Columbia County, Wisconsin
AffordabilityAffordability: grade C, better than 26% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade C, better than 45% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade C, better than 50% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade C, better than 43% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade B+, better than 73% of US counties
- top 7% for sales tax
- bottom 10% for estimated total tax burden
Columbia County is a county in Wisconsin with about 58,000 residents. It grades B+ for lifestyle & connectivity and C for affordability. Standout strengths include sales tax, unemployment, and comfortable days. It rates lower on income tax and estimated total tax burden.
Official websiteco.columbia.wi.us (opens in new tab)
Climate
Warm summers · Harsh winters · Moderate rain · Heavy snow
freezing
v.cold
cool
comf.
warm
comf.
cool
very cold
72%44%clearovercast
Precipitation 4.7 in1.5 in
humid 93%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$79k87th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$45kbetter than 50% of US counties
Home Value$244k79th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$911better than 33% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$2kbetter than 16% of US counties
Property Tax Rate1.53%better than 13% of US counties
Income Tax7.60%better than 11% of US counties
Sales Tax5.70%better than 93% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden14.20%better than 10% of US counties
Unemployment3.2%better than 79% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)19°F11th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)72°F19th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation37.9 in38th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall40.9 inbetter than 19% of US counties
Sunny Days212 daysbetter than 25% of US counties
Summer Humidity62°Fbetter than 69% of US counties
Comfortable Days90 daysbetter than 78% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk81.4better than 18% of US counties
Air Quality44 AQIbetter than 41% of US counties
School Quality69.8better than 74% of US counties
Violent Crime562/100kbetter than 66% of US counties
Property Crime860/100kbetter than 53% of US counties
Community
Population58,27272nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age42.863rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.1424th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio1.0682nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningEven18th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)91.2%76th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)1.5%45th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)3.9%42nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)0.9%64th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)2.5%27th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time26 minbetter than 35% of US counties
Walkability6.0/20better than 47% of US counties
Airport Distance84 mibetter than 59% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access85.9%better than 67% of US counties
Amenities Nearby2.40better than 50% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessGoodbetter than 74% of US counties
Frequently asked questions
- Is Columbia County an affordable place to live?
- Columbia County is about average in cost. Its cost-of-living index is $45k, better than 50% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Columbia County?
- The median home value in Columbia County is $244k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Columbia County?
- Median household income in Columbia County is $79k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Columbia County?
- Median gross rent in Columbia County is $911 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 562/100k (better than 66%). Property crime is 860/100k.
- What is the weather like in Columbia County?
- Columbia County averages 72°F in July and 19°F in January, with 37.9 in of annual precipitation and about 212 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Columbia County?
- Public-school quality in Columbia County is above average, scoring better than 74% 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 Wisconsin
Explore Wisconsin
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)