, Missouri own their home, lower than the Missouri average of 60.5%.
What is the vacancy rate in Columbia, Missouri?
The housing vacancy rate in Columbia, Missouri is 6.6%, lower than the Missouri average of 11.2%.
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