Population 13,632 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Columbia
Household size in Columbia
| Period | Columbia | St. Louis area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.67 | 2.52 | 2.69 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.56 | 2.53 | 2.71 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.58 | 2.49 | 2.66 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.54 | 2.46 | 2.58 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.13 | −0.06 | −0.11 | −0.03 |
Households in Columbia run a little small, averaging 2.54 people against 2.65 nationally, which usually means more singles and couples and fewer children. Locally, though, the typical household here is bigger than in the wider St. Louis area, where it has 2.46 people. Household size has dropped from 2.67 in 2006–10, a much bigger shift than 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
| Period | Columbia | St. Louis area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 39.5 | 38.5 | 37.6 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 41.1 | 39.5 | 38.5 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 42.4 | 40.7 | 39.6 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 42.0 | 40.8 | 40.2 | 40.1 |
| Change | +2.6 | +2.3 | +2.6 | +2.3 |
Columbia skews a little older than the country: its median age is 42.0, against 40.1 nationally. The median age has climbed from 39.5 in 2006–10, mirroring the country. The youngest areas are in the center, the oldest in the west.
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
| Period | Columbia | St. Louis area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.4% | 11.7% | 11.7% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 6.2% | 11.5% | 11.7% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 6.4% | 11.0% | 11.1% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 7.3% | 11.1% | 11.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | −1.1 pts | −0.6 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 7.3% of households in Columbia, well below the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share has edged down 1.1 points since 2006–10, as it has 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
Renters in Columbia
| Period | Columbia | St. Louis area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 19.4% | 28.3% | 30.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 18.6% | 30.1% | 33.1% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 15.6% | 31.1% | 33.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 14.9% | 29.6% | 32.9% | 34.8% |
| Change | −4.5 pts | +1.4 pts | +2.1 pts | +1.5 pts |
Columbia is overwhelmingly a place of homeowners: only 14.9% 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 has fallen 4.5 points since 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
| Period | Columbia | St. Louis area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.2% | 9.6% | 10.0% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 4.9% | 10.1% | 10.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.1% | 10.1% | 9.8% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 5.2% | 8.8% | 8.1% | 9.6% |
| Change | −0.1 pts | −0.8 pts | −1.9 pts | −1.8 pts |
Only 5.2% of homes in Columbia are vacant, far below the national rate of 9.6%, which usually means strong demand for housing. Columbia has a lower vacancy rate than most Illinois cities.
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
| Period | Columbia | St. Louis area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1983 | 1972 | 1966 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1982 | 1972 | 1967 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1986 | 1973 | 1968 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1986 | 1975 | 1970 | 1980 |
| Change | +4 | +3 | +4 | +6 |
Homes in Columbia are newer than the national norm: the median home was built in 1986, versus 1980 across the U.S. The median year built has moved up from 1983 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the northwest, 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
| Period | Columbia | St. Louis area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $882 | $825 | $953 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $870 | $920 | $1,028 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,008 | $1,010 | $1,165 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,192 | $1,239 | $1,428 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$310 | +$414 | +$475 | +$606 |
The median renter in Columbia pays $1,192 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $310 a month from 2006–10, a 35% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 26.5% of household income on rent, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally. Renters on a budget will find the lowest rents in the west; the highest are in the east.
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
Bachelor's degrees in Columbia
| Period | Columbia | St. Louis area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 29.2% | 30.3% | 31.2% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 32.0% | 32.1% | 32.4% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 44.1% | 34.9% | 34.7% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 46.2% | 38.5% | 37.7% | 35.6% |
| Change | +17.0 pts | +8.3 pts | +6.5 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in Columbia: 46.2% 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 is up 17.0 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
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
| Period | Columbia | St. Louis area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 92.4% | 88.8% | 86.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 93.3% | 90.5% | 87.5% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 95.8% | 92.1% | 89.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 96.8% | 93.6% | 90.3% | 89.3% |
| Change | +4.4 pts | +4.8 pts | +4.0 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Columbia: 96.8% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. The share with a diploma has risen 4.4 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Columbia has a higher share of high school graduates than at least four in five Illinois cities.
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
| Period | Columbia | St. Louis area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 4.4% | 7.7% | 8.7% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 6.3% | 8.8% | 10.2% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.1% | 4.9% | 6.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 1.9% | 4.3% | 6.0% | 5.4% |
| Change | −2.4 pts | −3.4 pts | −2.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
The job market in Columbia has been strong: just 1.9% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. Of the 388 Illinois cities with 5,000+ people, only 15 have lower unemployment. Since 2006–10, unemployment has fallen 2.4 points, in line with the national trend.
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 compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbia | 2.54 | 42.0 | 7.3% | 14.9% | 5.2% | 1986 | $1,192 | 46.2% | 96.8% | 1.9% |
| New Hanover | 2.37 | 48.9 | 1.7% | 18.8% | 14.9% | 1993 | $1,117 | 47.4% | 96.3% | 0.1% |
| Phelps | 2.27 | 46.2 | 6.7% | 21.1% | 7.2% | 1999 | $1,153 | 53.9% | 98.1% | 0.6% |
| Dupo | 2.56 | 36.9 | 19.0% | 34.9% | 9.7% | 1970 | $963 | 13.3% | 90.1% | 5.2% |
| East Carondelet | 2.63 | 41.8 | 9.1% | 13.1% | 16.3% | 1989 | $1,066 | 19.6% | 95.6% | 10.6% |
| Millstadt | 2.53 | 45.4 | 3.6% | 17.0% | 5.8% | 1984 | $985 | 31.1% | 97.1% | 4.1% |
| Fountain Gap | 2.77 | 44.0 | 5.9% | 14.1% | 5.0% | 1998 | $1,129 | 27.1% | 93.5% | 0.9% |
| Oakville | 2.55 | 44.3 | 6.3% | 13.9% | 2.4% | 1983 | $1,135 | 44.1% | 96.3% | 4.1% |
| Mehlville | 2.22 | 43.5 | 7.3% | 33.8% | 6.4% | 1971 | $1,194 | 31.8% | 92.9% | 2.3% |
| Lemay | 2.60 | 38.5 | 15.0% | 24.2% | 15.8% | 1954 | $906 | 20.2% | 86.6% | 2.7% |
| Waterloo | 2.53 | 43.7 | 7.0% | 16.4% | 7.3% | 1986 | $983 | 35.8% | 95.9% | 2.2% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Dover, PA · Croton On Hudson, NY · Port Clinton, OH · Kendall Park, NJ · Harvard, IL · Del Mar, CA · Hartwell, GA · Hartsdale, NY · Harrisonville, MO · Hamilton Square, NJ
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. 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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