Columbia County, Oregon
Among the top 7% of US counties for weather.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade C, better than 31% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade A, better than 93% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade B, better than 65% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade B, better than 69% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade B, better than 65% of US counties
- top 2% for sales tax
- top 5% for comfortable days
- bottom 5% for commute time
Columbia County is a county in Oregon with about 53,000 residents. It grades A for weather and C for affordability. Standout strengths include sales tax, comfortable days, and broadband access. It rates lower on cost of living and commute time.
Official websiteco.columbia.or.us (opens in new tab)
Climate
Warm, dry summers · Cool winters · Wet
cold
cool
comfortable
warm
comf.
cool
cold
67%33%clearovercast
Precipitation 7.0 in1.1 in
dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$83k90th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$60kbetter than 6% of US counties
Home Value$365k93rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$1kbetter than 12% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$2kbetter than 13% of US counties
Property Tax Rate0.77%better than 56% of US counties
Income Tax4.40%better than 69% of US counties
Sales Tax0.00%better than 98% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden7.79%better than 79% of US counties
Unemployment4.5%better than 55% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)41°F69th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)66°F4th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation51.1 in76th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall1.8 inbetter than 73% of US counties
Sunny Days188 daysbetter than 9% of US counties
Summer Humidity54°Fbetter than 87% of US counties
Comfortable Days109 daysbetter than 95% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk70.7better than 29% of US counties
Air Quality29 AQIbetter than 90% of US counties
School Quality64.9better than 68% of US counties
Violent Crime571/100kbetter than 65% of US counties
Property Crime1002/100kbetter than 45% of US counties
Community
Population52,86570th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age43.165th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.2241st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio1.0475th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningR+1123rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)85.8%60th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)0.4%20th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)6.0%57th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)0.6%51st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)7.2%90th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time34 minbetter than 5% of US counties
Walkability8.5/20better than 88% of US counties
Airport Distance34 mibetter than 90% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access91.5%better than 94% of US counties
Amenities Nearby0.76better than 33% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessModeratebetter than 50% 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 $60k, better than 6% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Columbia County?
- The median home value in Columbia County is $365k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Columbia County?
- Median household income in Columbia County is $83k, 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 571/100k (better than 65%). Property crime is 1002/100k.
- What is the weather like in Columbia County?
- Columbia County averages 66°F in July and 41°F in January, with 51.1 in of annual precipitation and about 188 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Columbia County?
- Public-school quality in Columbia County is above average, scoring better than 68% 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 34 min.
Other counties in Oregon
Explore Oregon
Data sources
- EPA Air Quality (AQI)
- 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)