Columbia, KY

Census Place

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2024 Population
4,808
US Senator
Mitch McConnell
Republican Party
US Senator
Rand Paul
Republican Party
2024 Median Age
28.2
1.08% 1-year increase
2024 Poverty Rate
18.3%
18.5% 1-year decrease
2024 Median Household Income
$47,299
4.6% 1-year growth
2024 Median Property Value
$143,600
16.3% 1-year growth
2024 Employed Population
2,082
8.83% 1-year growth

About

None of the households in Columbia, KY reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

93% of the residents in Columbia, KY are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Columbia, KY are Lindsey Wilson College (817 degrees awarded in 2023).

In 2024, the median property value in Columbia, KY was $143,600, and the homeownership rate was 48.6%.

Most people in Columbia, KY drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 15.3 minutes. The average car ownership in Columbia, KY was 2 cars per household.

United StatesKentuckyAdair County, KYLake Cumberland Area Development District (West) PUMA, KY

Population & Diversity

Columbia, KY is home to a population of 4.81k people, from which 93% are citizens. As of 2024, 9.38% of Columbia, KY residents were born outside of the country (451 people).

In 2024, there were 15.3 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (4.01k people) in Columbia, KY than any other race or ethnicity. There were 263 Two Races Including Other (Hispanic) and 184 Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

93%
2024 Citizenship
92.6%
2023 Citizenship

As of 2024, 93% of Columbia, KY residents were US citizens, which is lower than the national average of 93.2%. In 2023, the percentage of US citizens in Columbia, KY was 92.6%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been increasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Columbia, KY compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

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Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Columbia, KY
  1. White (Non-Hispanic)
    4.01k ± 240
  2. Two Races Including Other (Hispanic)
    263 ± 200
  3. Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
    184 ± 82
8.17%
Hispanic Population
393 people

In 2024, there were 15.3 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (4.01k people) in Columbia, KY than any other race or ethnicity. There were 263 Two Races Including Other (Hispanic) and 184 Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

8.17% of the people in Columbia, KY are hispanic (393 people).

The following chart shows the 8 races represented in Columbia, KY as a share of the total population.

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Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the Place level, so we are showing data for Kentucky.
Most Common Origin
  1. Mexico
    34,091 ± 4,516 people
  2. Cuba
    20,475 ± 3,505 people
  3. India
    12,629 ± 2,755 people

In 2023, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Kentucky was Mexico, the natal country of 34,091 Kentucky residents, followed by Cuba with 20,475 and India with 12,629.

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Foreign-Born Population

9.38%
2024 Foreign-Born Population
451 people
9.29%
2023 Foreign-Born Population
450 people

As of 2024, 9.38% of Columbia, KY residents (451 people) were born outside of the United States, which is approximately the same as the national average of 14%. In 2023, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Columbia, KY was 9.29%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Columbia, KY compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

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Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period
  1. Vietnam
    87 ± 55
  2. Gulf War (2001-)
    52 ± 41
  3. Gulf War (1990s)
    3 ± 14

Columbia, KY has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.67 times greater than any other conflict.

The chart shows the distribution of veterans by conflict in Columbia, KY.

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Economy

The economy of Columbia, KY employs 2.08k people. In 2024, the largest industries in Columbia, KY were Educational Services (413 people), Retail Trade (372 people), and Health Care & Social Assistance (360 people), and the highest paying industries were Transportation & Warehousing ($98,977), Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($97,841), and Wholesale Trade ($67,102).

Employment

Occupations

2.08k
2024 Value
± 321
8.83%
1 Year growth
± 21.5%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Columbia, KY grew at a rate of 8.83%, from 1.91k employees to 2.08k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Columbia, KY, are Office & Administrative Support Occupations (281 people), Sales & Related Occupations (259 people), and Education Instruction, & Library Occupations (187 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Columbia, KY.

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Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Kentucky.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in Kentucky (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

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Industries

Employment by Industries

2.08k
2024 Value
± 321
8.83%
1 Year growth
± 21.5%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Columbia, KY grew at a rate of 8.83%, from 1.91k employees to 2.08k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Columbia, KY, are Educational Services (413 people), Retail Trade (372 people), and Health Care & Social Assistance (360 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Columbia, KY, though some of these residents may live in Columbia, KY and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

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Median Earnings by Industry

$22,019
Median earning men ± $4,989
$25,530
Median earning women ± $10,356

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2024 are Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($97,841), Other Services Except Public Administration ($75,183), and Manufacturing ($35,998).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2024 are Other Services Except Public Administration ($62,917), Public Administration ($43,258), and Professional, Scientific, & Management, & Administrative & Waste Management Services ($35,863).

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Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Kentucky.
Y-Axis
2.51%
Year-over-year growth
Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 1.98M people employed in Kentucky. This represents a 2.51% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

Right after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, during April 2020, a general dip can be seen across industry sectors, resulting in an overall decline in employment by 14.4%.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in Kentucky.

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Civics

In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in Kentucky went to Donald J. Trump with 64.5% of the vote. The runner-up was Kamala Harris (33.9%), followed by Robert Kennedy (0.808%).

Mitch McConnell and Rand Paul are the senators currently representing the state of Kentucky. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

Kentucky is currently represented by 6 members in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

Presidential Elections

Voting results are not available for Columbia, KY. Showing the available data for Kentucky.
2024 Election Results
  1. Donald J. Trump (64.5%)
    Republican Party
  2. Kamala Harris (33.9%)
    Democratic Party
  3. Robert Kennedy (0.808%)
    Independent Party

In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in Kentucky went to Donald J. Trump with 64.5% of the vote. The runner-up was Kamala Harris (33.9%), followed by Robert Kennedy (0.808%).

