Guide updated August 2026
Moving to
Columbia, TN
“The Mule Town of Middle Tennessee”
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The quick answer
Columbia is the Maury County seat, a city of roughly 45,000 about 46 miles south of Nashville — a 50-60 minute drive, longer in rush-hour traffic. The median home price is about $375,000, with most inventory between $220K and $700K, and the city centers on a restored National Register downtown square plus the James K. Polk Ancestral Home. The honest trade-off is distance: Columbia fits local employment, the Spring Hill GM/Ultium corridor, and remote or hybrid work better than a daily downtown-Nashville office commute.
Complete Guide to Columbia, Tennessee
Columbia is the county seat of Maury County and one of Middle Tennessee's most established historic towns, anchored by a restored downtown square ringed by Federal, Victorian, and 19th-century architecture, local shops, antique stores, and the county courthouse. Its commercial historic district has been on the National Register of Historic Places since 1984, and the city maintains five designated historic districts plus the James K. Polk Ancestral Home, the only surviving residence (other than the White House) of the 11th U.S. President. It sits at the southern edge of the Nashville metro, just below Spring Hill and the General Motors/Ultium Cells plant corridor, which has driven recent growth and battery-manufacturing investment in the region. The town tends to suit buyers who want more home and land for the money than they would find in Williamson County, those drawn to a walkable historic downtown and small-town pace, and remote or hybrid workers willing to trade a longer Nashville commute for lower prices. Children in Columbia are served by Maury County Public Schools, the county's pre-K–12 district. The honest tradeoff is distance: a downtown-Nashville commute is roughly 46 miles and can run close to an hour each way and longer in rush-hour traffic, so Columbia fits day-to-day-local lifestyles better than daily Nashville office commutes.
What's changing in Columbia
Updated June 2026Ultium Cells battery plant anchors Maury County's growth; The Drake reshapes downtown Columbia
The marquee development reshaping Maury County is the Ultium Cells battery-cell plant in the Maury County portion of Spring Hill — a General Motors and LG Energy Solution joint venture representing roughly $2.6 billion in committed investment, a 2.8-million-square-foot facility, and a workforce of around 1,700. In Columbia proper, The Drake — a six-story, 293-unit luxury apartment building one block off the historic downtown square — is the largest current project transforming the city center.
MARQUEE PROJECT — Ultium Cells (Spring Hill, Maury County). The single biggest development reshaping the county is the Ultium Cells LLC battery-cell manufacturing plant, a GM and LG Energy Solution joint venture. It was announced in April 2021 as a $2.3 billion investment, then expanded in December 2022 with an additional $275 million commitment — bringing committed investment to roughly $2.6 billion. The plant is a 2.8-million-square-foot facility, with workforce expected to reach roughly 1,700.
LOCATION NOTE (important for a Columbia/Maury audience). The Ultium plant sits in Spring Hill, which straddles the Maury–Williamson county line; this facility is in the Maury County portion, adjacent to GM's Spring Hill Manufacturing assembly plant. It is among the county's largest single capital investments, though it is north of Columbia proper, not in the city itself.
2026 STATUS — strategic pivot. After slowing EV demand led to a furlough of about 700 workers in January 2026, Ultium announced in March 2026 a reopening with a roughly $70 million retooling investment to produce lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) batteries for energy-storage systems serving grid-scale and AI-data-center demand. Production under the new product line is set to start in the second quarter of 2026, with the roughly 700 furloughed employees returning.
MARQUEE DOWNTOWN-COLUMBIA PROJECT — The Drake. Within Columbia proper, the largest current project is The Drake, a six-story, 293-unit luxury apartment building with ground-floor retail on a 2.78-acre site at Woodland Street and East 7th Street, one block east of the historic public square. Developer: Franklin-based Bristol Development Group. The project broke ground in 2024 and was targeted for completion in early 2026. Reported as the downtown core's first upscale multifamily development. A specific dollar investment was not disclosed in available sourcing.
