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METRO AREA · 2020 ACS

Columbia Metro

Columbia, MO · 3 counties · 210,864 residents · 1,714 sq mi
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The short version

Columbia is home to 210,864 people. The median age is 32.9, younger than the US median of 38.8. 45% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Growth has run 30% since 2000, or 48,528 more people. 6% of people across the metro were born outside the United States. The average commute runs 20 minutes.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $66,278
Younger
median age 32.9
US median: 38.8
More educated
45% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 33%
Less affordable
home values up 33%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $265,253
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
210,864
+30%since 2000
from 162,336 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Population density
123 / sq mi
+30%since 2000
from 95 / sq mi in 2000
Median age
32.9
+8%since 2000
from 30.5 in 2000
US average: 38.8
Land area
1,714 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
129K152K176K199K223K19902000201020202024Columbia
2024215K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2020
Under 55.7%(11,975)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 96%(12,552)
US avg: 6.1%
10 to 146%(12,630)
US avg: 6.5%
15 to 198.6%(18,146)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 2412.3%(25,935)
US avg: 6.7%
25 to 3414.4%(30,352)
US avg: 13.5%
35 to 4412%(25,289)
US avg: 12.7%
45 to 5410.3%(21,621)
US avg: 12.3%
55 to 6410.9%(23,074)
US avg: 13.1%
65 to 748.5%(17,878)
US avg: 10%
75 to 843.9%(8,221)
US avg: 4.9%
85 and over1.5%(3,191)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$58,095
+5%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $36,893 in 2000
US average: $66,278
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$31,085
+63%since 2000
from $19,121 in 2000
US average: $35,364
Households earning $100K+
38.1%
+12.6 ptssince 2009
from 25.5% in 2009
US average: 43.9%
Poverty rate
16.3%
+2.3 ptssince 2000
from 13.9% in 2000
US average: 12.8%
Workforce by industry, 2020
Information10.1%
US avg: 11.1%
Other services7.8%
US avg: 6.6%
Public administration6.5%
US avg: 4.7%
Retail trade6.1%
US avg: 10%
Wholesale trade5%
US avg: 6.7%
Finance & insurance4.2%
US avg: 5.5%
Professional, scientific, technical3.1%
US avg: 4.7%
Transportation & warehousing2.4%
US avg: 2.5%
Arts, entertainment, food1.8%
US avg: 2%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing1.4%
US avg: 1.7%
Construction1.3%
US avg: 1.2%
Education & health services1.1%
US avg: 0.8%
Manufacturing0.1%
US avg: 0.5%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$192,056
+33%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $96,313 in 2000
US average: $265,253
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$857
+13%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $504 in 2000
US average: $1,124
Owner-occupied
56.6%
−3.7 ptssince 2000
from 60.3% in 2000
43.4% rent
Persons per household
2.40 people
+5%since 2009
from 2.28 people in 2009
US average: 2.61
Afford Score
3.3
+3%since 2009
from 3.2 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic85.3%(138,396)
Black8.4%(13,655)
Hispanic / Latino1.6%(2,644)
Asian2.5%(4,046)
Other0%
2020
White, non-Hispanic76.5%(161,327)
Black9.2%(19,344)
Hispanic / Latino4.1%(8,582)
Asian3.7%(7,866)
Other4.8%(10,092)
Segregation Score
30
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means White and non-White residents are more separated across neighborhoods.
Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Mexican2.2%(4,488)
Puerto Rican0.2%(458)
Guatemalan0.1%(202)
Honduran0.1%(183)
Peruvian0.1%(155)
Colombian0.1%(135)
Spaniard0.1%(129)
Nicaraguan0.1%(120)
Cuban0%(75)
+ 9 more hispanic origin groups with data
Asian origin
Chinese1.5%(3,130)
Asian Indian0.8%(1,497)
Korean0.6%(1,005)
Cambodian0.3%(491)
Filipino0.2%(358)
Vietnamese0.1%(286)
Nepalese0.2%(275)
Japanese0.1%(173)
Pakistani0.1%(130)
Bangladeshi0.1%(119)
Taiwanese0%(77)
+ 4 more asian origin groups with data
Burmese0%(39)
Hmong0%(14)
Thai0%(6)
Pacific Islander origin
Chamorro0%(20)
Samoan0%(14)
Ancestry
German24.5%(50,835)
Irish12%(24,804)
English10.5%(21,798)
American6.7%(13,815)
Italian2.8%(5,750)
Scottish2.1%(4,438)
French2.1%(4,278)
Polish1.6%(3,345)
Dutch1.4%(2,888)
Scotch-Irish1.3%(2,718)
Swedish1.3%(2,705)
British1.2%(2,554)
+ 48 more ancestry groups with data
Norwegian1.1%(2,295)
Welsh1%(2,030)
Swiss0.6%(1,265)
Russian0.6%(1,243)
Czech0.3%(577)
Austrian0.3%(569)
Greek0.3%(523)
Danish0.2%(499)
Iraqi0.2%(443)
Hungarian0.2%(408)
Canadian0.2%(388)
Ukrainian0.2%(360)
West Indian0.2%(327)
Lithuanian0.2%(325)
Bulgarian0.2%(322)
Croatian0.2%(299)
Finnish0.1%(237)
Nigerian0.1%(230)
Belgian0.1%(202)
Arab0.1%(201)
Jamaican0.1%(195)
Portuguese0.1%(172)
Romanian0.1%(171)
Ghanaian0.1%(150)
Turkish0.1%(143)
Lebanese0.1%(141)
Iranian0.1%(125)
Slovak0.1%(118)
Israeli0.1%(97)
Ethiopian0.1%(90)
Kenyan0%(89)
Haitian0%(86)
Serbian0%(83)
Syrian0%(55)
Armenian0%(43)
Brazilian0%(40)
Moroccan0%(34)
Egyptian0%(20)
Guyanese0%(15)
Slovene0%(12)
Jordanian0%(11)
Somali0%(3)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
44.7%
+7.4 ptssince 2000
from 37.4% in 2000
US average: 32.9%
High school or higher
93.9%
+6.1 ptssince 2000
from 87.8% in 2000
US average: 88.5%
Graduate degree
19.3%
+2.9 ptssince 2000
from 16.4% in 2000
US average: 12.7%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
19.7 min
+59%since 2000
from 12.4 min in 2000
US average: 26.9
Drive alone to work
77.3%
+1.3 ptssince 2009
from 76.0% in 2009
US average: 75.1%
No vehicle available
5.8%
−0.4 ptssince 2009
from 6.3% in 2009
US average: 8.4%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
3.7%
−2.7 ptssince 2011
from 6.4% in 2011
US average: 5.4%
Labor force participation
65.7%
−2.6 ptssince 2011
from 68.3% in 2011
US average: 63.4%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
77.3%
US average: 73.3%
Management & professional
45.4%
+5.9 ptssince 2009
from 39.4% in 2009
US average: 39.3%
Section 08

