United States › Pennsylvania › Columbia CITY
Columbia Pennsylvania · 10,314 residents (2025 est.) · 2.41 sq mi
Time machine
COMPARE TO 1990 Census 2000 Census 2009 ACS 2010 ACS 2011 ACS 2012 ACS 2013 ACS 2014 ACS 2015 ACS 2016 ACS 2017 ACS 2018 ACS 2019 ACS 2020 ACS 2021 ACS 2022 ACS 2023 ACS
The short version
Columbia is home to 10,278 people in Pennsylvania. 17% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, below the 36% national rate. Owners hold 53% of the housing stock. Density works out to 4,258 people per square mile. That trails the Pennsylvania median by roughly 30%. 3% of people here were born outside the United States.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 41.8
US median: 38.9
Less educated
17% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 45%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth 10,278
Unchangedsince 2000
from 10,311 in 2000
10,314 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
4,258 / sq mi
+2%since 2009
from 4,174 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 36.8 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
10K 10K 10K 11K 11K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Columbia Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $54,437
−8%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $32,385 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $16,626 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 16.7% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 11.3% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.375 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Professional, scientific, technical 5.7%
Public administration 4.5%
Transportation & warehousing 2%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 0.7%
Arts, entertainment, food 0.5%
Education & health services 0.2%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
$196,500
+45%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $74,500 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$1,075
+25%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $473 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 60.6% in 2000
47.2% rent
from 3.1% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.37 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 27.7% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 45.4% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 2.7 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 89.5%(9,225)
Hispanic / Latino 4.5%(463)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 66.1%(6,789)
Hispanic / Latino 22.9%(2,354)
from 41 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
+ 20 more ancestry groups with data from 8.4% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 70.2% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 3.1% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 12.1 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 78.2% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 11.5% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.7% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 2.1% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 5.8% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.1% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 15.3% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 8.2% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 67.5% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 72.5% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 8.8% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 14.4% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 3.6% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 12.6% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 14.7% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 13.7% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 64.0% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 85.0% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 84.3% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 93.6% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 4.4% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 42.5%(2,020)
Women 15+
Never married 34.8%(1,421)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 13.7% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 51.9% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 12.4% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 23.8% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 33.3% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 3.6% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 60.3% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 52.4% 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) 26.6%(190)
Gulf War (1990s) 14.8%(106)
Share of the 715 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, Pennsylvania? Columbia, Pennsylvania has about 10,278 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Columbia, Pennsylvania? The typical household in Columbia, Pennsylvania earns about $54,437 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Columbia, Pennsylvania expensive? In Columbia, Pennsylvania, the median home is worth about $196,500, and the typical rent is about $1,075 a month.
How educated are people in Columbia, Pennsylvania? About 17.4% of adults age 25 and over in Columbia, Pennsylvania hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Columbia, Pennsylvania? About 21.4% of people in Columbia, Pennsylvania live below the federal poverty line.
Has Columbia, Pennsylvania grown since 1990? Yes, Columbia, Pennsylvania has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 423 residents, a change of about -4 percent over that period.
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