Columbia, Maryland
Among the top 12% of US places for getting around.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade D, better than 10% of US places
WeatherWeather: grade F, better than 1% of US places
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade B, better than 65% of US places
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade A, better than 88% of US places
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade C, better than 43% of US places
- top 3% for walkability
- top 4% for airport distance
- bottom 6% for cost of living
Columbia is a city in Maryland with about 107,000 residents. It grades A for getting around and F for weather. Standout strengths include walkability, airport distance, and natural disaster risk. It rates lower on monthly rent and cost of living.
Climate
Hot summers · Cold winters · Moderate rain · Snowy
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57%46%clearovercast
Precipitation 4.6 in3.4 in
muggy 77%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$125k92nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$68kbetter than 6% of US places
Home Value$459k89th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$2kbetter than 7% of US places
Monthly Owner Costs$3kbetter than 10% of US places
Property Tax Rate1.27%better than 35% of US places
Income Tax9.00%better than 17% of US places
State 5.80% + Local 3.20%
Sales Tax6.00%better than 86% of US places
Estimated total tax burden15.67%better than 15% of US places
Unemployment4.0%better than 48% of US places
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)36°F62nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)80°F74th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation49.7 in78th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall28.5 inbetter than 35% of US places
Sunny Days180 daysbetter than 9% of US places
Summer Humidity66°Fbetter than 38% of US places
Comfortable Days76 daysbetter than 34% of US places
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk26.8better than 92% of US places
Air Quality45 AQIbetter than 57% of US places
School Quality79.5better than 75% of US places
Violent Crime1298/100kbetter than 23% of US places
Property Crime1315/100kbetter than 36% of US places
Community
Population106,60099th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age38.840th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.6797th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio0.9338th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningD+464th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)44.4%15th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)27.7%92nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)9.1%71st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)13.0%97th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)5.8%76th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time30 minbetter than 27% of US places
Walkability13.7/20better than 97% of US places
Airport Distance11 mibetter than 96% of US places
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access94.8%better than 82% of US places
Amenities Nearby33.49better than 30% of US places
Park & Nature AccessModeratebetter than 31% of US places
Similar places
Frequently asked questions
- Is Columbia an affordable place to live?
- Columbia is relatively expensive. Its cost-of-living index is $68k, better than 6% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Columbia?
- The median home value in Columbia is $459k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Columbia?
- Median household income in Columbia is $125k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Columbia?
- Median gross rent in Columbia is $2k a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Columbia safe?
- Columbia is higher-crime than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 1298/100k (better than 23%). Property crime is 1315/100k.
- What is the weather like in Columbia?
- Columbia averages 80°F in July and 36°F in January, with 49.7 in of annual precipitation and about 180 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Columbia?
- Public-school quality in Columbia is above average, scoring better than 75% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Columbia?
- The average one-way commute in Columbia is 30 min.
Other places in Howard County
Places near Columbia
Compare Columbia
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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)