Columbia County, New York
AffordabilityAffordability: grade F, better than 0% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade D, better than 14% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade B, better than 66% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade B, better than 60% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade B+, better than 73% of US counties
- top 5% for school quality
- top 16% for park & nature access
- bottom 3% for income tax
Columbia County is a county in New York with about 61,000 residents. It grades B+ for lifestyle & connectivity and F for affordability. Standout strengths include school quality, park & nature access, and airport distance. It rates lower on estimated total tax burden and income tax.
Official websitecolumbiacountyny.org (opens in new tab)
Climate
Warm summers · Cold winters · Moderate rain · Snowy
very cold
cool
comf.
warm
comf.
cool
cold
v.cold
65%44%clearovercast
Precipitation 4.3 in3.0 in
humid 97%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$82k89th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$57kbetter than 8% of US counties
Home Value$284k86th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$1kbetter than 16% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$2kbetter than 9% of US counties
Property Tax Rate1.71%better than 8% of US counties
Income Tax10.90%better than 3% of US counties
Sales Tax8.53%better than 23% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden19.65%better than 3% of US counties
Unemployment5.9%better than 28% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)24°F19th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)71°F14th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation44.3 in53rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall37.9 inbetter than 22% of US counties
Sunny Days196 daysbetter than 14% of US counties
Summer Humidity62°Fbetter than 69% of US counties
Comfortable Days80 daysbetter than 52% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk68.7better than 31% of US counties
School Quality100.0better than 96% of US counties
Violent Crime561/100kbetter than 66% of US counties
Property Crime945/100kbetter than 48% of US counties
Community
Population61,46973rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age49.392nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.2547th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio1.0266th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningD+179th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)84.1%56th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)3.3%58th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)5.4%54th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)2.2%85th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)4.9%78th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time26 minbetter than 39% of US counties
Walkability6.1/20better than 50% of US counties
Airport Distance53 mibetter than 78% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access85.6%better than 65% of US counties
Amenities Nearby1.46better than 42% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessExcellentbetter than 84% of US counties
Frequently asked questions
- Is Columbia County an affordable place to live?
- Columbia County is relatively expensive. Its cost-of-living index is $57k, better than 8% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Columbia County?
- The median home value in Columbia County is $284k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Columbia County?
- Median household income in Columbia County is $82k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Columbia County?
- Median gross rent in Columbia County is $1k a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Columbia County safe?
- Columbia County is safer than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 561/100k (better than 66%). Property crime is 945/100k.
- What is the weather like in Columbia County?
- Columbia County averages 71°F in July and 24°F in January, with 44.3 in of annual precipitation and about 196 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Columbia County?
- Public-school quality in Columbia County is above average, scoring better than 96% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Columbia County?
- The average one-way commute in Columbia County is 26 min.
Other counties in New York
Explore New York
Data sources
- EPA Smart Location Database
- EPI Family Budget Calculator
- FAA airport enplanements
- FBI Uniform Crime Reports
- FEMA National Risk Index
- MIT Election Data Lab (2020)
- NCES School Finance Survey
- NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA nClimGrid
- OpenStreetMap
- Tax Foundation + state revenue depts
- U.S. Census ACS (5-Year)
- USGS Protected Areas (PAD-US)