County population in 2016: 66,420 (59% urban, 41% rural); it was 64,151 in 2000County owner-occupied with a mortgage or a loan houses and condos in 2010: 10,628 County owner-occupied free and clear houses and condos in 2010: 7,759 County owner-occupied houses and condos in 2000: 17,993 Renter-occupied apartments: 8,092 (it was 6,922 in 2000)
% of renters here:
28%
State:
30%
Land area: 486 sq. mi.
Water area: 4.2 sq. mi.
Population density: 137 people per square mile (average).
Mar. 2016 cost of living index in Columbia County: 87.7 (less than average, U.S. average is 100)
Industries providing employment: Professional, scientific, management, administrative, and waste management services (20.8%), Educational, health and social services (15.5%).
Median real estate property taxes paid for housing units with mortgages in 2016: $1,887 (1.2%) Median real estate property taxes paid for housing units with no mortgage in 2016: $1,512 (1.2%)
Percentage of residents living in poverty in 2016: 12.7%
Columbia County:
12.7%
Pennsylvania:
12.9%
(10.5% for White Non-Hispanic residents, 40.0% for Black residents, 39.3% for Hispanic or Latino residents, 5.0% for American Indian residents, 8.7% for Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander residents, 18.4% for other race residents, 31.0% for two or more races residents)
Median age of residents in 2016: 40.6 years old
(Males: 39.8 years old, Females: 41.1 years old)
(Median age for: White residents: 42.4 years old, Black residents: 21.8 years old, American Indian residents: 45.3 years old, Asian residents: 23.4 years old, Hispanic or Latino residents: 21.1 years old, Other race residents: 37.4 years old)
Fair market rent in 2006 for a 1-bedroom apartment in Columbia County is $472 a month. Fair market rent for a 2-bedroom apartment is $575 a month. Fair market rent for a 3-bedroom apartment is $735 a month.
Current college students: 6,640 People 25 years of age or older with a high school degree or higher: 89.3% People 25 years of age or older with a bachelor's degree or higher: 22.9%
Number of foreign born residents: 1,175 (28.5% naturalized citizens)
Columbia County:
1.8%
Whole state:
6.8%
Year of entry for the foreign-born population
2010 or later: 193
2000 to 2009: 561
1990 to 1999: 317
1980 to 1989: 181
1970 to 1979: 151
Before 1970: 269
Note: State values scaled to Columbia County population
Mean travel time to work (commute): 21.1 minutes
Percentage of county residents living and working in this county: 75.4%
Housing units in structures:
One, detached: 19,880
One, attached: 2,403
Two: 1,539
3 or 4: 1,416
5 to 9: 461
10 to 19: 341
20 to 49: 420
50 or more: 461
Mobile homes: 2,767
Housing units in Columbia County with a mortgage: 9,514 (143 second mortgage, 1,130 home equity loan, 0 both second mortgage and home equity loan) Houses without a mortgage: 8,356
Here:
52.9% with mortgage
State:
60.3% with mortgage
Religion statistics for Columbia County
Religion
Adherents
Congregations
Mainline Protestant
16,858
79
Catholic
8,035
7
Evangelical Protestant
5,572
34
Other
693
4
Orthodox
120
1
None
36,017
-
Columbia County Religion Details
Source: Clifford Grammich, Kirk Hadaway, Richard Houseal, Dale E.Jones, Alexei Krindatch, Richie Stanley and Richard H.Taylor. 2012. 2010 U.S.Religion Census: Religious Congregations & Membership Study. Association of Statisticians of American Religious Bodies. Jones, Dale E., et al. 2002. Congregations and Membership in the United States 2000. Nashville, TN: Glenmary Research Center.
Food Environment Statistics:
Number of grocery stores: 13
Columbia County:
2.01 / 10,000 pop.
State:
2.04 / 10,000 pop.
Number of convenience stores (no gas): 4
This county:
0.62 / 10,000 pop.
Pennsylvania:
0.88 / 10,000 pop.
Number of convenience stores (with gas): 22
Columbia County:
3.39 / 10,000 pop.
Pennsylvania:
2.52 / 10,000 pop.
Number of full-service restaurants: 51
This county:
7.87 / 10,000 pop.
State:
7.12 / 10,000 pop.
