Population 18,501 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Median age by neighborhoodHistory and comparison ↓︎
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Population and households in Columbia
Household size in Columbia
| Period | Columbia | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.55 | 2.51 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.49 | 2.53 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.46 | 2.50 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.39 | 2.46 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.15 | −0.05 | −0.03 |
Households in Columbia are small: just 2.39 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 dropped from 2.55 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 | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 38.1 | 40.3 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 40.1 | 41.0 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 40.9 | 41.8 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 43.1 | 42.0 | 40.1 |
| Change | +5.0 | +1.7 | +2.3 |
Columbia skews older than the country: its median age is 43.1, against 40.1 nationally. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 38.1, mirroring the country. The youngest areas are in the southwest, 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
| Period | Columbia | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.8% | 10.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 11.3% | 10.6% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 12.5% | 10.5% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 11.9% | 10.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | −0.9 pts | +0.2 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head about one in eight households in Columbia (11.9%), close to the national share of 11.6%. Single parents are more common here than in Pennsylvania as a whole (10.7%). The single-parent share has edged down 0.9 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 | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 31.7% | 29.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 33.0% | 30.5% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 39.1% | 31.1% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 34.6% | 30.7% | 34.8% |
| Change | +2.8 pts | +1.7 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting in Columbia is about as common as it is nationally: 34.6% of households rent, against 34.8%. Renters make up a bigger share here than in Pennsylvania overall (30.7%). Among owners, 37.2% have paid off their mortgages, about the same as nationally. The renter share has risen 2.8 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
| Period | Columbia | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.7% | 10.3% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 7.0% | 10.5% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 8.2% | 10.7% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 5.3% | 9.1% | 9.6% |
| Change | −1.4 pts | −1.2 pts | −1.8 pts |
Only 5.3% of homes in Columbia are vacant, far below the national rate of 9.6%, which usually means strong demand for housing. Since 2006–10, vacancy has edged down 1.4 points, in line with the national trend.
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 | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1961 | 1963 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1961 | 1964 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1962 | 1965 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1966 | 1967 | 1980 |
| Change | +5 | +4 | +6 |
The housing in Columbia is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1966, 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. The newest homes are mostly in the northeast, the oldest in the west.
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 | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $704 | $829 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $793 | $923 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $913 | $1,039 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,131 | $1,323 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$427 | +$494 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Columbia costs $1,131 a month with utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $427 a month from 2006–10, a 61% jump, roughly in step with the nation. The typical renter here spends 34.8% of household income on rent, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched. The priciest rents are in the east; the most affordable are in the west.
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 | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 15.1% | 27.2% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 16.6% | 28.7% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 18.9% | 31.8% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 24.9% | 35.6% | 35.6% |
| Change | +9.8 pts | +8.3 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are relatively uncommon in Columbia: 24.9% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's or higher, well below the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree has risen 9.8 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally. College graduates are most concentrated in the northeast and least in the west.
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 | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 82.5% | 87.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 87.5% | 88.8% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 85.7% | 90.3% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 87.1% | 91.8% | 89.3% |
| Change | +4.6 pts | +4.5 pts | +4.3 pts |
About one in eight adults in Columbia never finished high school, a bit more than nationally: 87.1% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% across the U.S. The share with a diploma has risen 4.6 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally. Only 42 of the 496 Pennsylvania cities with 5,000+ people have a lower share of high school graduates.
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 | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.0% | 7.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 8.3% | 8.8% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.1% | 5.5% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 2.7% | 5.4% | 5.4% |
| Change | −4.3 pts | −2.1 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Columbia has been low: just 2.7% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. Unemployment is down 4.3 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend. 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 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 | 2.39 | 43.1 | 11.9% | 34.6% | 5.3% | 1966 | $1,131 | 24.9% | 87.1% | 2.7% |
| Mountville | 2.48 | 43.7 | 7.5% | 27.0% | 4.3% | 1988 | $1,496 | 37.1% | 93.6% | 3.3% |
| Wrightsville | 2.48 | 41.3 | 11.3% | 20.3% | 10.8% | 1967 | $1,188 | 20.4% | 93.1% | 2.1% |
| Washington Boro | 2.69 | 44.6 | 2.5% | 15.2% | 5.5% | 1965 | $1,387 | 28.2% | 94.9% | 2.2% |
| Marietta | 2.57 | 38.7 | 10.8% | 30.8% | 2.0% | 1978 | $1,436 | 29.7% | 93.7% | 4.6% |
| Salunga | 2.18 | 50.9 | 7.9% | 12.4% | 0.7% | 1982 | $985 | 35.7% | 90.0% | 1.2% |
| Mount Joy | 2.36 | 44.4 | 8.8% | 28.9% | 4.4% | 1985 | $1,330 | 36.3% | 93.9% | 2.9% |
| East Prospect | 2.58 | 43.1 | 9.6% | 10.2% | 17.9% | 1982 | $833 | 31.2% | 95.0% | 2.5% |
| Landisville | 2.44 | 51.8 | 5.4% | 12.8% | 2.0% | 1978 | $1,133 | 43.6% | 93.0% | 3.5% |
| Donegal Springs | 2.27 | 52.8 | 3.7% | 8.8% | 2.5% | 1988 | $1,274 | 37.2% | 93.4% | 4.1% |
| Creswell | 2.63 | 47.9 | 3.6% | 28.2% | 6.9% | 1956 | $1,396 | 26.9% | 95.8% | 0.0% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Addison, TX · North Potomac, MD · Marcus Hook, PA · North Palm Beach, FL · North East, MD · North Druid Hills, GA · North Canton, OH · North Babylon, NY · North Aurora, IL · Nolensville, 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. 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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