Average Rent in Columbia, SC
12 apartment buildings, 185 units. Daily asking prices with rent history for every building.
Cheapest
$800/mo
Fowler Real Estate
Properties
12
tracked daily
Units
185
available now
Columbia, SC Resident Access
City Club members share insider gate codes, parking links, and amenity tips.
Analysis
Rent Price Breakdown
Compare pricing across all 12 properties in Columbia, SC.
Average rent trend, last 2 months
All bedroom types, citywide. Choose a window above to scope the view.
Average Rent by Property
Starting Price vs Average
Rent by Bedroom Count
Price per Square Foot
Columbia, SC Rent Prices
All 12 properties ranked by lowest available rent.
Fowler Real Estate
721 King St, Columbia, SC 29205, USA
Wolfe & Taylor, Inc.
1216 Pickens St, Columbia, SC 29201, USA
The Shandon Group
2320 Devine St, Columbia, SC 29205, USA
Hampton Greene Apartment Homes
500 Gills Creek Pkwy, Columbia, SC 29209, USA
VERVE Columbia
1215 Lincoln St, Columbia, SC 29201, USA
Broad River Trace
551 Riverhill Cir, Columbia, SC 29210, USA
The Moore Company
2931 Devine St STE 101, Columbia, SC 29205, USA
| # | Property | From | Avg | $/sqft | Rating | Units |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fowler Real Estate 721 King St, Columbia, SC 29205, USA | $800 | $1,575 | $1.30 | 3.7 (94) | 8 |
| 2 | Wolfe & Taylor, Inc. 1216 Pickens St, Columbia, SC 29201, USA | $950 | $1,430 | $1.27 | 3.6 (137) | 13 |
| 3 | The Shandon Group 2320 Devine St, Columbia, SC 29205, USA | $975 | $1,530 | $1.15 | 3.5 (153) | 14 |
| 4 | Hampton Greene Apartment Homes 500 Gills Creek Pkwy, Columbia, SC 29209, USA | $1,185 | $1,397 | $1.55 | 3.5 (164) | 7 |
| 5 | VERVE Columbia 1215 Lincoln St, Columbia, SC 29201, USA | $1,200 | $1,315 | $1.08 | 5 (46) | 3 |
| 6 | Broad River Trace 551 Riverhill Cir, Columbia, SC 29210, USA | $1,275 | $1,549 | $1.35 | 4.4 (135) | 14 |
| 7 | The Moore Company 2931 Devine St STE 101, Columbia, SC 29205, USA | $1,400 | $2,189 | $1.58 | 4.2 (28) | 12 |
Rent & Price History by Building
Fowler Real Estate
3.7 (94)721 King St, Columbia, SC 29205, USA
Wolfe & Taylor, Inc.
3.6 (137)1216 Pickens St, Columbia, SC 29201, USA
The Shandon Group
3.5 (153)2320 Devine St, Columbia, SC 29205, USA
Hampton Greene Apartment Homes
3.5 (164)500 Gills Creek Pkwy, Columbia, SC 29209, USA
VERVE Columbia
5 (46)1215 Lincoln St, Columbia, SC 29201, USA
Broad River Trace
4.4 (135)551 Riverhill Cir, Columbia, SC 29210, USA
By Area
Columbia, SC neighborhoods
Tracked buildings across 5 named neighborhoods. Pick one to see its apartments.
Columbia, SC Average Rent Prices 2026
The average rent in Columbia, SC is $1,936 per month, based on 185 units across 12 apartment communities. Prices range from $800 at Fowler Real Estate to $3,525 at The Moore Company.
Average Rent by Bedroom Type
| Type | Avg Rent | Starting From | Units |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $1,737/mo | $1,531/mo | 8 |
| 1 Bed | $1,924/mo | $800/mo | 70 |
| 2 Bed | $1,874/mo | $850/mo | 63 |
| 3 Bed | $2,083/mo | $1,200/mo | 36 |
| 4 Bed | $2,061/mo | $1,200/mo | 8 |
Every price is a real asking rent, updated that morning. Request a neighborhood we don't cover and we add it within 24 hours.
