Market Score
0 /100
Buyer-friendly
DC · Live Data Snapshot
Columbia
Live housing, income & risk dashboard — every number is cited and refreshed weekly. Drag the calculators below for your numbers.
Median Sale Price
$0
+0.0% YoY
Median Household Income
$0
Census ACS, taxable basis
Price ÷ Income
0.0×
Affordable
Days on Market
0days
Balanced
Sources: Redfin · Census ACS · FRED · FHFA · FEMA NRI
Snapshot
Buyer-Friendly (Score: 65/100)Median Sale Price #49/51
$740,000
+4.5% YoY
avg: $433,990
Active Inventory #8/51
3,117
avg: 22,163
Days on Market #32/51
47 days
avg: 42 days
Price Drops
26.6%
Single-Family vs. Condo
Source: Redfin (property-type breakdown)Single-Family Median #51/51
$1,425,000
+6.7% YoY
Condo / Co-op Median #41/51
$456,800
-4.8% YoY
SFR vs. Condo YoY Gap #45/51
+11.6%
SFR outperforming condos
DOM: SFR vs. Condo
29d / 60d
SFR / Condo
What this means: Single-family homes in Columbia are up 6.7% YoY while condos are down 4.8%.
A +11.6% gap is unusually wide — when condos drop faster than houses, association fees, insurance, and lending rules tend to be the cause, and motivated condo sellers usually follow.
Market Pressure Signals
Derived from Redfin trendInventory vs. Long-Term Avg #32/51
+26.8%
surplus — buyer leverage
DOM vs. 24-Mo Avg #12/51
-23.5%
currently under 60 days
Long-Term Avg Inventory
2,459
over available trend
Long-Term Avg DOM
61 days
trailing 24 months
Inventory surplus: Active listings in Columbia are +26.8% above the long-term average for this market. More supply means less competition and more buyer negotiating power.
Opportunity Cost of Buying
S&P 500 avg: 10.5%/yr | Actual state appreciation | Transaction costs included20% Down Payment
$148,000
locked in home equity
If Invested (10yr)
$253,684
S&P 500 avg 10.5%/yr gain
Home Equity (10yr)
$460,673
appreciation + principal paydown
Opportunity Gap
$206,989
home equity wins over 10yr
Total 30yr Interest
$752,261
127% of loan amount
Buy Closing Costs
$22,200
~3% (title, appraisal, fees)
Sell Costs
$59,200
~8% (6% agent + 2% closing)
Total Transaction Cost
$81,400
11% of home value to buy + sell
Backtested: What If You Bought X Years Ago?
Compares actual Columbia home appreciation against investing the same 20% down payment in the S&P 500 (10.5% avg). Includes estimated principal buildup and transaction costs (3% buy + 8% sell). Based on actual state trend data where available.
PeriodHome ThenApprec.DP → S&PNet if SoldNet if RentedWinner
1yr $707,000 +4.7% $14,847 $-36,746 +$28,782 Invest
2yr $715,000 +3.5% $31,607 $-32,708 +$60,464 Invest
4yr $725,000 +2.1% $71,181 $-13,613 +$132,847 Invest
5yr $708,100 +4.5% $91,691 +$20,911 +$171,244 Invest
10yr* $499,917 +48.0% $171,379 +$345,120 +$355,181 Invest
* Estimated (trend data unavailable for this period). "Net if Sold" = appreciation + principal paid − 3% buy closing − 8% sell costs. "Net if Rented" = S&P 500 return on down payment + invested rent savings (if renting was cheaper).
Residual Income by Household Type
ScenarioIncomeAfter OwnAfter Rent
Single earner $55,000 $10,191 $23,632
Couple (dual income) $80,000 $35,191 $48,632
Family (3 kids) $95,000 $25,191 $38,632
The real trade-off: Locking $148,000 into a down payment means forgoing potential market returns of $253,684 over 10 years. You'll also pay $752,261 in interest over 30 years, and $81,400 in transaction costs just to buy and sell. The home builds equity too ($460,673), but that wealth is illiquid — you can't spend it without selling or borrowing against it. For a family with 3 kids in Columbia, childcare alone ($25,000/yr) combined with ownership costs leaves $25,191/yr for everything else. For a deeper analysis of when buying makes financial sense, read The Resale Trap.