Adult diabetes rate:
Columbia County:
8.4%
Pennsylvania:
9.1%
Adult obesity rate:
Columbia County:
28.4%
State:
27.2%
Low-income preschool obesity rate:
Here:
12.6%
State:
11.5%
Agriculture in Columbia County:
Average size of farms: 140 acres Average value of agricultural products sold per farm: $39,732 Average value of crops sold per acre for harvested cropland: $286.28 The value of nursery, greenhouse, floriculture, and sod as a percentage of the total market value of agricultural products sold: 18.26% The value of livestock, poultry, and their products as a percentage of the total market value of agricultural products sold: 45.02% Average total farm production expenses per farm: $43,387 Harvested cropland as a percentage of land in farms: 54.61% Irrigated harvested cropland as a percentage of land in farms: 1.83% Average market value of all machinery and equipment per farm: $80,984 The percentage of farms operated by a family or individual: 93.78% Average age of principal farm operators: 54 years Average number of cattle and calves per 100 acres of all land in farms: 9.47 Milk cows as a percentage of all cattle and calves: 33.98% Corn for grain: 18623 harvested acres All wheat for grain: 4670 harvested acres Soybeans for beans: 11446 harvested acres Vegetables: 3,112 harvested acres Land in orchards: 520 acres
Earthquake activity:
Columbia County-area historical earthquake activity is near Pennsylvania state average. It is 86% smaller than the overall U.S. average.
On 1/16/1994 at 01:49:16, a magnitude 4.6 (4.6 MB, 4.6 LG, Depth: 3.1 mi, Class: Light, Intensity: IV - V) earthquake occurred 52.7 miles away from Columbia County center On 10/7/1983 at 10:18:46, a magnitude 5.3 (5.1 MB, 5.3 LG, 5.1 ML, Class: Moderate, Intensity: VI - VII) earthquake occurred 226.9 miles away from the county center On 9/25/1998 at 19:52:52, a magnitude 5.2 (4.8 MB, 4.3 MS, 5.2 LG, 4.5 MW, Depth: 3.1 mi) earthquake occurred 210.3 miles away from the county center On 1/16/1994 at 00:42:43, a magnitude 4.2 (4.2 MB, 4.0 LG, Depth: 3.1 mi) earthquake occurred 53.5 miles away from the county center On 4/20/2002 at 10:50:47, a magnitude 5.2 (5.2 MB, 4.2 MS, 5.2 MW, 5.0 MW, Depth: 6.8 mi) earthquake occurred 274.3 miles away from Columbia County center On 1/31/1986 at 16:46:43, a magnitude 5.0 (5.0 MB) earthquake occurred 250.5 miles away from the county center Magnitude types: regional Lg-wave magnitude (LG), body-wave magnitude (MB), local magnitude (ML), surface-wave magnitude (MS), moment magnitude (MW)
Most recent natural disasters:
Pennsylvania Hurricane Sandy, Incident Period: October 26, 2012 to November 08, 2012, Emergency Declared EM-3356: October 29, 2012, FEMA Id: 3356, Natural disaster type: Hurricane
Pennsylvania Remnants of Tropical Storm Lee, Incident Period: September 03, 2011 to October 15, 2011, Major Disaster (Presidential) Declared EM-3340: September 08, 2011, FEMA Id: 3340, Natural disaster type: Tropical Storm
Pennsylvania Tropical Storm Lee, Incident Period: September 03, 2011 to October 15, 2011, Major Disaster (Presidential) Declared DR-4030: September 12, 2011, FEMA Id: 4030, Natural disaster type: Tropical Storm
Pennsylvania Severe Storms, Flooding, and Mudslides, Incident Period: June 23, 2006 to July 10, 2006, Major Disaster (Presidential) Declared DR-1649: June 30, 2006, FEMA Id: 1649, Natural disaster type: Storm, Mudslide, Flood
Pennsylvania Hurricane Katrina Evacuation, Incident Period: August 29, 2005 to October 01, 2005, Emergency Declared EM-3235: September 10, 2005, FEMA Id: 3235, Natural disaster type: Hurricane
Pennsylvania Severe Storms and Flooding, Incident Period: April 02, 2005 to April 23, 2005, Major Disaster (Presidential) Declared DR-1587: April 14, 2005, FEMA Id: 1587, Natural disaster type: Storm, Flood
Pennsylvania Tropical Depression Ivan, Incident Period: September 17, 2004 to October 01, 2004, Major Disaster (Presidential) Declared DR-1557: September 19, 2004, FEMA Id: 1557, Natural disaster type: Tropical Depression
Pennsylvania Snowstorm, Incident Period: February 14, 2003 to February 19, 2003, Emergency Declared EM-3180: March 14, 2003, FEMA Id: 3180, Natural disaster type: Snowstorm
Pennsylvania Flooding, Incident Period: January 19, 1996 to February 01, 1996, Major Disaster (Presidential) Declared DR-1093: January 21, 1996, FEMA Id: 1093, Natural disaster type: Flood
Pennsylvania Blizzard, Incident Period: January 06, 1996 to January 12, 1996, Major Disaster (Presidential) Declared DR-1085: January 13, 1996, FEMA Id: 1085, Natural disaster type: Blizzard
6 other natural disasters have been reported since 1953.
