Boone County · Columbia · population 130,900
Where Columbia stands
At or near all-time high. rents up 5.8% in the last year.
Home value trajectory · last 10 years
Zillow ZHVI · monthlyLifestyle scores
Scores are heuristic estimates from population density, state, and known transit/walkable cities. Not based on a paid Walk Score / Transit Score API — see methodology for the formula.
Rent trajectory · last 5 years
Zillow ZORI · monthlyHome value vs rent · indexed to 100
Both rebased at first month of ZORI data (~2015)Rent vs buy
At a 18.7 price-to-rent ratio, Columbia is in the 'depends on horizon' zone. Buy if you'll be there 5+ years and value flexibility on the home; rent if you might move, want zero maintenance friction, or expect rates to drop.
How the momentum score breaks down
methodology →Columbia has held up across the cycle: home values at $323,876 with +6.5% 5-year CAGR. The bull case is structural — population, location, employer base — and holds even if next year's print is soft.
Columbia's bear case is the boring one: the cycle is real and any market that's run hard can stall. Watch for slowing population growth, rising days-on-market, or builder discounts as the early warning signals.
About Columbia
Columbia is a city in Boone County, Missouri, with an estimated population of 130,900. The population grew 0.9% annually from 2020 to 2024, a moderate gain. The median home value in Columbia is $323,876 as of 2026-04, up 2.7% over the last 12 months. Over the last five years, home values have averaged +6.5% annual growth, with prices at or near the 5-year peak. Rents in Columbia average $1,446 per month, up 5.8% year-over-year. The composite momentum score is 73 of 100 (Rising). The market is healthy with prices supported by underlying demand.
▲ Bull case
▼ Bear case
About Columbia (Wikipedia)
Columbia is a city in Boone County, Missouri, United States, and its county seat. It was founded in 1821 and had a population of 126,254 as recorded in the 2020 United States census, making it the fourth-most populous city in Missouri. Columbia is a Midwestern college town, home to the University of Missouri, a major research institution also known as MU or Mizzou. In addition to the university and surrounding Downtown Columbia are Stephens College and Columbia College, giving the city its educational focus and nearly 40,000 college students. It is the principal city of the Columbia metropolitan area, population 215,811, and the central city of the nine-county Columbia–Jefferson City–Moberly combined statistical area with 415,747 residents. The city is the fastest-growing municipality in Missouri, with a growth of almost 40% since 2000, and a population estimated at 130,900 in 2024. Columbia is among the most-educated cities in the United States with about half of citizens being college graduates and about a quarter holding advance degrees.
Source: Wikipedia · this summary is contributed and licensed under CC-BY-SA.
City facts
Extracted from the Wikipedia infobox. Values may be slightly out of date relative to the latest sources.
Playbook
You're not in a frenzy but you're not getting bargains either. Make a competitive offer with normal inspection terms. Don't lowball — the listing will move with or without you.
Price at fair market value; expect movement in 30-45 days. Don't get clever with terms (rent-back, contingencies) — buyers in a Rising market have options.
Appreciation tailwind exists but cash flow requires discipline on price. Run the numbers conservatively and confirm rent comps before committing.
Local safety & alerts
No active National Weather Service alerts for Boone County right now.
Public-safety links are official .gov sources, not curated by us. Boone County routes NWS alerts; check the state EM portal for non-weather emergencies.
Neighborhoods of Columbia
49 tracked · ranked by median home valueSee the full neighborhood ranking →
Cities like Columbia
Run the numbers for Columbia
Sources: Zillow ZHVI (home values), Zillow ZORI (rents), US Census ACS + place population. Updated when source agencies publish revisions.
Climate & natural-disaster risk
State-level averages from NOAA Climate Normals (1991-2020) and FEMA National Risk Index. City-level conditions can vary significantly within a state.
Current weather
Find rentals & listings
Open current Columbia listings on the major real-estate sites.
Links open the live search on the destination site — results are always current.
Local news & community
Latest news
- Sturgeon man killed in crash on U.S. 63 in northern Boone CountyKOMU 8 · 2d ago
- Columbia man charged after dead body found in trash bin in Perche CreekColumbia Missourian · 1d ago
- CPD issues Silver Alert for 90-year-old Columbia womanABC17NEWS · 2h ago
- Burdet Hoecker Obituary (1942 – 2026) – Columbia, MO – St. Louis Post-DispatchLegacy · 1w ago
- Steven Swanson Obituary – Columbia, MODignity Memorial · 1w ago
- Columbia man accused of leaving roommate's corpse in apartment for 'weeks'KOMU 8 · 1d ago
Updated 2026-05-21 from Google News + Reddit RSS. Headlines link to original sources.
Local sports teams
Major professional teams the Columbia area cheers for. Detailed stats, schedules, and player pages on intherafters.com.
Local economy & environment
Humidity is annual average relative humidity (NOAA). Income is Census ACS 5-year estimate. Industries are largest employment sectors statewide (BLS); the local mix in a given city may vary.
Cities similar to Columbia
Explore other places with comparable momentum or affordability.