Population 58,272 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Columbia County
Household size in Columbia County
| Period | Columbia County | Madison area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.39 | 2.43 | 2.45 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.46 | 2.41 | 2.47 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.32 | 2.39 | 2.43 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.36 | 2.30 | 2.40 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.03 | −0.13 | −0.06 | −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. Since 2006–10, household size has edged down from 2.39, in line with the national trend.
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 | Madison area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 40.3 | 37.0 | 38.8 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 41.7 | 37.9 | 39.9 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 42.2 | 38.3 | 40.9 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 43.6 | 38.9 | 41.4 | 40.1 |
| Change | +3.3 | +1.9 | +2.6 | +2.3 |
Columbia County skews older than the country: its median age is 43.6, against 40.1 nationally. The median age has climbed from 40.3 in 2006–10, as it has nationally. Residents skew youngest in the northeast and oldest in the southwest.
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 | Madison area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.6% | 8.7% | 10.4% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 9.2% | 8.8% | 10.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 8.9% | 8.0% | 10.0% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 9.5% | 8.2% | 9.8% | 11.6% |
| Change | −1.1 pts | −0.5 pts | −0.6 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head about one in ten households in Columbia County (9.5%), below the national share of 11.6%. Even so, single parents are more common here than in the wider Madison area (8.2%). The single-parent share is down 1.1 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country.
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 | Madison area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 24.5% | 35.1% | 30.5% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 25.3% | 38.3% | 32.3% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 25.6% | 38.9% | 33.0% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 23.3% | 39.7% | 32.2% | 34.8% |
| Change | −1.2 pts | +4.5 pts | +1.6 pts | +1.5 pts |
Columbia County is largely a place of homeowners: only 23.3% of households rent, far below the national share of 34.8%. Owner-heavy areas like this tend to see less turnover. More than a third of owners (36.6%) have paid off their mortgages, below the national share of 39.8%. The renter share is down 1.2 points from 2006–10, even as the national share rose.
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 | Madison area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.0% | 8.9% | 10.5% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 12.6% | 6.3% | 10.6% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 9.6% | 5.7% | 10.1% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 9.8% | 5.5% | 9.2% | 9.6% |
| Change | −1.2 pts | −3.4 pts | −1.3 pts | −1.8 pts |
About as many homes sit empty in Columbia County as nationally: 9.8%, against 9.6%. The rate is higher than in the Madison area as a whole (5.5%). Vacancy is down 1.2 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 County
| Period | Columbia County | Madison area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1968 | 1976 | 1970 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1972 | 1978 | 1971 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1972 | 1979 | 1972 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1975 | 1983 | 1974 | 1980 |
| Change | +7 | +7 | +5 | +6 |
Homes in Columbia County run a bit older than the national norm, with a median build year of 1975 against 1980. The median year built has moved up from 1968 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the southwest, the oldest in the northeast.
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 | Madison area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $751 | $868 | $758 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $818 | $950 | $821 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $854 | $1,072 | $904 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,019 | $1,366 | $1,139 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$267 | +$498 | +$380 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Columbia County costs $1,019 a month with utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $267 a month since 2006–10, up 36%, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 24.3% of household income on rent, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally. The priciest rents are in the southwest; the most affordable are in the northeast.
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 | Madison area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 20.0% | 41.3% | 26.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 22.4% | 43.6% | 28.0% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 23.1% | 46.9% | 30.4% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 25.9% | 50.6% | 33.6% | 35.6% |
| Change | +5.9 pts | +9.3 pts | +7.0 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are less common in Columbia County than nationally: 25.9% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%. The share with a degree has risen 5.9 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally. College graduates are most concentrated in the southwest and least in the center.
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 | Madison area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 90.6% | 93.8% | 89.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 92.3% | 94.4% | 90.7% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 92.6% | 95.2% | 92.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 94.0% | 95.1% | 93.3% | 89.3% |
| Change | +3.3 pts | +1.3 pts | +3.8 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Columbia County is above the national rate: 94.0% of adults have a diploma, against 89.3%. The Madison area as a whole looks much the same. The share with a diploma is up 3.3 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 | Madison area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 4.9% | 5.0% | 6.7% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 6.5% | 5.5% | 7.3% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 2.8% | 2.6% | 3.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.0% | 2.6% | 3.3% | 5.4% |
| Change | −1.9 pts | −2.4 pts | −3.4 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Columbia County has been low: just 3.0% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. Since 2006–10, unemployment has fallen 1.9 points, as it has nationally. 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 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 | 43.6 | 9.5% | 23.3% | 9.8% | 1975 | $1,019 | 25.9% | 94.0% | 3.0% |
| Sauk County | 2.38 | 42.4 | 8.3% | 27.6% | 10.2% | 1979 | $1,013 | 27.2% | 92.6% | 2.2% |
| Dodge County | 2.39 | 43.6 | 8.4% | 28.7% | 7.5% | 1969 | $1,009 | 20.3% | 92.8% | 3.4% |
| Richland County | 2.34 | 46.5 | 7.4% | 26.1% | 14.9% | 1969 | $911 | 21.1% | 92.7% | 3.4% |
| Washington County | 2.44 | 44.6 | 7.8% | 21.9% | 4.7% | 1984 | $1,278 | 35.4% | 95.8% | 2.6% |
| Ozaukee County | 2.43 | 44.5 | 7.1% | 27.1% | 5.2% | 1978 | $1,567 | 51.4% | 97.8% | 2.7% |
| Howard County | 2.47 | 40.8 | 11.9% | 22.6% | 12.9% | 1955 | $703 | 18.9% | 92.4% | 2.1% |
| Mitchell County | 2.30 | 41.5 | 6.1% | 20.0% | 7.1% | 1956 | $733 | 24.7% | 93.1% | 1.1% |
| Newaygo County | 2.58 | 42.8 | 10.1% | 13.5% | 18.4% | 1978 | $929 | 17.7% | 89.3% | 4.4% |
| Worth County | 2.30 | 46.0 | 6.6% | 16.8% | 9.7% | 1946 | $796 | 19.0% | 93.6% | 3.8% |
| Winnebago County | 2.19 | 42.9 | 10.2% | 29.4% | 9.6% | 1960 | $699 | 26.0% | 94.8% | 3.0% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Effingham County, GA · Somerset County, ME · Queen Anne's County, MD · Jackson County, AL · Henry County, VA · Henry County, IN · Henry County, IL · Hamblen County, TN · Hall County, NE · Grundy County, IL
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.
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