The number of natural disasters in Columbia County (16) is greater than the US average (13). Major Disasters (Presidential) Declared: 12 Emergencies Declared: 4
Causes of natural disasters: Floods: 6, Storms: 6, Tropical Storms: 3, Hurricanes: 2, Winter Storms: 2, Blizzard: 1, Heavy Rain: 1, Mudslide: 1, Snowfall: 1, Snowstorm: 1, Tropical Depression: 1 (Note: Some incidents may be assigned to more than one category).
Food preparation and serving related occupations (6%)
Office and administrative support occupations (22%)
Health diagnosing and treating practitioners and other technical occupations (10%)
Sales and related occupations (9%)
Food preparation and serving related occupations (7%)
Health technologists and technicians (7%)
Education, training, and library occupations (7%)
Production occupations (7%)
Most common places of birth for the foreign-born residents (%):
China, excluding Hong Kong and Taiwan (8%)
Russia (8%)
El Salvador (8%)
Mexico (6%)
Germany (6%)
Guatemala (5%)
Pakistan (5%)
Most common first ancestries reported in Columbia County (%):
German (37%)
American (9%)
English (6%)
Italian (6%)
Irish (6%)
Polish (4%)
Pennsylvania German (4%)
Means of transportation to work:
Drove a car alone: 23,040 (82.0%)
Carpooled: 2,223 (7.9%)
Bus or trolley bus: 122 (0.4%)
Taxicab, motorcycle, or other means: 171 (0.6%)
Bicycle: 45 (0.2%)
Walked: 1,295 (4.6%)
Worked at home: 1,142 (4.1%)
Owners and renters by unit type in %
Breakdown of mean house values by ages of householders ($)
People in group quarters in Columbia County, Pennsylvania in 2000:
2,722 people in college dormitories (includes college quarters off campus)
738 people in nursing homes
137 people in local jails and other confinement facilities (including police lockups)
54 people in other noninstitutional group quarters
38 people in homes for the mentally retarded
24 people in other group homes
17 people in mental (psychiatric) hospitals or wards
11 people in homes for the mentally ill
9 people in other nonhousehold living situations
8 people in religious group quarters
People in group quarters in Columbia County, Pennsylvania in 2010:
3,606 people in college/university student housing
545 people in nursing facilities/skilled-nursing facilities
192 people in local jails and other municipal confinement facilities
17 people in group homes intended for adults
12 people in emergency and transitional shelters (with sleeping facilities) for people experiencing homelessness
11 people in other noninstitutional facilities
4 people in workers' group living quarters and job corps centers
Average gross adjusted income of non-migrant taxpayers in this county in 2010 was $50,480.
4.52% of this county's 2011 resident taxpayers lived in other counties in 2010 ($35,882 average adjusted gross income)
Here:
4.52%
Pennsylvania average:
4.35%
10 or fewer of this county's residents moved from foreign countries.
3.24% relocated from other counties in Pennsylvania ($24,165 average AGI)
1.28% relocated from other states ($11,717 average AGI)
Columbia County:
1.28%
Pennsylvania average:
1.90%
Percentage of residents relocating from other counties or countries
Top counties from which taxpayers relocated into this county between 2010 and 2011:
Births per 1000 population from 1990 to 1999: 10.5 Births per 1000 population from 2000 to 2006: 9.7
Births per 1000 population in Columbia County
Deaths per 1000 population from 1990 to 1999: 10.2 Deaths per 1000 population from 2000 to 2006: 10.3 Deaths per 1000 population from 2007 to 2014: 10.3
Deaths per 1000 population in Columbia County
Infant deaths per 1000 live births from 1990 to 1999: 6.5 Infant deaths per 1000 live births from 2000 to 2006: 5.8
Infant deaths per 1000 live births in Columbia County
Population without health insurance coverage in 2013: 11.1% Persons under 19 years old without health insurance coverage in 2013: 5.2%
Percentage of population without health insurance coverage in Columbia County
Percentage of population without health insurance coverage in Columbia County
Persons enrolled in hospital insurance and/or supplemental medical insurance (Medicare) in July 1, 2007: 12,156 (10,180 aged, 1,976 disabled) Children under 18 without health insurance coverage in 2007: 1,052 (8%)
Persons enrolled in hospital insurance and/or supplemental medical insurance (Medicare)
Aged persons enrolled in hospital insurance and/or supplemental medical insurance (Medicare)
Disabled persons enrolled in hospital insurance and/or supplemental medical insurance (Medicare)
Most common underlying causes of death in Columbia County, Pennsylvania in 1999 - 2014:
Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, so described (890)
Acute myocardial infarction, unspecified (695)
Atherosclerotic heart disease (635)
Bronchus or lung, unspecified - Malignant neoplasms (606)
Stroke, not specified as haemorrhage or infarction (426)
Population without health insurance coverage in 2000: 10% Children under 18 without health insurance coverage in 2000: 9%
Short term general hospitals per 100,000 population in 2004: 3.08 Short term general hospital admissions per 100,000 population in 2004: 9,867 Short term general hospital beds per 100,000 population in 2004: 629 Emergency room visits per 100,000 population in 2004: 41,663
General practice office based MDs per 100,000 population in 2005: 936 Medical specialist MDs per 100,000 population in 2005: 981 Dentists per 100,000 population in 1998: 12
Total births per 100,000 population, July 2005 - July 2006 : 44 Total deaths per 100,000 population, July 2005 - July 2006: 97
Limited-service eating places per 100,000 population in 2005 : 17
Suicides per 1,000,000 population from 2000 to 2006: 106.4. This is less than state average.
