Columbia, South Carolina

This profile covers the Columbia Midlands STR market, a regional series shared with Lexington and Prosperity, so the performance figures below describe the wider region rather than Columbia alone. In September 2026 the average daily rate was $201, occupancy was 59.1%, and average monthly revenue per listing was $3,160. Compared with a year earlier, occupancy rose 2.3%, ADR rose 1.6%, and revenue rose 5.3%. Entire-place listings averaged $216 per night, about $15 above the all-listings rate. Columbia has 144,281 residents and sits at the center of a Midlands tourism economy. The region drew a record 17.3 million visitors in 2024, up from 16.4 million in 2023, including roughly 6.2 million overnight visitors. Visitor spending passed $1.9 billion, up 7.1%, and lodging was the fastest-growing spending category at 11.7%. Demand comes from University of South Carolina athletics and events, state government business, the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center, Fort Jackson military graduations, Riverbanks Zoo, the three rivers, and Congaree National Park. Bedroom, channel, and listing-type counts and top-operator names are tracked at a shared regional level rather than uniquely for Columbia, so this profile omits them. By property type, houses averaged $3,442 per month, entire places $3,389, and apartments $2,368. The 2026 year to date reading, covering nine months, shows 63.9% occupancy, a $175 ADR, and $3,081 monthly revenue, ahead of the 2025 full-year figures of 60.5%, $174, and $2,963. Investors should read these numbers alongside the strict permit regime described in the regulatory section.