Market Context
Who rents in Columbia, SC, and what they pay
Tracked one-bedroom rent in Columbia, SC averages $1,924/mo, with two-bedroom units averaging $1,874/mo. At the local median household income of $55,653, that works out to 42% of gross income, a severely rent-burdened market by HUD standards.
The U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey 2023 release pegged median gross rent in Columbia, SC at $1,158/mo. The current tracked market average runs 67% higher than that benchmark, reflecting both two to three years of rent growth and the fact that the Census figure covers all renter-occupied housing in Columbia, SC while the tracked market average covers units currently listed in larger apartment communities.
What salary do I need to live comfortably in Columbia, SC?
Built on the 25 to 30 percent rent-to-income guideline used by most landlords and credit-scoring models.
Minimum to afford average rent
$77,000/year
Based on the 30 percent rule, using our tracked average rent of $1,936/mo.
Comfortable income
$93,000/year
Based on the 25 percent rule, leaving more room for savings, transport, and groceries.
To afford the cheapest tracked apartment ($800/mo), you need to earn at least $32,000/year.
Median household income in Columbia, SC is $55,653 , about 40% below the comfortable-living threshold.
Cost of living in Columbia, SC
Overall prices in Columbia, SC runs below the national average by about 7% (BEA Regional Price Parity index 93.2, where 100 equals the U.S. average). The breakdown below estimates monthly costs for a single adult, using national consumer-spending baselines from the Bureau of Labor Statistics scaled by Columbia, SC's regional price parities.
| Category | Monthly estimate |
|---|---|
| Rent (market average) | $1,936 |
| Utilities | $337 |
| Groceries | $518 |
| Transportation | $804 |
| Healthcare | $392 |
| Other goods and services | $628 |
| Estimated total | $4,615/mo |
Population
138,019
Median household income
$55,653
Census median rent
$1,158/mo
Rent as % of income
34.5%
Median age
28.7
Mean commute
17 min
Methodology
Rent data
Sourced directly from each tracked apartment community and refreshed every 24 hours. Every listed unit price on this page is real and listed today.
Cost of living
Estimates combine national consumer-spending baselines from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (Consumer Expenditure Survey) with the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis Regional Price Parities (MARPP dataset). Both are peer-reviewed federal data releases published annually.
Salary to live comfortably
Applies the standard 25 to 30 percent rent-to-income rule on top of the listed rent. This is the same affordability guideline used by most landlords and credit-scoring models.
Demographic figures
Median household income, population, median age, commute time, Census median rent, and rent as percentage of income come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey 5-year estimates, the most recent complete release.
Cost of living and demographic figures were last published in 2023.
Compare
Nearby cities in South Carolina
How Columbia, SC rent compares to other markets in the state.
| City | Avg Rent | vs Columbia, SC | 30-Day Change | Properties |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charleston, SC | $2,560 | +32% | +0.2% | 20 |
| Greenville, SC | $1,915 | -1% | -64.6% | 14 |
| North Charleston, SC | $1,982 | +2% | +4.7% | 13 |
| Summerville, SC | $1,844 | -5% | -88.3% | 11 |
| Rock Hill, SC | $1,446 | -25% | +1.3% | 10 |
| MT Pleasant, SC | $3,218 | +66% | -3% | 8 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the average rent in Columbia, SC?
The average rent in Columbia, SC is $1,936 per month, based on 185 units across 12 apartment buildings tracked by Average Rent. Prices are refreshed daily.
What is the median rent in Columbia, SC?
The median asking rent in Columbia, SC is $1,805 per month, computed from 185 live listed units and refreshed daily. The average is $1,936/mo; the median resists skew from luxury listings.
What is the cheapest apartment rent in Columbia, SC?
The lowest available rent in Columbia, SC starts at $800 per month. Availability changes daily and prices are refreshed each morning.
How much is a 1-bedroom apartment in Columbia, SC?
1-bedroom apartments in Columbia, SC average $1,924/mo. The lowest listed 1-bedroom starts at $800/mo across 70 units tracked.
How much is a 2-bedroom apartment in Columbia, SC?
2-bedroom apartments in Columbia, SC average $1,874/mo. Units start from $850/mo across 63 units currently listed.
Rent Trends in Columbia, SC
Track how apartment prices are changing over time.
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