Columbia County, PA

County

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2023 Population

65,055

0.202% 1-year growth

US Senator

John Fetterman

Democratic Party

US Senator

Dave McCormick

Republican Party

2023 Median Age

41.4

0.242% 1-year increase

2023 Poverty Rate

15.7%

2.58% 1-year increase

2023 Median Household Income

$61,992

4.26% 1-year growth

2023 Median Property Value

$199,200

8.73% 1-year growth

2023 Employed Population

30,169

0.235% 1-year decline

About

In 2023, Columbia County, PA had a population of 65.1k people with a median age of 41.4 and a median household income of $61,992. Between 2022 and 2023 the population of Columbia County, PA grew from 64,924 to 65,055, a 0.202% increase and its median household income grew from $59,457 to $61,992, a 4.26% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Columbia County, PA are White (Non-Hispanic) (91%), Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (1.76%), Two+ (Non-Hispanic) (1.75%), Two+ (Hispanic) (1.58%), and White (Hispanic) (1.34%).

None of the households in Columbia County, PA 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.

99.2% of the residents in Columbia County, PA are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Columbia County, PA are Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania (2,864 degrees awarded in 2023).

In 2023, the median property value in Columbia County, PA was $199,200, and the homeownership rate was 70.4%.

Most people in Columbia County, PA drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 21.7 minutes. The average car ownership in Columbia County, PA was 2 cars per household.

Columbia County, PA borders Luzerne County, PA, Lycoming County, PA, Montour County, PA, Northumberland County, PA, Schuylkill County, PA, and Sullivan County, PA.

United States Pennsylvania Bloomsburg-Berwick, PA

Population & Diversity

Columbia County, PA is home to a population of 65.1k people, from which 99.2% are citizens. As of 2023, 2.44% of Columbia County, PA residents were born outside of the country (1.59k people).

In 2023, there were 51.6 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (59.2k people) in Columbia County, PA than any other race or ethnicity. There were 1.15k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 1.14k Two+ (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

99.2%

2023 Citizenship

99.4%

2022 Citizenship

As of 2023, 99.2% of Columbia County, PA residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.4%. In 2022, the percentage of US citizens in Columbia County, PA was 99.4%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

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

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Columbia County, PA

White (Non-Hispanic)
59.2k ± 332
Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
1.15k ± 225
Two+ (Non-Hispanic)
1.14k ± 319

3.68%

Hispanic Population

2.39k people

3.68% of the people in Columbia County, PA are hispanic (2.39k people).

The following chart shows the 7 races represented in Columbia County, PA as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the County level, so we are showing data for Pennsylvania.

Most Common Origin

India
99,082 ± 7,698 people
Dominican Republic
90,229 ± 7,349 people
China
69,880 ± 6,473 people

In 2022, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Pennsylvania was India, the natal country of 99,082 Pennsylvania residents, followed by Dominican Republic with 90,229 and China with 69,880.

Foreign-Born Population

2.44%

2023 Foreign-Born Population

1.59k people

2.21%

2022 Foreign-Born Population

1.44k people

As of 2023, 2.44% of Columbia County, PA residents (1.59k people) were born outside of the United States, which is lower than the national average of 13.8%. In 2022, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Columbia County, PA was 2.21%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

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

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
1,090 ± 181
Gulf War (2001-)
665 ± 170
Gulf War (1990s)
483 ± 192

Columbia County, PA has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.64 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Columbia County, PA employs 30.2k people. The largest industries in Columbia County, PA are Health Care & Social Assistance (6,070 people), Manufacturing (4,206 people), and Retail Trade (3,228 people), and the highest paying industries are Utilities ($93,698), Management of Companies & Enterprises ($80,684), and Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services ($61,197).

Males in Pennsylvania have an average income that is 1.32 times higher than the average income of females, which is $62,610. The income inequality in Pennsylvania (measured using the Gini index) is 0.466, which is lower than than the national average.

Employment

Occupations

30.2k

2023 Value

± 1,204

−0.235%

1 Year decline

± 5.53%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Columbia County, PA declined at a rate of −0.235%, from 30.2k employees to 30.2k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Columbia County, PA, are Office & Administrative Support Occupations (3,330 people), Management Occupations (2,630 people), and Material Moving Occupations (2,332 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Columbia County, PA.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

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

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in Pennsylvania (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

30.2k

2023 Value

± 1,204

−0.235%

1 Year decline

± 5.53%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Columbia County, PA declined at a rate of −0.235%, from 30.2k employees to 30.2k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Columbia County, PA, are Health Care & Social Assistance (6,070 people), Manufacturing (4,206 people), and Retail Trade (3,228 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Columbia County, PA, though some of these residents may live in Columbia County, PA and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$51,130

Median earning men ± $2,457

$34,473

Median earning women ± $1,819

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2023 are Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($70,000), Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($67,917), and Public Administration ($60,024).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2023 are Public Administration ($48,627), Professional, Scientific, & Management, & Administrative & Waste Management Services ($47,000), and Educational Services, & Health Care & Social Assistance ($45,101).

