Columbia County, Washington
Among the top 9% of US counties for weather.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade B, better than 61% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade A, better than 91% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade B+, better than 78% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade B, better than 67% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade B+, better than 84% of US counties
- top 1% for amenities nearby
- top 5% for school quality
- bottom 8% for sales tax
Columbia County is a county in Washington with about 3,980 residents. It grades A for weather and B for affordability. Standout strengths include amenities nearby, school quality, and summer humidity. It rates lower on broadband access and sales tax.
Official websitecolumbiaco.com (opens in new tab)
Climate
Hot, dry summers · Cool winters · Dry · Snowy
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90%37%clearovercast
Precipitation 2.0 in0.8 in
dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$69k72nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$43kbetter than 79% of US counties
Home Value$230k76th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$847better than 44% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$1kbetter than 42% of US counties
Property Tax Rate0.90%better than 46% of US counties
Income Tax0.00%better than 91% of US counties
Sales Tax9.38%better than 8% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden6.09%better than 86% of US counties
Unemployment3.5%better than 73% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)35°F54th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)74°F33rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation19.1 in11th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall15.6 inbetter than 46% of US counties
Sunny Days258 daysbetter than 75% of US counties
Summer Humidity46°Fbetter than 95% of US counties
Comfortable Days76 daysbetter than 41% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk8.6better than 89% of US counties
Air Quality39 AQIbetter than 70% of US counties
School Quality100.0better than 96% of US counties
Violent Crime687/100kbetter than 56% of US counties
Property Crime1388/100kbetter than 29% of US counties
Community
Population3,9808th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age50.895th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.3156th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio0.9728th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningR+4557th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)81.7%51st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)0.9%34th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)8.2%67th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)0.1%12th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)9.2%93rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time20 minbetter than 83% of US counties
Walkability5.8/20better than 42% of US counties
Airport Distance92 mibetter than 53% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access75.7%better than 16% of US counties
Amenities Nearby42.71better than 99% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessExcellentbetter than 93% 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 $43k, better than 79% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Columbia County?
- The median home value in Columbia County is $230k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Columbia County?
- Median household income in Columbia County is $69k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Columbia County?
- Median gross rent in Columbia County is $847 a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Columbia County safe?
- Columbia County is about average for safety comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 687/100k (better than 56%). Property crime is 1388/100k.
- What is the weather like in Columbia County?
- Columbia County averages 74°F in July and 35°F in January, with 19.1 in of annual precipitation and about 258 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 20 min.
Other counties in Washington
Explore Washington
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)