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Rent Tracker
The average asking rent in Columbia, SC is $1,551/month as of 2026-03. That is +2.6% compared to a year ago.
Source: Zillow Observed Rent Index (ZORI) · zillow.com/research
Current Avg Rent
$1,551/mo
as of 2026-03
Year-over-Year Change
+2.6%
Monthly ZORI index values for Columbia, SC.
| Month | Avg Asking Rent | Change from Prior Month |
|---|---|---|
| 2026-03 | $1,551 | +0.32% |
| 2026-02 | $1,546 | +0.26% |
| 2026-01 | $1,542 | +0.19% |
| 2025-12 | $1,539 | -0.06% |
| 2025-11 | $1,540 | +0.26% |
| 2025-10 | $1,536 | +0.07% |
| 2025-09 | $1,535 | +0.33% |
| 2025-08 | $1,530 | -0.20% |
| 2025-07 | $1,533 | +0.07% |
| 2025-06 | $1,532 | +0.07% |
| 2025-05 | $1,531 | +0.66% |
| 2025-04 | $1,521 | +0.60% |
| 2025-03 | $1,512 | +0.93% |
| 2025-02 | $1,498 | +0.54% |
| 2025-01 | $1,490 | +0.74% |
| 2024-12 | $1,479 | +0.41% |
| 2024-11 | $1,473 | +0.41% |
| 2024-10 | $1,467 | -0.07% |
| 2024-09 | $1,468 | +0.07% |
| 2024-08 | $1,467 | +0.34% |
| 2024-07 | $1,462 | +0.48% |
| 2024-06 | $1,455 | +0.62% |
| 2024-05 | $1,446 | +0.84% |
| 2024-04 | $1,434 | — |
Shelter is the single largest component of the official CPI, accounting for roughly one-third of the index. But the BLS shelter index tends to lag real-market rent changes by 12–18 months because it measures rents paid by all tenants — including long-term renters locked into old leases. ZORI measures asking rents for new leases, making it a timelier signal of where CPI shelter inflation is headed.
When ZORI is rising sharply in your city, it is a leading indicator that official shelter inflation — and therefore overall CPI — will remain elevated in coming months.
Data: Zillow Research ZORI · Updated monthly · Price Inflation Report