Columbia County, Pennsylvania
Among the top 5% of US counties for lifestyle & connectivity.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade B, better than 56% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade C, better than 43% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade B+, better than 79% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade B+, better than 78% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade A+, better than 95% of US counties
- top 5% for park & nature access
- top 16% for violent crime
- bottom 17% for sunny days
Columbia County is a county in Pennsylvania with about 65,000 residents. It grades A+ for lifestyle & connectivity and C for weather. Standout strengths include park & nature access, violent crime, and amenities nearby. It rates lower on annual snowfall and sunny days.
Official websitecolumbiapa.org (opens in new tab)
Climate
Warm summers · Cold winters · Moderate rain · Snowy
very cold
cold
cool
comf.
warm
cool
cold
v.cold
70%43%clearovercast
Precipitation 4.1 in3.1 in
humid 97%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$59k47th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$44kbetter than 65% of US counties
Home Value$183k62nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$862better than 41% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$1kbetter than 38% of US counties
Property Tax Rate1.21%better than 27% of US counties
Income Tax3.10%better than 78% of US counties
Sales Tax6.34%better than 76% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden8.91%better than 63% of US counties
Unemployment4.8%better than 49% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)28°F32nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)74°F29th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation45.0 in54th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall33.7 inbetter than 25% of US counties
Sunny Days201 daysbetter than 17% of US counties
Summer Humidity62°Fbetter than 69% of US counties
Comfortable Days90 daysbetter than 78% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk62.1better than 37% of US counties
School Quality73.3better than 77% of US counties
Violent Crime290/100kbetter than 84% of US counties
Property Crime475/100kbetter than 75% of US counties
Community
Population64,92474th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age41.348th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.1322nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio0.9411th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningR+3141st percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)91.6%78th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)1.8%48th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)3.4%37th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)1.0%69th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)2.2%19th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time21 minbetter than 72% of US counties
Walkability7.0/20better than 75% of US counties
Airport Distance102 mibetter than 48% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access84.6%better than 58% of US counties
Amenities Nearby9.09better than 84% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessExcellentbetter than 95% of US counties
Frequently asked questions
- Is Columbia County an affordable place to live?
- Columbia County is relatively affordable. Its cost-of-living index is $44k, better than 65% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Columbia County?
- The median home value in Columbia County is $183k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Columbia County?
- Median household income in Columbia County is $59k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Columbia County?
- Median gross rent in Columbia County is $862 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 290/100k (better than 84%). Property crime is 475/100k.
- What is the weather like in Columbia County?
- Columbia County averages 74°F in July and 28°F in January, with 45.0 in of annual precipitation and about 201 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Columbia County?
- Public-school quality in Columbia County is above average, scoring better than 77% 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 21 min.
Other counties in Pennsylvania
Explore Pennsylvania
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)