People & community

Male
48.9%
+0.1 ptssince 2009
from 48.8% in 2009
Female
51.1%
−0.1 ptssince 2009
from 51.2% in 2009
Foreign born
5.9%
+1.2 ptssince 2009
from 4.7% in 2009
US average: 13.5%
Uninsured
7.1%
−2.7 ptssince 2013
from 9.7% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Computer in household
93.6%
US average: 91.9%
Same house as last year
79.2%
US average: 86.2%
Marital status (2024)
Men 15+
Never married43.3%(37,269)
Married47%(40,472)
Widowed2.1%(1,835)
Divorced7.6%(6,587)
Women 15+
Never married39.8%(36,853)
Married43%(39,851)
Widowed6.4%(5,925)
Divorced10.8%(10,029)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Uninsured
7.1%
−2.7 ptssince 2013
from 9.7% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Employer-based
66.6%
US average: 55.4%
Direct-purchase
14.4%
US average: 13.7%
Medicare
15.3%
US average: 17.6%
Medicaid
10.8%
US average: 20.0%
VA health care
2.7%
US average: 2.3%
Any private
79.3%
US average: 68.1%
Any public
25.0%
US average: 35.2%

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, 2020
Gulf War (2001 or later)22.5%(2,492)
US avg: 20.6%
Gulf War (1990s)20%(2,213)
US avg: 21.4%
Vietnam era36.4%(4,037)
US avg: 35.2%
Korean War7%(771)
US avg: 7.6%
World War II3.3%(368)
US avg: 2.9%

Share of the 11,078 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
In this metro

Largest cities

ColumbiaCENTRAL130,851Boonville7,867Ashland5,221Fayette2,848Hallsville1,742New Franklin1,026Sturgeon957Pilot Grove693Otterville450Windsor Place361Bunceton338Harrisburg289Prairie Home268Armstrong241Clark237Rocheport211Blackwater192Hartsburg137Pierpont68Franklin67Huntsdale30Wooldridge27McBaine16
What's inside

3 component counties

Boone CountyCENTRAL191,746Cooper County17,136Howard County10,180
Drill deeper

Metros similar to Columbia

Medford
Pop 221,795
Panama City
Pop 231,174
Punta Gorda
Pop 217,212
Athens
Pop 224,148
Places similar to Columbia
Head to head

Compare Columbia side by side

COLUMBIA VS
Medford
Income$73,999+27%
Home value$430,200+124%
Population221,795+1%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
COLUMBIA VS
Panama City
Income$71,687+23%
Home value$293,695+53%
Population231,174+6%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
COLUMBIA VS
Punta Gorda
Income$69,952+20%
Home value$328,900+71%
Population217,212−1%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
COLUMBIA VS
Athens
Income$69,695+20%
Home value$314,999+64%
Population224,148+2%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Columbia, MO?

Columbia, MO has about 210,864 residents according to the 2020 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Columbia, MO?

The typical household in Columbia, MO earns about $58,095 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Columbia, MO expensive?

In Columbia, MO, the median home is worth about $192,056, and the typical rent is about $857 a month.

How educated are people in Columbia, MO?

About 44.7% of adults age 25 and over in Columbia, MO hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Columbia, MO?

About 16.3% of people in Columbia, MO live below the federal poverty line.

Has Columbia, MO grown since 1990?

Yes, Columbia, MO has grown since 1990. The population has added about 74,019 residents, a change of about 54 percent over that period.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · METRO ROLLUP OF COMPONENT COUNTIES · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →