Columbia, VA Demographics

Population 1,034 · Census ACS 2020–24

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Median age by neighborhoodHistory and comparison ↓︎
Columbia, VA map of median age by neighborhood
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Population and households in Columbia

Household size in Columbia

Household size, people per household
PeriodColumbiaRichmond areaVirginiaU.S.
2006–102.422.582.632.68
2010–142.262.632.682.73
2015–192.792.632.682.71
2020–242.242.542.622.65
Change−0.18−0.04−0.01−0.03
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Households in Columbia are small: just 2.24 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 dropped from 2.42, but in a place this small, survey estimates can swing a lot from one release to the next.

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

Median age, years
PeriodColumbiaRichmond areaVirginiaU.S.
2006–1041.938.238.237.7
2010–1444.339.039.038.6
2015–1944.640.040.039.6
2020–2452.939.640.340.1
Change+10.9+1.4+2.1+2.3
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With a median age of 52.9, Columbia is noticeably older than the country as a whole (40.1), an age mix that tilts toward empty nesters and retirees.

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

Single-parent households, % of households
PeriodColumbiaRichmond areaVirginiaU.S.
2006–106.1%12.4%11.1%12.3%
2010–146.9%12.4%11.0%12.3%
2015–199.6%11.3%10.5%11.6%
2020–243.1%12.5%10.7%11.6%
Change−2.9 pts+0.1 pts−0.4 pts−0.6 pts
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Single-parent households are relatively rare in Columbia: 3.1% of households, against 11.6% 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

Renters, % of occupied homes
PeriodColumbiaRichmond areaVirginiaU.S.
2006–1010.8%31.5%31.1%33.3%
2010–1422.7%33.8%33.3%35.6%
2015–1918.6%34.4%33.7%36.0%
2020–248.9%33.0%32.7%34.8%
Change−1.9 pts+1.5 pts+1.5 pts+1.5 pts
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Only 8.9% of households in Columbia rent their homes, far below the national share of 34.8%, so most residents are owners who tend to stay put. Among homeowners, 55.1% have no mortgage at all, well above the national share of 39.8%.

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

Vacant homes, % of all homes
PeriodColumbiaRichmond areaVirginiaU.S.
2006–1012.5%9.7%10.3%11.4%
2010–1410.5%10.1%10.2%11.4%
2015–1918.8%8.1%9.7%11.1%
2020–2416.0%8.4%8.7%9.6%
Change+3.5 pts−1.3 pts−1.6 pts−1.8 pts
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Vacancy is high in Columbia: 16.0% of homes are empty, far above the national rate of 9.6%. In resort and lake areas that usually means seasonal and vacation homes; elsewhere it can point to weak demand.

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

Age of homes, median year built
PeriodColumbiaRichmond areaVirginiaU.S.
2006–101983197719781974
2010–141986197919801975
2015–191987198019811977
2020–241993198419841980
Change+10+6+5+6
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Much of the housing in Columbia is relatively new: half of its homes were built after 1993, compared with 1980 for the U.S. as a whole.

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

Rent, per month
PeriodColumbiaRichmond areaVirginiaU.S.
2006–10$867$1,006$1,143$965
2010–14$1,063$1,097$1,238$1,040
2015–19$1,252$1,248$1,436$1,213
2020–24$1,121$1,608$1,743$1,571
Change+$255+$602+$600+$606
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A typical rental in Columbia costs $1,121 a month with utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. The typical renter here spends 43.8% of household income on rent, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched.

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

Bachelor's degrees, % of adults 25+
PeriodColumbiaRichmond areaVirginiaU.S.
2006–1027.1%33.0%35.2%28.4%
2010–1431.1%34.4%36.7%29.6%
2015–1921.4%38.0%39.3%32.1%
2020–2428.4%41.0%42.5%35.6%
Change+1.3 pts+8.0 pts+7.3 pts+7.2 pts
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Nearly three in ten adults 25 and older in Columbia (28.4%) have a bachelor's degree or higher, below the national share of 35.6%.

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

High school graduates, % of adults 25+
PeriodColumbiaRichmond areaVirginiaU.S.
2006–1079.6%86.5%86.8%84.9%
2010–1487.4%88.1%88.3%86.1%
2015–1985.1%90.0%89.9%87.7%
2020–2489.6%92.3%91.6%89.3%
Change+10.0 pts+5.8 pts+4.7 pts+4.3 pts
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High school completion in Columbia is close to the national rate: 89.6% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%. The rate is lower than in the Richmond area overall (92.3%).

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

Unemployment, % of the labor force
PeriodColumbiaRichmond areaVirginiaU.S.
2006–105.1%7.1%6.0%8.1%
2010–148.9%8.2%7.0%9.4%
2015–194.8%5.2%4.7%5.6%
2020–240.3%4.5%4.3%5.4%
Change−4.7 pts−2.6 pts−1.7 pts−2.7 pts
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The job market in Columbia has been strong: just 0.3% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 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 compared with nearby cities

CityHousehold sizeMedian ageSingle parentsRentersVacant homesMedian year builtMedian rentBachelor's degreeHigh school diplomaUnemployment
Columbia2.2452.93.1%8.9%16.0%1993$1,12128.4%89.6%0.3%
Stage Junction1.8260.13.0%23.1%11.9%1984$1,13835.3%74.2%4.3%
Georges Tavern2.8948.03.8%13.5%12.0%1993$1,33019.8%90.4%0.0%
Tabscott2.0661.312.7%2.5%32.2%1987$88242.5%88.7%0.0%
Hadensville2.7445.74.9%14.0%14.5%1994$1,22426.6%94.0%1.9%
Kents Store2.2351.04.0%14.1%7.4%1990$1,20028.5%88.3%6.6%
Dixie2.5054.62.2%30.1%10.3%1991$1,13838.5%91.7%0.1%
Pemberton2.3552.714.3%25.3%5.3%1990$1,17514.6%81.4%0.8%
Wilmington2.2552.63.6%18.5%7.0%1990$1,13830.5%88.5%6.7%
Fork Union2.6046.32.7%28.2%14.9%1993$1,09138.5%93.3%3.7%
Wildwood2.2950.14.1%11.4%4.9%1991$1,13827.0%91.3%9.1%

All figures 2020–24.

Cities with similar populations: Goshen, OR · Taneyville, MO · Merrill, IA · Laurel, NY · Lake Shore, MN · Johnson, WA · Jenera, OH · Hill Top, MO · Henderson, GA · Hatchbend, FL

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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