BalancedStableBalanced market

Columbia multifamily market, October 2026

Neither side has the edge in Columbia, and it is holding steady: asking rents are up 0.9% on a year, while jobs grew 1.1%.

Updated October 31, 2026 · from Zillow, BLS and the US Census Bureau

+0.9%

Asking rent, year over year

Zillow · September 2026

+1.1%

Jobs, year over year

BLS · September 2026, preliminary

5.4%YEARLY

Vacancy

Census · 2024 count

What is moving now

Asking rents are up 0.9% on a year to September 2026, which is the figure the condition is read from. Jobs are up 1.1% over the same year to September 2026, a first release the BLS revises the following month. Nothing is pulling hard either way in the latest figures (September 2026).

The backdrop

These are yearly Census counts, not this month's: 5.4% of rentals sat empty in 2024, permits for new apartments were down 21% in 2025, more people moved in than out in 2025, and the typical rent was $1,257 a month in 2024. They are the background the monthly figures move against, and they are the newest the Census has published.

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Common questions about Columbia

Answered from the data, updated October 31, 2026

Is the Columbia rental market tight or soft right now?

In Columbia right now, neither side has a clear edge, and it is stable.

Which way is the Columbia market heading?

Columbia is stable right now, as asking rents firm over the past year (Zillow ZORI, monthly).

Is Columbia a landlord's or a renter's market?

Columbia is a balanced market right now, with neither side holding a clear edge.

What is the vacancy rate in Columbia?

Vacancy in Columbia is 5.4% in the 2024 count, a yearly snapshot rather than a monthly reading (US Census Bureau).

How much have Columbia rents changed?

Asking rents in Columbia are up 0.9% over the past year (Zillow ZORI, monthly, latest Sep 2026).

Recent coverage

Daily, from the MetroSgnl news feed. Headlines only.

SC has one of the most competitive US rental markets, RentCafe says. Here’s whereThe State

Columbia’s affordable housing is concentrated in North Columbia. Is it changing?The State

Columbia housing market shifts toward first-time buyersWLTX

Columbia selected for Bloomberg Philanthropies initiative to expand affordable housingWLTX

Subtext, FrontRange Capital Open 697-Bed Student Housing Community Near University of South CarolinaREBusinessOnline

S.C. organization breaks ground on affordable housing communityWRDW

See all Columbia news →

Data: Zillow ZORI, BLS, US Census Bureau, FRED, and the MetroSgnl news feed. Recomputed daily. Market information only, not investment advice.
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