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Saint Clair County · Columbus, MIColumbus, MI property taxes. A flat year. Look closely.
The typical home in Columbus was worth about $348,000 in January 2026, 1.3% less than a year earlier. A notice that went up anyway deserves a second look.
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What Columbus home values did
Columbus values fell 1.3% in the year to January 2026, and sat 2.0% under the April 2025 high. That's weaker than Saint Clair County as a whole (+3.8%).
Since January, values have risen 1.9% through August 2026.
| Month | Typical value | vs. a year earlier |
|---|---|---|
| January 2021 | $280,000 | +12.8% |
| January 2022 | $301,000 | +7.6% |
| January 2023 | $318,000 | +5.9% |
| January 2024 | $337,000 | +6.0% |
| January 2025 | $353,000 | +4.5% |
| January 2026 | $348,000 | -1.3% |
| August 2026 (latest) | $355,000 | +1.9% since January |
Peak since 2021: $355,000 in April 2025. January 2026 was 2.0% below it.
What to check on your notice
If your 2026 notice shows a higher value than last year, ask why. The typical Columbus home lost 1.3% over the same stretch. A higher number can still be right for a specific home, for example after a remodel, but the city or township assessor should be able to explain it.
How Columbus compares nearby
Among 10 Saint Clair County places, Columbus has the 1st largest drop from its peak and the 1st highest typical value. Statewide, its 1-year change ranks 40th of 759 Michigan places, from weakest to strongest.
| Place | January 2026 | 1-year change | vs. peak |
|---|---|---|---|
| Port Huron | $174,000 | +3.2% | At peak |
| Fort Gratiot | $265,000 | +5.4% | At peak |
| Saint Clair | $317,000 | +5.8% | At peak |
| Marysville | $232,000 | +4.7% | At peak |
| Algonac | $264,000 | +3.6% | At peak |
| Smiths Creek | $236,000 | +0.4% | At peak |
| Marine City | $222,000 | +2.9% | At peak |
| North Street | $286,000 | +4.4% | At peak |
| Yale | $248,000 | +2.4% | At peak |
| Columbus | $348,000 | -1.3% | -2.0% |
Deadline and where to file
Columbus values are set by the local city or township assessor. First protest to your local March Board of Review, which starts hearing appeals on the second Monday in March (a local unit can move the start to the Tuesday or Wednesday of that week). Dates and the letter-appeal cutoff are set locally. To go further on a residential property you must file a petition with the Michigan Tax Tribunal by July 31 of the tax year.
Reading this in fall 2026? The 2026 July 31 Tax Tribunal deadline has passed. The next regular chance is the March 2027 Board of Review. The state's rule puts appeal meetings on the second Monday in March, which is March 8, 2027, though your city or township sets its own hours and letter-appeal cutoff, so check its site in February when notices go out. If you miss that, the July and December Boards of Review (the December 2026 one is scheduled for Dec 15 unless your local unit moves it) have much narrower authority, so do not count on them for an ordinary value dispute.
The Saint Clair County guide covers the full Michigan appeal process: forms, fees, hearing levels and what happens next.
Building a Columbus case
The numbers above describe the typical Columbus home, not yours. Columbus is part of the Detroit-Warren-Dearborn metro, but your evidence should be local. Sales a few streets away usually beat sales across the metro.
- Bring recent sales of similar homes near you, close to the December 31 tax day. Note that State Equalized Value is meant to be about half of market value.
Get your Columbus appeal report
Start with your address. Vulorean checks your assessment against recent comparable sales and builds a value report you can bring to your Michigan appeal. Eligible reports are free during launch; an account is required and local filing fees are separate.
Check my property and get a report →Vulorean was built for California first. Michigan forms, deadlines and filing rules vary, so confirm them with your local office before filing. If something in your report looks wrong, email support@vulorean.com and we'll get it fixed.
Home values: Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), all homes, mid-tier, smoothed and seasonally adjusted, through August 2026, from Zillow Research. Rules: Michigan State Tax Commission Bulletin 16 of 2025: 2026 Boards of Review, Michigan State Tax Commission Board of Review Q&A, Michigan Tax Tribunal: Small Claims fees, Michigan Tax Tribunal: Small Claims petition (property tax appeal). Vulorean is an independent service, not a government office. Confirm dates and forms with your local office.