Population 16,258 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Columbia City
Household size in Columbia City
| Period | Columbia City | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.66 | 2.52 | 2.56 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.54 | 2.59 | 2.62 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.69 | 2.62 | 2.62 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.46 | 2.60 | 2.61 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.20 | +0.09 | +0.05 | −0.03 |
The average household in Columbia City has 2.46 people, under the U.S. average of 2.65. Since 2006–10, household size has dropped from 2.66, a much bigger shift than nationally. The biggest households, usually families with children, are concentrated in the west.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Columbia City
| Period | Columbia City | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 37.5 | 37.5 | 38.0 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 38.2 | 38.1 | 38.7 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 34.2 | 38.5 | 39.3 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 37.1 | 38.8 | 39.6 | 40.1 |
| Change | −0.5 | +1.3 | +1.6 | +2.3 |
Columbia City is younger than the country as a whole: its median age is 37.1, against 40.1 nationally. The median age has edged down from 37.5 in 2006–10, even as the national median rose. The youngest areas are in the center, the oldest in the east.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Columbia City
| Period | Columbia City | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 13.4% | 10.3% | 10.9% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 14.7% | 10.0% | 10.6% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 13.0% | 9.2% | 10.1% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 9.3% | 9.1% | 10.1% | 11.6% |
| Change | −4.1 pts | −1.2 pts | −0.8 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are less common in Columbia City than nationally: 9.3%, against 11.6%. The picture is much the same across the Seattle area. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has fallen 4.1 points, a much bigger shift than nationally.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Columbia City
Renters in Columbia City
| Period | Columbia City | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 51.3% | 37.7% | 35.2% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 51.8% | 40.0% | 37.3% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 50.6% | 39.9% | 37.0% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 53.1% | 40.0% | 36.2% | 34.8% |
| Change | +1.8 pts | +2.3 pts | +1.0 pts | +1.5 pts |
Most households in Columbia City rent: 53.1% of occupied homes are rented, far above the national share of 34.8%. Expect more apartments, and more turnover, than in owner-heavy areas. Just over one in six owners (17.7%) have paid off their mortgages, well below the national share of 39.8%. The renter share has risen 1.8 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Columbia City
| Period | Columbia City | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.2% | 7.9% | 9.2% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 6.3% | 7.8% | 9.2% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 8.5% | 6.8% | 8.2% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 7.5% | 6.6% | 7.6% | 9.6% |
| Change | −2.7 pts | −1.3 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is on the low side in Columbia City: 7.5% of homes sit empty, against 9.6% nationally, which points to steady demand for housing. The Seattle area as a whole looks much the same. Vacancy is down 2.7 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Columbia City
| Period | Columbia City | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1964 | 1977 | 1977 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1970 | 1978 | 1979 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1975 | 1980 | 1980 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1982 | 1983 | 1984 | 1980 |
| Change | +18 | +7 | +6 | +6 |
The typical home in Columbia City was built around 1982, about the same vintage as the country's housing overall (1980). The median year built has moved up from 1964 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the center, the oldest in the east.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Columbia City
| Period | Columbia City | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $880 | $1,162 | $1,018 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $935 | $1,284 | $1,127 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,451 | $1,644 | $1,390 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $2,014 | $2,193 | $1,875 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$1,133 | +$1,031 | +$858 | +$606 |
Rent in Columbia City runs $2,014 a month at the median, utilities included, well above the U.S. median of $1,571. Locally, though, rents here are lower than in the wider Seattle area ($2,193). Rents are up $1,133 a month from 2006–10, a 129% jump, faster than rents rose nationally. Rent takes 30.8% of the typical renter's income, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Columbia City
Bachelor's degrees in Columbia City
| Period | Columbia City | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 31.4% | 36.7% | 31.0% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 36.7% | 38.0% | 32.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 45.7% | 42.3% | 35.5% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 64.3% | 46.3% | 38.8% | 35.6% |
| Change | +32.9 pts | +9.6 pts | +7.8 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in Columbia City: 64.3% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's degree or higher, against 35.6% nationally. Education tends to track local incomes and the kinds of jobs nearby. The share with a degree has risen 32.9 points since 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Columbia City
| Period | Columbia City | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 78.9% | 91.3% | 89.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 83.1% | 91.6% | 90.0% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 87.7% | 92.5% | 91.0% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 90.0% | 93.1% | 91.9% | 89.3% |
| Change | +11.1 pts | +1.8 pts | +2.4 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Columbia City is close to the national rate: 90.0% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%. The rate is lower than in the wider Seattle area (93.1%). Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 11.1 points, in line with the national trend.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Columbia City
| Period | Columbia City | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.5% | 6.9% | 7.6% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 11.6% | 8.3% | 8.9% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 8.8% | 4.5% | 5.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.5% | 5.0% | 5.1% | 5.4% |
| Change | −4.1 pts | −2.0 pts | −2.5 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Columbia City runs below the national rate: 3.5% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% nationally. Since 2006–10, unemployment has fallen 4.1 points, mirroring the country. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Columbia City compared with nearby neighborhoods
| Neighborhood | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbia City | 2.46 | 37.1 | 9.3% | 53.1% | 7.5% | 1982 | $2,014 | 64.3% | 90.0% | 3.5% |
| Beacon Hill | 2.76 | 39.1 | 9.1% | 42.8% | 6.8% | 1970 | $1,875 | 44.1% | 84.6% | 3.8% |
| Seward Park | 2.66 | 46.0 | 4.9% | 18.9% | 2.4% | 1951 | $2,415 | 71.7% | 98.5% | 2.5% |
| Mt. Baker | 2.38 | 43.2 | 7.8% | 40.2% | 5.8% | 1967 | $1,732 | 61.8% | 89.8% | 2.6% |
| Brighton | 2.52 | 36.1 | 12.1% | 60.0% | 13.1% | 1984 | $1,974 | 45.2% | 93.4% | 4.2% |
| Atlantic | 2.07 | 37.7 | 10.0% | 54.4% | 5.4% | 1995 | $1,891 | 59.2% | 90.0% | 5.8% |
| Mercer Heights | 2.86 | 49.5 | 3.6% | 12.1% | 5.8% | 1970 | $3,102 | 82.5% | 97.6% | 1.6% |
| South Park | 2.68 | 33.3 | 15.1% | 46.4% | 6.0% | 1971 | $1,792 | 42.7% | 82.7% | 5.6% |
| Leschi | 2.26 | 42.2 | 11.1% | 40.0% | 6.2% | 1963 | $2,141 | 72.3% | 95.3% | 6.6% |
| McGilvra | 2.28 | 43.2 | 3.1% | 57.8% | 10.1% | 1976 | $2,535 | 78.4% | 99.4% | 4.0% |
| Rainier Beach | 2.88 | 39.3 | 11.4% | 31.3% | 6.6% | 1967 | $2,168 | 36.5% | 83.6% | 4.0% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: Garrison Park, Austin, TX · West Meadows, Tampa, FL · Citizens Southwest, Jackson, MS · Crescenta Highlands, La Crescenta, CA · South Side, Mount Vernon, NY · South Land Park, Sacramento, CA · South End, Nashua, NH · South Deering, Chicago, IL · South Broadway, Cleveland, OH · Silver Lake, Providence, RI
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Columbia City. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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