Employment by Industry Sector

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

Y-Axis

2.78%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 6.03M people employed in Pennsylvania. This represents a 2.78% 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 18.1%.

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

Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments

135
Other Services (except Public Administration)
92
Retail Trade
90
Health Care and Social Assistance

The visualization shows the distribution of establishments by industry and by size according to the number of employees.

Depending on the option selected, the visualization shows the number of employees or number of establishments and its share across establishment sizes.

Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll

$254k
Manufacturing
$179k
Transportation and Warehousing
$160k
Health Care and Social Assistance

The chart shows the total annual payroll and the average annual payroll by industry.

Civics

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in Columbia County, PA went to Donald J. Trump with 64.5% of the vote. The runner-up was Joseph R Biden Jr. (33.8%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (1.74%).

John Fetterman and Dave McCormick are the senators currently representing the state of Pennsylvania. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

Pennsylvania is currently represented by 17 members in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

Presidential Elections

Presidential Popular Vote Over Time

2020 Election Results

Donald J. Trump (64.5%)
Republican Party
Joseph R Biden Jr. (33.8%)
Democratic Party
Jo Jorgensen (1.74%)
Libertarian Party

The following chart shows the popular vote results in Columbia County, PA for each registered party from 1976 to 2020.

Senator Elections

US Senators from Pennsylvania

Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for Pennsylvania.

John Fetterman

Senator from Pennsylvania

Assumed office on January 3, 2023

Dave McCormick

Senator from Pennsylvania

Assumed office on January 3, 2025

John Fetterman and Dave McCormick are the senators currently representing Pennsylvania.

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 Pennsylvania over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

US Representative Elections

US Representatives from Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania is currently represented by 17 members in the U.S. house.

Members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms, and the following chart shows the how the members for Pennsylvania have changed over time starting in 2008.

Education

In 2023, universities in Columbia County, PA awarded 2,864 degrees. The student population of Columbia County, PA in 2023 is skewed towards women, with 4,265 male students and 6,823 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Columbia County, PA are White (2,382 and 83.5%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (159 and 5.57%), Black or African American (127 and 4.45%), and Unknown (97 and 3.4%).

The largest universities in Columbia County, PA by number of degrees awarded are Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania (2,864 and 100%).

The most popular majors in Columbia County, PA are General Business Administration & Management (339 and 11.8%), Registered Nursing (277 and 9.67%), and General Psychology (141 and 4.92%).

The median tuition cost in Columbia County, PA for a public four year colleges is $7,716 for in-state students and $19,290 for out-of-state students.

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

Measure

In 2023 in Columbia County, PA, the percentage of applicants admitted was 94.7%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 33.2%. The number of students enrolled in 2023 was 11,088 (38.5% men and 61.5% women).

The line chart shows the evolution of the percentage of applicants admitted, admitted who enrolled or the number of students enrolled according to the option selected in the upper button.

Enrollments by Gender and Races

In 2023 there were 11,088 students enrolled in Columbia County, PA, 38.5% men and 61.5% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 8,661 records, of which 63.2% were women and 36.8% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

Registered Nursing
190 degrees awarded
General Psychology
141 degrees awarded
General Business Administration & Management
290 degrees awarded

In 2023, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Columbia County, PA was Registered Nursing with 190 degrees awarded.

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

Universities

Gender

Race

Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

2,864 degrees awarded

In 2023, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania with 2,864 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

In 2023, 1,034 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Columbia County, PA, which is 0.565 times less than the 1,830 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 2,382 degrees mean that there were 15 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Hispanic or Latino, with 159 degrees awarded.

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.

Tuition

Average Net Price by Sector

Public, 4-year or above ($7,716) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2023.

Public, 4-year or above ($3,330) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2023.

Public, 4-year or above ($1,200) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

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

Working Population

Educational Pyramid

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

Measure

In 2022, 0.733% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 0.743% of women were in the same situation.

This visualization shows the gender distribution of the population according to the academic level reached.

Educational Attainment

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

Race

The most common educational levels obtained by the working population in 2022 were High School or Equivalent (3.5M), Bachelors Degree (1.98M), and Some college (1.83M).

This visualization illustrates the percentage distribution of the population according to the highest educational level reached. You can filter the data by race by using the selector above.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Columbia County, PA was $199,200 in 2023, which is 0.657 times smaller than the national average of $303,400. Between 2022 and 2023 the median property value increased from $183,200 to $199,200, a 8.73% increase. The homeownership rate in Columbia County, PA is 70.4%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 65%.