OTHER NOTABLE PROJECTS (context). Maury Regional Medical Center is undertaking a major expansion/renovation; the former Columbia Mall area is being redeveloped; and city infrastructure investment, including a new wastewater treatment plant, is underway. (Dollar figures and timelines for these secondary projects vary by source and are not fully confirmed here.)
BOTTOM LINE. Measured by capital and economic impact, the Ultium Cells battery plant (~$2.6B, ~1,700 jobs) is the marquee regional development — with the caveat that it sits in the Maury County part of Spring Hill, not Columbia city. For Columbia's own downtown core, The Drake (293 units) is the headline project.
- Marquee project (county)
- Ultium Cells battery-cell plant (GM + LG Energy Solution JV)
- Ultium location
- Spring Hill — Maury County portion, next to GM Spring Hill assembly plant
- Ultium investment
- ~$2.3B (2021) + $275M expansion (2022) ≈ $2.6B committed
- Ultium size / jobs
- 2.8 million sq ft; workforce ~1,700
- Ultium 2026 status
- $70M retool to LFP batteries for energy storage / AI data centers; production restart Q2 2026 after Jan 2026 furloughs
- Marquee downtown-Columbia project
- The Drake — 6-story, 293-unit luxury apartments + ground-floor retail
- The Drake developer / site
- Bristol Development Group; 2.78 acres at Woodland & East 7th St, one block off the square
- The Drake timeline
- Broke ground 2024; targeted completion early 2026
What's New to Eat, Drink & Shop in Columbia
Updated August 2026New food, drink and retail activity in Columbia is concentrated in the downtown historic district, at The Factory at Columbia, and along the James Campbell Boulevard corridor. The list below covers openings from 2024 through 2026 plus projects with public announcements, each checked against local reporting or official business listings.
Craft brewery and taproom at 104 E. 5th St. in downtown Columbia, an additional location for Twisted Copper Brewing. House beers on tap include a Mexican lager, a helles, a West Coast session IPA, a hazy IPA, a hefeweizen and a chocolate stout.
Bar / Brewery · opened June 2026 (ribbon-cutting June 11, 2026)
Texas-based burger chain at 195 E. James Campbell Blvd., the first Whataburger location in Columbia. It is open daily from 7 a.m. to 2 a.m.
Restaurant · opened May 2026 (ribbon-cutting May 19, 2026)
Jewelry and gift shop at 1205 S. James Campbell Blvd. carrying fine jewelry, vintage crystal and gift items. It held a ribbon-cutting with the Maury Alliance in June 2026.
Retail · opened 2026 (ribbon-cutting June 9, 2026)
Italian restaurant at The Factory at Columbia, 101 N. James M. Campbell Blvd., serving Italian dishes in a sit-down setting. It is listed among the development's current tenants, established 2025.
Restaurant · opened 2025
Artisan bakery at The Factory at Columbia, 101 N. James M. Campbell Blvd., drawing on European baking traditions. It is listed among the development's current tenants.
Grocery / Food hall · open; opening date not published
Saloon and restaurant at 111 W. 7th St. in downtown Columbia, serving a casual menu paired with craft cocktails, a wine list and a full liquor selection.
Bar / Brewery · opened 2025 (ribbon-cutting February 6, 2025)
Outdoor wine bar and event space in a restored former Esso service station in downtown Columbia, developed by American Pickers host Mike Wolfe. The space includes a pergola, firepit, stage and vintage gas pumps, and adjoins Prime & Pint.
Bar / Brewery · opened 2025
Butcher shop and public house at 105 E. 6th St. in downtown Columbia, pairing a retail butchery counter with a scratch kitchen and bar.
