Population 65,362 · Census ACS 2020–24
Choose a measure to map it.Tap a measure to map it. Swipe the row for more. Arrows show the change since 2006–10.
Median age by neighborhoodHistory and comparison ↓︎
Younger residents
Older residents
Colorblind friendly
off
More maps of Columbia County: Best Neighborhoods · Walk Grade · Household income · Home prices · Race · Politics · Traffic noise · Internet
Population and households in Columbia County
Household size in Columbia County
| Period | Columbia County | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.43 | 2.51 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.38 | 2.53 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.33 | 2.50 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.36 | 2.46 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.08 | −0.05 | −0.03 |
Households in Columbia County are small: just 2.36 people on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. That is typical of places where many people live alone or as couples, and fewer have children at home. Household size has edged down from 2.43 in 2006–10, as it has nationally.
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 County
| Period | Columbia County | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 40.8 | 40.3 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 41.5 | 41.0 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 42.4 | 41.8 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 42.5 | 42.0 | 40.1 |
| Change | +1.8 | +1.7 | +2.3 |
Columbia County skews a little older than the country: its median age is 42.5, against 40.1 nationally. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 40.8, mirroring the country. The youngest areas are in the center, the oldest in the north.
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 County
| Period | Columbia County | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.8% | 10.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 9.4% | 10.6% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 9.8% | 10.5% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 7.4% | 10.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | −1.4 pts | +0.2 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 7.4% of households in Columbia County, well below the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share has edged down 1.4 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country. Columbia County has a lower share of single-parent households than the great majority of Pennsylvania counties.
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 County
Renters in Columbia County
| Period | Columbia County | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 28.5% | 29.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 29.6% | 30.5% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 30.8% | 31.1% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 30.5% | 30.7% | 34.8% |
| Change | +2.0 pts | +1.7 pts | +1.5 pts |
Most households in Columbia County own their homes; 30.5% rent, a little below the national share of 34.8%. Among homeowners, 51.1% have no mortgage at all, well above the national share of 39.8%. Renting is most common in the southwest and least common in the northeast. The renter share is up 2.0 points from 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 County
| Period | Columbia County | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.7% | 10.3% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 10.9% | 10.5% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 13.0% | 10.7% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 11.7% | 9.1% | 9.6% |
| Change | +0.1 pts | −1.2 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy runs a little high in Columbia County: 11.7% of homes are empty, against 9.6% nationally. The count includes vacation homes and homes between owners or tenants, not just abandoned ones.
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 County
| Period | Columbia County | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1961 | 1963 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1961 | 1964 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1965 | 1965 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1968 | 1967 | 1980 |
| Change | +8 | +4 | +6 |
The housing in Columbia County is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1968, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates. The median year built has moved up from 1961 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the west, while the east has the oldest housing.
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 County
| Period | Columbia County | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $634 | $829 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $723 | $923 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $788 | $1,039 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $966 | $1,323 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$332 | +$494 | +$606 |
The median renter in Columbia County pays $966 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $332 a month from 2006–10, a 52% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 28.6% of household income on rent, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally. The priciest rents are in the center; the most affordable are in the northwest.
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 County
Bachelor's degrees in Columbia County
| Period | Columbia County | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 19.4% | 27.2% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 22.5% | 28.7% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 24.2% | 31.8% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 27.1% | 35.6% | 35.6% |
| Change | +7.8 pts | +8.3 pts | +7.2 pts |
More than a quarter of adults 25 and older in Columbia County (27.1%) have a bachelor's degree or higher, below the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree is up 7.8 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend. College graduates are most concentrated in the center and least in the north.
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 County
| Period | Columbia County | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 87.2% | 87.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 89.1% | 88.8% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 90.8% | 90.3% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 92.7% | 91.8% | 89.3% |
| Change | +5.5 pts | +4.5 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Columbia County is above the national rate: 92.7% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%. Pennsylvania as a whole looks much the same. The share with a diploma is up 5.5 points from 2006–10, 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 County
| Period | Columbia County | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.7% | 7.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 5.7% | 8.8% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.6% | 5.5% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.8% | 5.4% | 5.4% |
| Change | +0.0 pts | −2.1 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Columbia County is close to the national rate: 5.8% of the labor force, against 5.4%. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current 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 County compared with nearby counties
| County | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbia County | 2.36 | 42.5 | 7.4% | 30.5% | 11.7% | 1968 | $966 | 27.1% | 92.7% | 5.8% |
| Montour County | 2.26 | 42.7 | 9.8% | 31.5% | 4.0% | 1974 | $1,114 | 38.6% | 93.8% | 3.0% |
| Luzerne County | 2.40 | 42.3 | 13.2% | 32.2% | 11.4% | 1960 | $1,078 | 24.5% | 89.3% | 5.9% |
| Union County | 2.46 | 43.6 | 13.9% | 27.7% | 11.1% | 1970 | $1,058 | 32.5% | 88.1% | 2.0% |
| Clinton County | 2.38 | 41.6 | 11.1% | 27.7% | 14.6% | 1967 | $899 | 21.4% | 90.4% | 5.3% |
| Monroe County | 2.75 | 44.1 | 10.4% | 19.8% | 19.8% | 1982 | $1,505 | 27.8% | 90.3% | 6.7% |
| Sussex County | 2.55 | 44.4 | 8.6% | 16.3% | 8.7% | 1972 | $1,719 | 40.7% | 95.4% | 5.2% |
| Clearfield County | 2.30 | 46.4 | 8.4% | 21.5% | 14.7% | 1968 | $821 | 21.6% | 91.1% | 5.4% |
| Passaic County | 3.01 | 39.0 | 16.8% | 46.9% | 5.1% | 1956 | $1,783 | 29.7% | 83.7% | 8.0% |
| Bergen County | 2.77 | 42.9 | 8.9% | 34.7% | 5.3% | 1961 | $2,193 | 53.4% | 92.9% | 5.8% |
| Rockland County | 3.51 | 35.9 | 9.1% | 32.1% | 5.9% | 1975 | $2,035 | 39.1% | 85.8% | 5.5% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Harrison County, WV · Kauai County, HI · Jefferson County, AR · Isabella County, MI · Iron County, UT · Iberia Parish, LA · Huron County, OH · Hood County, TX · Haywood County, NC · Hawkins County, TN
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 County. 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.
No other site shows detail at this level for free. We are able to keep this site free by receiving a small commission from the referring links on this page. Please share or cite this page if you aren’t able to otherwise support our work.