Paycheck Reality: What You Earn vs What You Keep
2025 federal brackets + FICA · state top rate 0% · local avg 0.00%Required Gross (Single)
$55,859
$26.86/hr at 40hr/wk
Required Gross (MFJ)
$53,295
$25.62/hr at 40hr/wk (combined)
Take-home Floor
$46,885
Columbia's living-wage estimate (housing + RPP-adjusted essentials)
Single Effective Tax
16.0%
Fed + FICA + State + Local of gross
Where Each Dollar Goes — Single Filer at $55,859 Gross
Visual share of the dollar. Federal uses 2025 IRS brackets after standard deduction; FICA is Social Security 6.2% (capped at $176,100 in 2025) + Medicare 1.45%; state uses the top marginal rate × 0.65 effective approximation (most middle earners pay below their top bracket); local is the state's average local-income-tax rate where applicable.
Federal 8.4% ($4,665) FICA 7.6% ($4,273) Take-home 84.0% ($46,921)
What You Keep at Various Incomes — Columbia
Take-home percentages combine federal, FICA, and Columbia's state income tax. Property tax, sales tax, and benefit deductions (health insurance, 401(k)) are excluded.
Filing StatusGrossFederalFICAStateLocalTake-home
Single $50,000 7.9% 7.6% 0.0% 0.0% 84.4% ($42,213)
Single $75,000 10.8% 7.7% 0.0% 0.0% 81.5% ($61,148)
Single $100,000 13.6% 7.6% 0.0% 0.0% 78.7% ($78,736)
Single $150,000 16.8% 7.6% 0.0% 0.0% 75.5% ($113,278)
Married Filing Jointly $50,000 4.0% 7.6% 0.0% 0.0% 88.3% ($44,175)
Married Filing Jointly $75,000 6.6% 7.7% 0.0% 0.0% 85.8% ($64,339)
Married Filing Jointly $100,000 7.9% 7.6% 0.0% 0.0% 84.4% ($84,427)
Married Filing Jointly $150,000 10.8% 7.6% 0.0% 0.0% 81.5% ($122,297)
The blunt math: A single earner needs to gross $55,859 ($26.86/hr × 40hr/wk × 52wk) just to net Columbia's living-wage floor of $46,885. Government takes 16.0% of every gross dollar before you see it. Married couples filing jointly with the same combined gross keep 4.0% more thanks to wider brackets and a $30,000 standard deduction (vs. $15,000 single).
Drag to See Your Own Split
Slide your gross income to see exactly how Columbia's tax stack splits between Washington, FICA, Columbia, and your take-home — in real time.
Trade Labor & Materials
Sources: BLS OES 2023, PPI 2020-2025Materials Cost Increases (5-Year, National)
Lumber & framing +28%
Structural steel +42%
Ready-mix concrete +35%
Copper wire & pipe +48%
Asphalt shingles +38%
HVAC equipment (SEER 16+) +31%
Windows & doors +26%
Drywall & plaster +22%
Why this matters: Labor and materials make up the majority of home repair and renovation costs. When your roof, HVAC, or plumbing needs work, these are the hourly rates you'll pay. Combined with materials that have risen 22-48% in five years, even routine maintenance is significantly more expensive than it was pre-2020. For a complete breakdown of these hidden ownership costs, read The Resale Trap.
Market Trends
Source: Redfin (up to 5 years)Median Sale Price
Trailing 12 months
Active Inventory
Trailing 12 months
Days on Market
Trailing 12 months
Price Drop Rate
Trailing 12 months
Sale-to-List Ratio
Trailing 12 months
65
Buyer-Friendly
0 50 100
Columbia Market Score: 65/100
This score reflects how buyer- or seller-friendly the Columbia market is right now, based on days on market, price cuts, sale-to-list ratio, inventory levels, year-over-year price movement, price-to-income ratio, and percentage of local jobs that can afford the median home.
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Columbia
65
Buyer-FriendlyMedian Price $740,000
Monthly PITI $3,734
Price-to-Income —
Mortgage Rate 6.48%
Insurance —/yr
Property Tax —
Last updated: