With 5,615 people, Columbia Falls is a city in Montana. Since 2000 the city has risen by half, up 1,970 people. 1% of people here were born outside the United States. Density works out to 2,462 people per square mile. Owners hold 56% of the housing stock. The average commute runs 20 minutes.
At a glance
Lower income
median household income $75,766, below the US median
US median: $82,259
Younger
median age 36.6
US median: 38.9
Average education
32% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 112%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Unique to this place
What stands out about Columbia Falls
What changed most since 1990
Median home value (2024 dollars)$114,963 → $384,400(+234%)US over the same years: +67%
Population3,098 → 5,615(+81%)US over the same years: +35%
Homes owned by their occupants63.0% → 56.0%(−7.0 pts)US over the same years: +0.9 pts
Columbia Falls's population equals 5.1% of Flathead County's. Its number of foreign-born residents equals 2.7% of the county's. Its number of residents 65 and older equals 2.9% of the county's.
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)10.2%(40)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)5.1%(20)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era39.1%(154)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War5.1%(20)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0.5%(2)
US avg: 1%
Share of the 394 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.
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Over time
Columbia Falls, decade by decade
Columbia Falls population, inflation-adjusted income and home value, education, and diversity by year
Year
Population
Median household income
Median home value
Bachelor's degree+
Diversity score
1990
3,098
$55,989
$114,963
11.8%
13.9
2000
3,645
$56,704
$181,619
13.5%
12.6
2010
4,688
$54,820
$260,813
25.9%
18.3
2020
5,308
$58,695
$264,346
25.9%
28.9
2024
5,615
$75,766
$384,400
32.1%
15.2
Census years come from the decennial census and the latest year from the American Community Survey, so part of any change between those two rows can reflect the different surveys. Dollar figures are adjusted for inflation to 2024 dollars; a figure ending in "+" was at the Census Bureau's reporting cap that year. The diversity score runs from 0 to 100; see how it's calculated.