Restaurant · opened 2024 (ribbon-cutting May 29, 2024)
Cafe and lounge at The Factory at Columbia, 101 N. James M. Campbell Blvd., opened by Sara and Andrew Carlton. It serves breakfast and lunch with dinner on select evenings, drawing on French, Mexican, Italian, Southern, contemporary American and Middle Eastern cooking, and has a full coffee bar with gluten-free and vegan options.
Restaurant · opened early 2024
Locally owned cafe and coffee shop at 1201 N. Commerce St. from David and Betsy Wood, rebranded from Towne Coffee in 2026. It serves made-to-order breakfast, lunch, baked goods and chef-driven specials alongside handcrafted coffee drinks.
Coffee · opened December 2023 (ribbon-cutting March 27, 2024); rebranded 2026
Fast-casual Chinese chain under construction at the former Sloan Ford dealership site on James Campbell Blvd. It is one of three businesses planned for the property, alongside Whataburger and a credit union.
Restaurant · announced 2026; under construction
Redevelopment of the former enclosed Columbia Mall into an open-air retail center led by Highland Capital, working with Retail Strategies and the City of Columbia Industrial Development Board. Announced tenants include Ulta Beauty, Academy Sports + Outdoors, Five Below and Bealls.
Retail · announced 2025; phased openings
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Best Real Estate Agent in Columbia, TN (2026): How to Choose the Right One
A plain-language, source-cited guide to choosing a real estate agent in Columbia, TN for 2026 — current market data, the questions to ask before hiring, and how The Will Johnson Team (eXp Realty) approaches Maury County transactions.
Columbia Quick Facts
Figures reviewed July 2026. We pull current, address-level comparables before any offer.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the median home price in Columbia?
The median home price in Columbia is approximately $449,990 (as of April–May 2026, Redfin/Zillow/Movoto and others), with homes ranging from $220K – $700K.
How far is Columbia from Nashville?
Columbia is approximately 50–60 minutes (about 46 miles; longer in rush-hour traffic) from downtown Nashville. Exact commute time depends on traffic and your specific destination.
What's it like living in Columbia, TN?
Columbia is the historic seat of Maury County, a city of roughly 45,000 with a revived Federal-and-Victorian downtown square, sitting just south of Sp... It's commonly a fit for value buyers wanting more home for the money and history and downtown-square lovers.
What are the popular neighborhoods or areas in Columbia?
Areas commonly searched in Columbia include Historic Downtown / the Square, Arden Village, Grove Park, Carters Station, Polo Fields, Spring Meade. Each offers a different balance of price, amenities, and lifestyle, and we can pull recent comparable sales so you decide what fits.
Who handles real estate in Columbia, TN?
The Will Johnson Team (eXp Realty) works Columbia regularly — a 5.0-rated team on Google and Zillow, RealTrends Verified 2026, licensed in Tennessee since 2013, and quoted as an expert source by CBS MoneyWatch and Bottom Line Personal. Call 615-265-1000 — the first conversation carries no commitment.
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About the authors
By Will Johnson & The Will Johnson Team
Will Johnson leads The Will Johnson Team at eXp Realty, serving buyers and sellers across Middle Tennessee — Columbia, Nashville, Hendersonville, Gallatin, Sumner County, Brentwood, Franklin, Mount Juliet, Murfreesboro and the surrounding communities. A U.S. Army veteran who served 14 years and rose to the rank of Major, and a former ICU nurse and nurse anesthetist (CRNA) who graduated with a 4.0 from MTSA, he has been licensed in Tennessee since 2013 (license #330494); as of 2026 the team has closed $27.7 million in volume across 64 transactions. The team holds a 5.0 rating on Google and Zillow, is RealTrends Verified 2026, has been featured as an expert source by CBS MoneyWatch and Bottom Line Personal, and can be reached at 615-265-1000.
Equal Housing Opportunity · Licensed in Tennessee and regulated by the Tennessee Real Estate Commission (TN #330494) · The Will Johnson Team is affiliated with eXp Realty · This page is general information, not legal, tax, or financial advice.