Columbia, PA housing market
The typical Columbia home is worth about $293,000, up 4.4% in a year, close to the Pennsylvania typical home. Homes typically sell in 20 days, a little above asking.
Home values, sales, trends and how Columbia compares with the towns next door — updated as new data is published.
Columbia at a glance
A strong seller's market
Homes are selling faster than new ones are listed: less than two months of supply. Well-priced homes can draw several offers.
Typical home value, 2016–2026
Show as a table
| January | Columbia | Pennsylvania |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 | $142,000 | $173,000 |
| 2018 | $154,000 | $181,000 |
| 2019 | $163,000 | $188,000 |
| 2020 | $172,000 | $198,000 |
| 2021 | $196,000 | $219,000 |
| 2022 | $219,000 | $240,000 |
| 2023 | $241,000 | $257,000 |
| 2024 | $262,000 | $268,000 |
| 2025 | $275,000 | $280,000 |
| 2026 | $286,000 | $287,000 |
| August 2026 | $293,000 | $290,000 |
14 new homes permitted in 2025
Builders were permitted 14 new homes in Columbia in 2025, all in buildings with two or more homes, worth about $1.4 million to build. That's 1.4 per 1,000 residents, slower than across Pennsylvania (2). Over the past 10 years, Columbia has permitted 149 homes in all.
Homes vs. people, 2010–2020
Between the 2010 and 2020 censuses, Columbia's population fell by 193 even though 3 new homes were permitted. Homes are holding fewer people: households are getting smaller, or more homes are used part of the year. Across Pennsylvania: 1.4 new residents per new home.
Residents: U.S. Census Bureau, 2010 and 2020 censuses. New homes: permits issued 2010–2019.
Show as a table
| Year | New homes | Single-family | 2+ per building | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 (Jan–Aug) | 5 | 0 | 5 | $360,000 |
| 2025 | 14 | 0 | 14 | $1.4 million |
| 2024 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2023 | 1 | 1 | 0 | $140,000 |
| 2022 | 134 | 96 | 38 | $5.6 million |
| 2021 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2020 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2019 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2018 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2017 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2016 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2015 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2014 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2013 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2012 | 3 | 3 | 0 | $405,000 |
| 2011 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2010 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2009 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2008 | 9 | 9 | 0 | $1.1 million |
| 2007 | 2 | 2 | 0 | $400,000 |
| 2006 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2005 | 4 | 4 | 0 | $555,000 |
| 2004 | 4 | 4 | 0 | $780,000 |
| 2003 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2002 | 15 | 15 | 0 | $2.1 million |
| 2001 | 13 | 13 | 0 | $1.3 million |
| 2000 | 12 | 12 | 0 | $1.2 million |
How Columbia ranks on new homes being built →
Homes authorized by building permits, counted in the year the permit was issued. U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, through August 2026.
Columbia and its neighbors
| Town | Typical value | 1-yr change | 2-bed rent | New homes 2025 | Median income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbia | $293K | +4.4% | $1,310 | 14 | $54,437 |
| West Hempfield | — | +3.8%† | $1,430 | 14 | $98,099 |
| Manor | — | +3.6%† | $1,640 | 19 | $89,917 |
† FHFA price index change, where Zillow has no home value for the town.
5.4 years of income
The typical Columbia home costs about 5.4 years of the town's median household income, more than across Pennsylvania (3.7 years).
How Columbia ranks on affordability →
Home value ÷ ACS median household income.
Owners, rent & taxes
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024.
A two-bedroom rents for about $1,310
HUD's Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom in Columbia is $1,310 a month, utilities included: roughly what a modest, recently rented unit costs. Renters already in Columbia pay a median of $1,075, so moving in tends to cost more than staying put. A two-bedroom takes about 29% of the town's median household income.
Studio $950 · 4 bedrooms $1,730
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, FY2026 Fair Market Rents by ZIP code (17512; Lancaster, PA MSA), weighted by land area. A Fair Market Rent is the 40th-percentile rent plus utilities for a standard unit. Median rent: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey.
Home values: Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), Zillow Research, August 2026. Sales, days on market and supply: Redfin Data Center, May 2026. Income, ownership, taxes and rent: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey. New homes: U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey. Fair Market Rents: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Listings link to their publishers.