Mechanisms of suicide:
Deaths per 1,000,000 population:
Firearm - 75.4
Other - 31.0
Household type by relationship:
Households: 66,420
In family households: 48,665 (8,616 male householders, 8,415 female householders)
12,903 spouses, 14,506 children (13,342 natural, 329 adopted, 835 stepchildren), 1,416 grandchildren, 264 brothers or sisters, 717 parents, 368 other relatives, 1,460 non-relatives
In nonfamily households: 12,828 (4,248 male householders (2,801 living alone)), 5,252 female householders (3,958 living alone)), 3,328 nonrelatives
In group quarters: 4,927
Size of family households: 8,529 2-persons, 3,730 3-persons, 2,753 4-persons, 1,368 5-persons, 415 6-persons, 236 7-or-more-persons.
7,697 married couples with children.
2,580 single-parent households (642 men, 1,938 women).
96.5% of residents of Columbia speak English at home.
1.2% of residents speak Spanish at home (64% speak English very well, 22% speak English well, 13% speak English not well, 2% don't speak English at all).
1.2% of residents speak other Indo-European language at home (77% speak English very well, 15% speak English well, 4% speak English not well, 5% don't speak English at all).
0.7% of residents speak Asian or Pacific Island language at home (46% speak English very well, 30% speak English well, 21% speak English not well, 3% don't speak English at all).
In fiscal year 2004:
Federal Government expenditure: $341,362,000 ($5,251 per capita) Department of Defense expenditure: $14,198,000 Federal direct payments to individuals for retirement and disability: $168,832,000 Federal other direct payments to individuals: $92,810,000 Federal direct payments not to individuals: $3,034,000 Federal grants: $55,460,000 Federal procurement contracts: $3,123,000 ($193,000 Department of Defense) Federal salaries and wages: $18,102,000 ($7,615,000 Department of Defense) Federal Government direct loans: $1,287,000 Federal guaranteed/insured loans: $17,106,000 Federal Government insurance: $38,875,000
Population change from April 1, 2000 to July 1, 2005:
Births: 3,209
Here:
49 per 1000 residents
State:
61 per 1000 residents
Deaths: 3,534
Here:
54 per 1000 residents
State:
54 per 1000 residents
Net international migration: +101
Here:
+2 per 1000 residents
State:
+8 per 1000 residents
Net internal migration: +1,088
Here:
+17 per 1000 residents
State:
-2 per 1000 residents
Population growth in Columbia County
Total withdrawal of fresh water for public supply: 6.31 millions of gallons per day (53% from ground, 47% from surface)
Median number of rooms in houses and condos:
Here:
6.3
State:
6.7
Median number of rooms in apartments:
Here:
5.1
State:
4.4
Year house built
2014 or later: 188
2010 to 2013: 1,319
2000 to 2009: 2,758
1990 to 1999: 3,405
1980 to 1989: 3,363
1970 to 1979: 3,337
1960 to 1969: 2,077
1950 to 1959: 2,939
1940 to 1949: 1,776
1939 or earlier: 8,526
Note: State values scaled to Columbia population
Rooms in houses/apartments in Columbia County, Pennsylvania
Note: State values scaled to Columbia County population
no vehicle: 383
1 vehicle: 4,588
2 vehicles: 7,876
3 vehicles: 3,014
4 vehicles: 1,492
5+ vehicles: 517
no vehicle: 750
1 vehicle: 3,975
2 vehicles: 2,970
3 vehicles: 908
4 vehicles: 19
5+ vehicles: 39
89% of Columbia County residents lived in the same house 1 years ago. Out of people who lived in different houses, 35% lived in this county. Out of people who lived in different counties, 87% lived in Pennsylvania.
Columbia County:
89.1%
State average:
87.1%
Place of birth for U.S.-born residents:
This state: 56,175
Other state: 8,634
Northeast: 4,330
Midwest: 1,370
South: 2,077
West: 857
Year Householders Moved Into Unit
Most commonly used house heating fuel in Columbia County
Click here to upload your Columbia County photos (outside city limits)
40.6 years
40.6 years
(47.7%)
(52.3%)
, Deuel County, Nebraska 
, Lancaster County, Nebraska 
