Rent by ZIP code in Columbia
| ZIP code | County | Typical rent | vs city median |
|---|---|---|---|
| 29201 | Richland County | $1,959 | +29% |
| 29229 | Richland County | $1,788 | +18% |
| 29205 | Richland County | $1,745 | +15% |
| 29212 | Lexington County | $1,616 | +7% |
| 29209 | Richland County | $1,537 | +1% |
| 29206 | Richland County | $1,497 | -1% |
| 29223 | Richland County | $1,464 | -3% |
| 29204 | Richland County | $1,462 | -4% |
| 29203 | Richland County | $1,385 | -9% |
| 29210 | Richland County | $1,161 | -23% |
Rent by bedroom count in Columbia
Zillow's index above blends every unit size into one number. For a bedroom level view, these are HUD's FY2027 Fair Market Rents for Richland County. They include utilities and sit near the 40th percentile of the market, so treat them as the low side of what a typical unit lists for.
| Unit size | FY2027 Fair Market Rent | Change from FY2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Studio | $992 | -3.9% |
| 1 bedroom | $1,126 | -3.3% |
| 2 bedroom | $1,226 | -3.9% |
| 3 bedroom | $1,546 | -4.7% |
| 4 bedroom | $1,754 | -8.2% |
Source: HUD Fair Market Rents. Updates when HUD publishes a new fiscal year.
Is rent going up or down in Columbia?
Typical rent across Richland County is $1,517 as of September 2026. That is up 2.5% from a year earlier and up 30.8% over five years. The Columbia rent report compares these rents with Section 8 voucher rents ZIP by ZIP.
| Year | Typical rent, Richland County | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | $1,202 | +14.4% |
| 2022 | $1,296 | +7.9% |
| 2023 | $1,367 | +5.4% |
| 2024 | $1,427 | +4.5% |
| 2025 | $1,492 | +4.5% |
| 2026 (through September) | $1,517 | +1.7% |
Zillow Observed Rent Index for the county, all home types, last published month of each year. Each row is compared with the end of the year before it.
Columbia rent questions
- What is the average rent in Columbia, SC?
- Typical asking rent in Columbia is $1,517 a month as of September 2026, across 10 ZIP codes. By ZIP code it runs from $1,161 to $1,959.
- How much is rent for a 2 bedroom in Columbia?
- HUD's FY2027 Fair Market Rent for a two bedroom in Richland County is $1,226 a month including utilities. A one bedroom is $1,126 and a three bedroom is $1,546. Fair Market Rent is set near the 40th percentile, so a typical unit lists somewhat higher.
- Is rent going up or down in Columbia?
- Rent is rising. Typical rent in Richland County is $1,517 as of September 2026, up 2.5% from a year earlier.
- What is the cheapest ZIP code to rent in Columbia?
- ZIP 29210 has the lowest typical asking rent in Columbia at $1,161 a month, compared with $1,517 for the city overall.
- How much income do you need to rent in Columbia?
- Most landlords look for gross income of about three times the rent. At the typical Columbia rent of $1,517, that is about $4,551 a month, or $54,612 a year. This is a common screening rule of thumb, and individual landlords set their own.
How to use these numbers
These are Zillow Observed Rent Index values, a smoothed measure of typical asking rent for single family homes, condos, and apartments in each ZIP code. They describe what units are listed for, not what any specific unit will get. Condition, bedroom count, and the exact block all move the number.
If you are underwriting a purchase, use the ZIP figure rather than the city median, and then verify against live listings for the same bedroom count before you commit. Columbia sits in the Columbia, SC metro area.