Columbus enjoying strong housing market

While the rest of the state struggles to hold its own through the national housing downturn, the Columbus area is thriving.

Bartholomew County, where Columbus is the seat, saw the median house price rise 8.7 percent, to $139,000, in the third quarter, according to The Republic, the city’s daily newspaper.

Nationally, the median price fell 3.7 percent in the quarter. In Indiana, it fell 0.9 percent.

Bartholomew County is flying above woes triggered by the subprime bust because the economy is stable. Cummins Inc., which is headquartered in Columbus, has announced a string of strong profits, and some of the Japanese manufacturers in the area are doing well.