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Living in Columbia

Columbia is one of the cities recorded in the United States. Columbia numbered 10,399 residents at the end of 2024. Columbia's unemployment stood at 3.15% at the end of 2024. The foreign population count was 349 at the end of 2024.

Lower unemployment than 77% of American cities that publish it and more recorded crime than 70% of American cities that publish it.

Which United States-wide rules apply when you move to Columbia?

National rules stay on the country page instead of being relabelled as city data.

Visa and entry rulesPassport-specific entry and national residence context.BenefitsCountry-wide eligibility and official application routes.Taxes in United StatesNational rates and thresholds that apply in Columbia.Healthcare eligibilityCountry-wide insurance and residence conditions.

Housing and cost

City-level rent is published below; no city-level cost-of-living basket is published for Columbia yet.

MetricValuePeriodSource
Median monthly rent927.4 EUR/month31 Dec 2024Census Reporter ACS 2020-2024 5-year, table B25064 (underlying U.S. Census Bureau ACS)11Community estimate · Supplemental context
Safety City Property Crime Count130 offenses/year31 Dec 2025FBI CIUS Table 8 by City 2025 (CDE offenses-known-to-le-2025.zip)2Official

Work and income

What is the typical salary in Columbia?

The median gross salary is about 2,891 EUR/month (ACS 2020-2024 5-year). Source: Census Reporter ACS 2020-2024 5-year, table B20002 (underlying U.S. Census Bureau ACS)10

City-scope median, gross, before tax and social contributions.

What is the unemployment rate in Columbia?

The unemployment rate is about 3.2 % (2024).

  • Unemployment rate: 3.15 % · Census Reporter (underlying U.S. Census ACS)1
Unemployment across cities in United StatesUnemployment in Columbia is 3.2%. Of 2,065 cities with data, 1,200 have unemployment of 0 to under 5%.
unemployment rate, % · measured cities in United States per band1200 cities: 0% to under 5%12000–5Columbia 3.2%742 cities: 5% to under 10%7425–1095 cities: 10% to under 15%9510–1525 cities: 15% to under 20%2515–202 cities: 20% to under 25%220–251 city: 25% to under 30%125–30

Unemployment rate (%)

MetricValuePeriodSource
Median gross salary2,891 EUR/month31 Dec 2024Census Reporter ACS 2020-2024 5-year, table B20002 (underlying U.S. Census Bureau ACS)10Community estimate · Supplemental context
Unemployment rate3.15 %country median 4.5%31 Dec 2024Census Reporter (underlying U.S. Census ACS)1Official

Public employment service

No exact public employment office is currently linked to Columbia. The verified national service may still offer online registration, job search or an official office finder.

Country-level information

American Job Centers — Public employment service

U.S. Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration

Job Search
Open official service
Open the United States service overview

Country-level service information is not treated as proof of a physical office in Columbia. Sources checked through 10 Aug 2026.

Safety

How safe is Columbia?

Police recorded about 2,326 incidents per 100,000 (2024). This counts all offences, so it is not comparable with a violent-crime-only rate from another source.

  • Recorded incidents per 100,000 residents: 2,326 offences per 100,000 · FBI Crime Data Explorer / Uniform Crime Reporting3
Recorded crime across major citiesColumbia highlighted among comparable cities
Recorded crime across major cities with Columbia highlighted5,457Philadelphia5,442Houston5,218San Antonio4,012Chicago4,010Dallas4,003Columbia3,709Austin3,158Fort Worth3,125Phoenix3,039New York2,212Los Angeles2,082San Diegorecorded incidents per 100k residents
MetricValuePeriodSource
Recorded incidents per 100,000 residents2,326 offences per 100,000country median 1,58931 Dec 2024FBI Crime Data Explorer / Uniform Crime Reporting3Official
Safety City Violent Crime Count19 offenses/year31 Dec 2025FBI CIUS Table 8 by City 2025 (CDE offenses-known-to-le-2025.zip)2Official

Mobility and administration

Columbia's nearest airport was LNS, 20 km away and offered 1 direct destinations.

MetricValuePeriodSource
Airport Direct Destinations Count1 count3 Aug 2026OpenFlights5Official
Nearest Major Airport Distance Km20 km3 Aug 2026OurAirports6Official
Nearest Major Airport IataLNS3 Aug 2026OurAirports6Official

Language courses and integration

No exact city-level course record is currently published for Columbia. These verified national programmes may still apply; use the official programme page to check local availability.

Country-level information

Adult Education and English Language Acquisition (AEFLA) — State Language Course

U.S. Department of Education

For adult learners, adult English-language learners.

EnglishIn Person, Online, Hybridvaries
Open official information

USCIS English and citizenship class finder — Civic Orientation

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services

For immigrants, future citizens.

EnglishIn Person, Onlinevaries
Open official information
Open the full United States section
National programme information is not treated as proof of a course location in Columbia.

Climate and air quality

At the end of 2024, annual PM2.5 reached 7.3 µg/m³. Monthly mean temperature moved from −2°C in January to 22.7°C in July.

Is the air quality good in Columbia?

The annual PM2.5 mean is about 7.3 µg/m³ (2024) — above the WHO 2021 guideline of 5 µg/m³ but within the EU limit of 25 µg/m³.

