Housing Market Overview
The median home price (often called the average home price), rent costs, affordability metrics, and housing stock characteristics for this housing market.
Median Home Price Map: Nearby Counties
Housing Market Overview
| Metric | Columbia County | Oregon Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $170,983 | $406,286 | $242,182 |
| Price Trend (Annual %) | 2.0% | 10.7% | 8.2% |
| Median Gross Rent | $1,220 | $1,449 | $1,342 |
| Rent Trend (Annual %) | 5.7% | 6.4% | 5.1% |
| Household Income Trend (Annual %) | — | — | — |
The median home price in Columbia County is about 58% lower than in Oregon. Rent is about 16% lower than the Oregon average.
Median Home and Rent Price Trends
Median Home Prices, 2015-2023
Median Rent Prices, 2015-2023
Both home prices and rent are rising in Columbia County, up about 2.0% and 5.7% a year respectively. Rent is changing faster.
Median rent in Columbia County rose about 54.4% between 2015 and 2023, from $790 to $1,220. Over the same span, rent in Oregon rose about 59.8%.
Affordability
On average, housing unit costs 2.0 yearly household incomes in Columbia County.
Buying the median-priced home in Columbia County costs roughly 11.7 years of rent at the median monthly rate. That is a relatively low price-to-rent ratio, which tends to favor buying over renting in Columbia County. The price-to-rent ratio in Oregon is about 23.4.
| Metric | Columbia County | Oregon Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $170,983 | $406,286 | $242,182 |
| Median Household Income | $85,627 | $80,923 | $78,145 |
| Price-to-Income Ratio | 2.0 | 5.0 | 3.1 |
Home Prices vs Income Over Time
Between 2015 and 2023, the median home price in Columbia County rose about 3.2%, while median household income rose about 51.0% between 2009 and 2023 — 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 County | Oregon Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homeownership Rate | 71.3% | 58.6% | 58.2% |
| Rental Rate | 22.9% | 33.9% | 31.3% |
| Vacancy Rate | 5.8% | 7.5% | 10.6% |
| Median Tenure (years) | 16.0 | 13.0 | 15.0 |
| Median Year Moved In | 2010 | 2013 | 2011 |
Columbia County has a homeownership rate of 71.3%, higher than the Oregon average of 58.6%. Its housing vacancy rate is 5.8%, compared with 7.5% in Oregon.
Housing Stock
| Metric | Columbia County | Oregon Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Household Size | 2.54 people | 2.44 people | 2.54 people |
| Median Structure Built Year | 1982 | 1980 | 1978 |
| Median Number of Rooms | 5.9 | 5.4 | 5.5 |
The typical housing unit in Columbia County was built around 1982. On average, 2.5 people live in a home with about 5.9 rooms, staying for about 16.0 years on average.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about the housing market in Columbia County, Oregon.
What is the median home price in Columbia County, Oregon?
The median home price in Columbia County, Oregon is $170,983, lower than the Oregon average of $406,286.
What is the average home price in Columbia County, Oregon?
The typical home price in %s, reported as the median sale price, is %s. 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 County, Oregon?
The median gross rent in Columbia County, Oregon is $1,220 per month, lower than the Oregon average of $1,449.
What was the median gross rent in Columbia County in 2020?
In 2020, the median gross rent in Columbia County, Oregon was $985 per month.
What is the price-to-rent ratio in Columbia County, Oregon?
The price-to-rent ratio in Columbia County, Oregon is about 11.7, meaning it would take roughly 11.7 years of rent payments at the median rent to equal the median home price. That is a relatively low price-to-rent ratio, which tends to favor buying over renting in Columbia County.
Are home prices or rent rising faster in Columbia County, Oregon?
Both home prices and rent are rising in Columbia County, up about 2.0% and 5.7% a year respectively. Rent is changing faster.
What is the homeownership rate in Columbia County, Oregon?
71.3% of households in Columbia County, Oregon own their home, higher than the Oregon average of 58.6%.
What is the vacancy rate in Columbia County, Oregon?
The housing vacancy rate in Columbia County, Oregon is 5.8%, lower than the Oregon average of 7.5%.