The following chart shows the popular vote results in Kentucky for each registered party from 1976 to 2024.

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Senator Elections

US Senators from Kentucky

Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for Kentucky.
Mitch McConnell
Senator from Kentucky2
Assumed office on January 3, 1985
Rand Paul
Senator from Kentucky3
Assumed office on January 3, 2011

Mitch McConnell and Rand Paul are the senators currently representing Kentucky.

In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

The following chart shows elected senators in Kentucky over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

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Education

In 2023, universities in Columbia, KY awarded 817 degrees. The student population of Columbia, KY in 2023 is skewed towards men, with 2,183 male students and 1,872 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Columbia, KY are White (469 and 70.6%), Black or African American (70 and 10.5%), Unknown (69 and 10.4%), and Asian (32 and 4.82%).

The largest universities in Columbia, KY by number of degrees awarded are Lindsey Wilson College (817 and 100%).

The most popular majors in Columbia, KY are Counseling Psychology (196 and 24%), Other Computer & Information Technology Services Management (167 and 20.4%), and General Human Services (138 and 16.9%).

The median tuition cost for private four year colleges is $26,976.

Admissions & Enrollments

Enrollments by Gender and Races

In 2023 there were 4,055 students enrolled in Columbia, KY, 53.8% men and 46.2% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 1,714 records, of which 68% were women and 32% men.

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Completions

Concentrations

Most Common
  1. General Human Services
    138 degrees awarded
  2. General Business Administration & Management
    56 degrees awarded
  3. General Psychology
    32 degrees awarded

In 2023, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Columbia, KY was General Human Services with 138 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Bachelors Degree from schools in Columbia, KY according to their major.

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Universities

Gender
Race
Lindsey Wilson College
Largest Universities by degrees awarded
817 degrees awarded

In 2023, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Lindsey Wilson College with 817 degrees awarded.

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Student Diversity

In 2023, 307 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Columbia, KY, which is 0.602 times less than the 510 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2023, the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 469 degrees mean that there were 6.7 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Black or African American, with 70 degrees awarded.

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Awarded Degrees over Time

The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

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Tuition

Average Net Price by Sector

Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($26,976) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2023.

Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($298) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2023.

Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($1,000) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

The graph shows the average net price by sector and year.

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Housing & Living

The median property value in Columbia, KY was $143,600 in 2024, which is 0.432 times smaller than the national average of $332,700. Between 2023 and 2024 the median property value increased from $123,500 to $143,600, a 16.3% increase. The homeownership rate in Columbia, KY is 48.6%, which is lower than the national average of 65.2%.

People in Columbia, KY have an average commute time of 15.3 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Columbia, KY is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Housing

Property

$143,600
Median Property Value 2024
±$41,622
$761
Median Property Taxes
±$190

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Columbia, KY the largest share of households pay taxes in the < $800 range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Columbia, KY compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

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Rent vs Own

48.6%
Homeownership
2024
65.8%
Homeowners with Mortgage
2024

In 2024, 48.6% of the housing units in Columbia, KY were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 43.7%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Columbia, KY compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

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Equity

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.
$47,299
Median Household Income
± $10,981
1.57k
Number of Households
± 298

In 2024, the median household income of the 1.57k households in Columbia, KY grew to $47,299 from the previous year's value of $45,221.

The following chart displays the households in Columbia, KY distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the < $10k range.

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Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Columbia, KY is from Kentucky.
0.449
2023 Wage GINI in Kentucky
0.452
2022 Wage GINI in Kentucky

In 2023, the income inequality in Kentucky was 0.449 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.729% decline from 2022 to 2023, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for Kentucky was lower than than the national average of 0.476. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in Kentucky in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in Kentucky across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

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Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2024
  1. Drove Alone (62.8%)
  2. Worked At Home (16.8%)
  3. Carpooled (15.3%)

In 2024, 62.8% of workers in Columbia, KY drove alone to work, followed by those who worked at home (16.8%) and those who carpooled to work (15.3%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

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Commute Time

15.3 minutes
Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Columbia, KY have a shorter commute time (15.3 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.4 minutes). Additionally, 1.63% of the workforce in Columbia, KY have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Columbia, KY compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

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Car Ownership

2 cars
Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Columbia, KY distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Columbia, KY have 2 cars.

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Poverty

Poverty & Diversity

18.3% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Columbia, KY (668 out of 3.65k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.5%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 18 - 24, followed by Females 25 - 34 and then Females 55 - 64.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Columbia, KY is White, followed by Two Or More and Hispanic.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

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Health

95.3% of the population of Columbia, KY has health coverage, with 44.1% on employee plans, 25% on Medicaid, 10.6% on Medicare, 13.3% on non-group plans, and 2.33% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Kentucky see 1,601 patients per year on average, which represents a 0% change from the previous year (1,601 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1502 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 320 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 48.8% were men and 51.2% were women.

Coverage

Health Care Diversity

In 2024, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 18.1% under 18 years, 40.2% between 18 and 34 years, 25.8% between 35 and 64 years, and 15.9% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 48.8% were men and 51.2% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

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Uninsured People

4.68%
Uninsured
44.1%
Employer Coverage
25%
Medicaid
10.6%
Medicare
13.3%
Non-Group
2.33%
Military or VA

Between 2023 and 2024, the percent of uninsured citizens in Columbia, KY declined by 5.29% from 4.94% to 4.68%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Columbia, KY changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.

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