Forgivable loan
City Lender I - with Down Payment Assistance (City of Columbia)
Income limits · Single Family
Down payment assistance · Richland County
Buying a home in Columbia, SC
2 Columbia programs, 1 county program and 11 statewide.Columbia has 2 programs of its own, 1 more across Richland County, and 11 statewide. Here is what each one offers, what the local market looks like, and who near you can walk you through it.
Find my programs Free · No credit pull · 90 seconds
Only for Columbia addresses
Columbia’s own programs
Down-payment assistance
Central South Carolina Habitat for Humanity Homeownership Program
First-time homebuyers · New construction · Income limits · Single Family
Anywhere in RichlandAnywhere in Richland County
1 county program1 county program a Columbia homebuyer can also use
The Columbia marketThe Columbia housing market
Kinds of homes hereWhat’s for sale here, and what the programs accept
Kinds of homes in Columbia
- 49.5% single-familysingle-family
- 5.6% townhousetownhouse
- 10.6% 2–4 units2–4 units
- 33.4% 5+ unitscondo & apartment buildings (5+ units)
- 0.9% mobile & othermobile home & other
About condos. None of Columbia’s 3 local and county programs list condos as eligible.
U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 5-year (2020–2024). Table B25024.
When Columbia’s homes were built
pre-19401970s2020+
49.5%
of Columbia homes were built before 1980. Pre-1978 homes come with a federal lead-paint disclosure.of homes were built before 1980. A home built before 1978 comes with a federal lead-paint disclosure, and some programs require an inspection.
U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 5-year (2020–2024). Table B25034.
$92,400
County area median income, 4 people (HUD)HUD area median income, Richland County, 4-person household (2026)
$55,529
Columbia median household incomeMedian household income in Columbia (Census, 2024)
13 of the 76 programs here set their income limit as a share of Richland County’s area median income, adjusted for household size. See the published limits for Richland County
Free help nearbyFree help near Columbia
1 HUD-approved counseling agency within 15 miles1 HUD-approved housing counseling agency within 15 miles
3 programs here ask for a homebuyer class first. Create a free account to see who’s near you and pick one.All 3 local programs here ask for a homebuyer class. A HUD-approved counselor teaches it and can walk you through your options. Create a free account to see who’s near you and pick one.
Find my counselor
Free account → 90-second match → your counselors · Sign in
Across South Carolina and nationwide
73 statewide & federal programs11 statewide programs, plus federal options
Columbia questions
Does Columbia have its own down payment program?
Yes, 2: City Lender I - with Down Payment Assistance (City of Columbia) and Central South Carolina Habitat for Humanity Homeownership Program. Each is for homes inside Columbia.
Can I use assistance on a condo in Columbia?
None of Columbia’s 3 local and county programs list condos as eligible. Each program’s page lists the kinds of homes it accepts, and the agency confirms it for the home you choose.
What is the income limit in Richland County?
Each program sets its own. 13 of the programs here set theirs as a share of HUD’s area median income for Richland County, adjusted for household size. HUD publishes the median each year; the 2026 figure is shown above and on the published limits page.
Where can I take a homebuyer class near Columbia?
HUD-approved housing counseling agencies teach homebuyer classes, and 1 agency is within 15 miles of Columbia. Create a free account and take the 90-second match to see the ones near you.
ZIP codes
29201 · 29202 · 29203 · 29204 · 29205 · 29206 · 29207 · 29208 · 29209 · 29210 · 29211 · 29212 · 29214 · 29215 · 29216 · 29217 · 29218 · 29219 · 29220 · 29221 · 29222 · 29223 · 29224 · 29225 · 29226 · 29227 · 29228 · 29229 · 29230 · 29240 · 29250 · 29260 · 29290 · 29292
Nearby in Richland
Sources
Sources: agency sites (June–August 2026), Census ACS 2024 5-year, HUD FY2026, HUD counseling list. Hey Prescott is not a lender.Programs: Hey Prescott catalog of 2,000+ programs, each verified with its agency (June–August 2026). Market: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 5-year (2020–2024). Income: HUD FY2026 income limits. Counselors: HUD list of approved housing counseling agencies. Hey Prescott is not a lender.