People in Columbia County, PA have an average commute time of 21.7 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Columbia County, PA is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Median household income in Columbia County, PA is $61,992. In 2023, the tract with the highest Median Household Income in Columbia County, PA was Census Tract 503 with a value of $87,353, followed by Census Tract 509 and Census Tract 504, with respective values of $79,965 and $75,611.

In 2023, 11.5% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Columbia County, PA. From 2014 to 2023, the indicator declined 0.41%.

Housing

Property

$199,200

Median Property Value 2023

±$5,471

$18,222

Median Property Taxes

±$760

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 County, PA the largest share of households pay taxes in the $800 - $1,499 range.

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

Rent vs Own

70.4%

Homeownership

2023

61%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2023

In 2023, 70.4% of the housing units in Columbia County, PA were occupied by their owner. This percentage declined from the previous year's rate of 70.8%.

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

Equity

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.

Race/Ethnicity

Highest Median Household Income (Total)

Census Tract 503
Census Tract 509
Census Tract 504

In 2023, the tract with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Columbia County, PA was Census Tract 503 with a value of $87,353, followed by Census Tract 509 and Census Tract 504, with respective values of $79,965 and $75,611.

The following map shows all of the tracts in Columbia County, PA colored by their Median Household Income (Total).

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$61,992

Median Household Income

± $2,529

25.9k

Number of Households

± 1,063

In 2023, the median household income of the 25.9k households in Columbia County, PA grew to $61,992 from the previous year's value of $59,457.

The following chart displays the households in Columbia County, PA 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 $75k - $100k range.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Columbia County, PA is from Pennsylvania.

0.466

2022 Wage GINI in Pennsylvania

0.467

2021 Wage GINI in Pennsylvania

In 2022, the income inequality in Pennsylvania was 0.466 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.123% decline from 2021 to 2022, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for Pennsylvania was lower than than the national average of 0.478. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in Pennsylvania in comparison to the national average.

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

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2023

Drove Alone (78.5%)
Worked At Home (10.3%)
Carpooled (7.13%)

In 2023, 78.5% of workers in Columbia County, PA drove alone to work, followed by those who worked at home (10.3%) and those who carpooled to work (7.13%).

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.

Commute Time

21.7 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Columbia County, PA have a shorter commute time (21.7 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.6 minutes). Additionally, 1.75% of the workforce in Columbia County, PA have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

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

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

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

Poverty

Severe Housing Problems

In 2023, 11.5% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Columbia County, PA. From 2014 to 2023, the indicator declined 0.41%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the population living with severe housing problems.

Poverty & Diversity

15.7% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Columbia County, PA (9.59k out of 61.1k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.4%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 18 - 24, followed by Males 18 - 24 and then Females 55 - 64.

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

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.

Children in Poverty

In 2023, 18.3% of the children was living in poverty in Columbia County, PA. From 2014 to 2023, the indicator grew 1.3%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the children living in poverty.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals
Florida
4,915 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798. New York has the second highest (5,087), followed by Florida (4,915).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

Health

95.7% of the population of Columbia County, PA has health coverage, with 52.7% on employee plans, 14.9% on Medicaid, 16.4% on Medicare, 11% on non-group plans, and 0.664% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Columbia County, PA see 1965 patients per year on average, which represents a 0.203% decrease from the previous year (1969 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 2093 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 1410 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 47.8% were men and 52.2% were women.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

1,965 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Columbia County, PA

Primary care physicians in Columbia County, PA see an average of 1,965 patients per year. This represents a 0.203% decrease from the previous year (1,969 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Columbia County, PA in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

Health Care Diversity

In 2023, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 20.7% under 18 years, 23.2% between 18 and 34 years, 36.3% between 35 and 64 years, and 19.8% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 47.8% were men and 52.2% were women.

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

Uninsured People

4.26%

Uninsured

52.7%

Employer Coverage

14.9%

Medicaid

16.4%

Medicare

11%

Non-Group

0.664%

Military or VA

Between 2022 and 2023, the percent of uninsured citizens in Columbia County, PA grew by 4.65% from 4.07% to 4.26%.

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

Health Indicators

Health Outcomes

Indicator

In 2023, the number of deaths among residents under age 18 per 100,000 population was 36.9 in Columbia County, PA.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Columbia County, PA.

Health Behaviors

Indicator

In 2023, the percentage of the adult population (age 18 and older) that reports a body mass index (BMI) greater than or equal to 30 kg/m2 (age-adjusted) was 34.7% in Columbia County, PA.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Columbia County, PA.