United States › Illinois › Columbia CITY
Columbia Illinois · 10,865 residents (2025 est.) · 10.6 sq mi
Time machine
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The short version
Columbia is a city of 11,127 people in Illinois. That puts it in the top 6% of US cities for household income. 82% of homes are owner-occupied. The population is up 40% since 2000. 49% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, against 36% nationally. The foreign-born share is 1%.
At a glance
Wealthier
above the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 42.4
US median: 38.9
More educated
49% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 28%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 7,922 in 2000
10,865 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1,055 / sq mi
+22%since 2009
from 865 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 37.6 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
5K 7K 8K 10K 12K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Columbia Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $107,606
+2%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $58,003 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $26,767 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 45.7% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 2.5% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.375 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Public administration 7.9%
Transportation & warehousing 3.1%
Arts, entertainment, food 2.3%
Professional, scientific, technical 2.1%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 2%
Education & health services 1%
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$293,000
+28%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $126,000 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$1,128
+2%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $609 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 76.6% in 2000
17.6% rent
from 5.7% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.64 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 20.4% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 33.9% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 2.8 in 2009
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 97.9%(7,755)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 94.9%(10,559)
Hispanic / Latino 1.7%(184)
from 9 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Ancestry
+ 17 more ancestry groups with data from 28.5% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 89.9% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 9.9% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 16.4 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 87.5% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 8.2% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.5% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 2.4% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 1.1% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.3% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 1.6% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 6.7% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 67.3% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 91.2% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 9.4% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 36.9% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 1.0% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 9.9% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 9.4% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 4.0% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 83.2% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 96.3% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 87.7% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 96.2% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 1.3% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 24.2%(1,023)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 4.0% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 76.7% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 12.8% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 13.5% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 7.4% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 2.6% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 88.2% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 21.5% in 2020
US average: 36.7%
Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.
Section 09 · Service history
Veterans Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later) 27.1%(194)
Gulf War (1990s) 24.7%(177)
Share of the 717 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.
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Drill deeper
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Frequently asked
How many people live in Columbia, Illinois? Columbia, Illinois has about 11,127 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Columbia, Illinois? The typical household in Columbia, Illinois earns about $107,606 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Columbia, Illinois expensive? In Columbia, Illinois, the median home is worth about $293,000, and the typical rent is about $1,128 a month.
How educated are people in Columbia, Illinois? About 49.0% of adults age 25 and over in Columbia, Illinois hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Columbia, Illinois? About 5.4% of people in Columbia, Illinois live below the federal poverty line.
Has Columbia, Illinois grown since 1990? Yes, Columbia, Illinois has grown since 1990. The population has added about 5,603 residents, a change of about 101 percent over that period.
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