Metropolitan Area

Columbia, SC

South Carolina0
65
/100
Buy
#358 of 894 metros
Top 40% nationally for investing

Market Snapshot

$256,154
Median Home Price
1% above national median
$1,537/mo
Median Rent
11% above national median
7.20%
Rent-to-Price Ratio
Top 21% nationally
-$344
Est. Monthly Cash Flow
With 20% down at 6.9% rate

Price History

Median Home Price

Median Rent

Trend based on YoY growth rate. Source: Zillow ZHVI/ZORI

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20%
5%50%100%

Purchase

Purchase Price$256,154
Down Payment (20%)$51,231
Loan Amount$204,923
Interest Rate6.85%

Monthly Cash Flow

Gross Rent+$1,537
Monthly P&I-$1,343
Est. Expenses (35%)-$538
Net Cash Flow-$344/mo
4.7%
Cap Rate (all cash)
-7.0%
Cash-on-Cash Return
7.20%
Rent-to-Price Ratio
Negative leverage: At 6.85% rates, borrowing costs exceed the 4.7% cap rate. All-cash buyers may see better returns.

* Based on metro-wide median values. 35% expenses include taxes, insurance, maintenance, vacancy, and property management. Individual counties and properties vary significantly.

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Score Breakdown

Overall Investment Score
65/100
65
Cash Flow(30%)
72/100

Based on 7.20% rent-to-price ratio. Higher ratios indicate stronger cash flow potential.

Appreciation(25%)
63/100

Based on 1.0% YoY price growth. Moderate growth (3-8%) scores highest.

Stability(25%)
50/100

Based on 0.0% population growth. Growing areas indicate economic stability.

Affordability(20%)
75/100

Based on price relative to estimated local incomes.

Scores are calculated using real Zillow metro-level home value and rent data, Census population data, and economic indicators. The weighted average produces the overall investment score. This metro score represents area-wide averages; individual counties may vary significantly.

Investment Outlook

Strengths

  • +Above-average rent-to-price ratio (7.20%)
  • +Affordable relative to local incomes
  • +Low unemployment (0.0%)

Challenges

  • -Negative cash flow at typical financing (-$344/mo)
  • -Negative leverage (cap rate 4.7% < mortgage rate 6.9%)

Counties in Columbia, SC

County data is being compiled for this metro area.

Compare to Similar Metros

Metro AreaVerdict
Coffeyville, KS
Coffeyville, KS
85$101,366$86210.20%Strong BuyView
Blytheville, AR
Blytheville, AR
84$115,156$1,06411.08%Strong BuyView
Roanoke Rapids, NC
Roanoke Rapids, NC
84$107,523$1,07712.02%Strong BuyView
Enid, OK
Enid, OK
83$144,157$1,25010.40%Strong BuyView
Houghton, MI
Houghton, MI
83$194,696$1,73310.68%Strong BuyView
Current
Columbia, SC
65$256,154$1,5377.20%Buy

Rent vs buy in this metro

Rent vs buy in Columbia, SCMedian $238,959 · rent $1,544/mo

The Bottom Line

BuyColumbia, SC offers solid investment potential with good cash flow or appreciation prospects.

The Columbia, SC metro area scores 65/100, ranking #358 of 894 US metros (top 40%). The 7.20% rent-to-price ratio indicates moderate cash flow potential. Current metro-wide averages make traditional buy-and-hold investing challenging. Consider house hacking, value-add strategies, or drilling down to specific counties.

Monthly Cash Flow
$-344/mo
Cap Rate
4.7%
Cash-on-Cash
-8.1%

Ready to Invest in Columbia, SC?

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