This SC city to be a US frontrunner for most home price growth in 2026. Here’s the forecast

Saving five bucks a day by not going out for coffee might have put enough money aside for you to buy a house at one point, but that likely won’t cut it for upcoming Columbia housing prices.

According to a 2026 housing forecast from Realtor.com, Columbia is projected to have among the highest housing price growth in the country, fueled by an increasing population and heightened demand.

Homes on average are expected to increase by 2.2% across the nation, but will be outpaced by inflation, which should increase by 3%. That technically means house prices are becoming more affordable.

You can’t say the same for housing prices in Columbia, which surpasses both inflation and national housing price growth.

Here’s Columbia’s rank:

Number 10. Columbia, South Carolina

Expected 2026 price growth is 7.2%.

The current median housing price is $299,999.

The nation’s top three cities with the highest projected house price growth are Toledo, Ohio, Syracuse, New York and Scranton--Wilkes-Barre--Hazleton, Pennsylvania.

Columbia house prices in 2025

Columbia’s predicted house price growth in 2026 would be a big jump from last year. According to a report by South Carolina Realtors, house prices in Greater Columbia only increased by 2.2% in 2025 year-over-year. The median house price in 2024 was $272,900 and the median house price in 2025 was $278,877.

The same report said that in 2024, 13,206 residential homes were sold in Greater Columbia. A year later, 13,733 residential homes were sold, an increase of 4%.

Economic and policy risks could be the housing market’s biggest problem

Federal government economic and policy risks could weaken the housing market. Uncertainty from fiscal and trade measures may influence inflation and consumer confidence and negatively affect the housing market.

The government shutdown caused permanent economic loss, and the temporary funding resolution that got the country back running means that fiscal risk looms again at the end of January.

Another issue is a softening job market. South Carolina’s most recent unemployment rate is 4.6%, which is the highest it’s been since Aug, 2024, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor. If it continues to increase in 2026, consumer spending could weaken, potentially lowering housing demand.

How to prepare as a home buyer

Columbia’s expected house price growth for 2026 might scare some buyers, but there is still some upside and ways to prepare.

Knowing your budget is a great first step. It keeps you realistic and helps determine if you need to look for a different location to buy a house.

Prices might increase, but so will likely sales. That means you don’t need to compete as hard to get a house as you would have in past years.

Down payments have leveled off some, meaning the first payment to get your house doesn’t need to be outrageous. Of course, saving for a large down payment can offset monthly housing costs by a good bit.

What will the market look like for home sellers?

In 2025, poor sales and a rising home inventory moved the housing market away from a seller’s market to a more balanced market for the first time in nine years, according to Realtor.com. This trend will likely continue in 2026.

If you for sure want to sell your house in 2026, pay attention to competitor’s prices and adjust yours as need be.

Sellers that have their heart set on a price and are unwilling to change it might have less of a chance to sell their home. An increasing number of sellers delisted their house in 2025, which is also predicted to continue in 2026.