Annual mean at the measuring site(s) serving the city; current-day readings differ.

  • PM2.5 — annual mean: 7.35 µg/m³ · U.S. EPA Air Quality System / AirData9
Temperature through the yearAverage daytime high and night-time low, °C
Columbia average monthly daytime high and night-time low temperature, °C-10°0°10°20°30°JFMAMJJASOND29°-7°Daytime highNight-time low
Rainfall through the yearAverage monthly precipitation, mm
Columbia average monthly precipitation, mm0357010514078629290981101231031191068285JFMAMJJASONDmm
Air quality vs health guidelinesAnnual means against WHO 2021 guidelines and EU legal limits
Columbia annual air pollutant levels against WHO 2021 guidelines and EU legal limitsCity valueWHO guidelineEU limit5257.3PM2.5µg/m³

City values from the published air-quality observations. WHO 2021 guidelines and EU limit values are published constants.

PM2.5 across cities in United StatesAnnual PM2.5 in Columbia is 7.4 µg/m³. Of 968 cities with data, 262 have annual PM2.5 of 6 to under 7 µg/m³.
annual PM2.5, µg/m³ · measured cities in United States per band1 city: 1 µg/m³ to under 2 µg/m³11–22 cities: 2 µg/m³ to under 3 µg/m³22–331 cities: 3 µg/m³ to under 4 µg/m³313–451 cities: 4 µg/m³ to under 5 µg/m³514–5135 cities: 5 µg/m³ to under 6 µg/m³1355–6262 cities: 6 µg/m³ to under 7 µg/m³2626–7252 cities: 7 µg/m³ to under 8 µg/m³2527–8Columbia 7.4124 cities: 8 µg/m³ to under 9 µg/m³1248–958 cities: 9 µg/m³ to under 10 µg/m³589–1033 cities: 10 µg/m³ to under 11 µg/m³3310–114 cities: 11 µg/m³ to under 12 µg/m³411–124 cities: 12 µg/m³ to under 13 µg/m³412–135 cities: 13 µg/m³ to under 14 µg/m³513–143 cities: 14 µg/m³ to under 15 µg/m³314–153 cities: 15 µg/m³ to under 16 µg/m³315–16

Annual PM2.5 (µg/m³)

MetricValuePeriodSource
PM2.5 — annual mean7.35 µg/m³31 Dec 2024U.S. EPA Air Quality System / AirData9Official · nearest-station reading
Average daytime high by monthJan 3 · Feb 4.78 · Mar 10 · Apr 17.22 · May 22.56 · Jun 27 · Jul 29.17 · Aug 28.17 · Sep 24.67 · Oct 18.22 · Nov 11.5 · Dec 5.39 °C31 Dec 1991NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information4Official · nearest-station reading
Average night-time low by monthJan -7 · Feb -6.44 · Mar -2.28 · Apr 2.94 · May 9 · Jun 14.22 · Jul 16.28 · Aug 15.11 · Sep 11.33 · Oct 4.94 · Nov -0.222 · Dec -4.33 °C31 Dec 1991NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information4Official · nearest-station reading
Average temperature by monthJan -2 · Feb -0.833 · Mar 3.83 · Apr 10.11 · May 15.78 · Jun 20.61 · Jul 22.72 · Aug 21.67 · Sep 18 · Oct 11.61 · Nov 5.67 · Dec 0.5 °C31 Dec 1991NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information4Official · nearest-station reading
Average precipitation by monthJan 77.72 · Feb 61.98 · Mar 91.69 · Apr 90.42 · May 98.3 · Jun 110 · Jul 122.9 · Aug 102.6 · Sep 118.9 · Oct 105.9 · Nov 82.3 · Dec 84.58 mm31 Dec 1991NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information4Official · nearest-station reading
G04 Air Quality Pm25 Max Ug M320.7 µg/m³31 Dec 2024US EPA Air Quality System (AQS)9Official · nearest-station reading
G04 Air Quality Pm25 Mean Annual Ug M37.35 µg/m³31 Dec 2024US EPA Air Quality System (AQS)9Official · nearest-station reading

Cities of a similar size in United States

Closest published populations, for a like-for-like comparison.

All United States cities
Port Salerno10,401 residentsWood-Ridge borough10,397 residentsFort Lupton10,402 residentsSouth Amboy10,403 residentsGlenwood Springs10,395 residentsHarrisburg10,405 residents

Population and city profile

Columbia spanned 6.3 km² at the end of 2025. The city recorded a population density of 1,663.3 people per km² at the end of 2024.

How many people live in Columbia?

The published population was 10,399 people in July 2024. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program8

Who lives hereResidents by nationality, % of population
Columbia residents by nationalityBy nationalityNational passport96.6%Foreign residents 3.4%

Calculated from the population and foreign-resident facts on this page.

MetricValuePeriodSource
City area6.25 km²31 Dec 2025U.S. Census Bureau (TIGERweb ArcGIS REST service)7Official
Foreign-resident share3.4 %31 Dec 2024Census Reporter (underlying U.S. Census ACS)1Official
Foreign residents349 people31 Dec 2024Census Reporter (underlying U.S. Census ACS)1Official
Population density1,663 people/km²31 Dec 2024U.S. Census Bureau (Population Estimates Program)8Official
Population10,399 people31 Dec 2024U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program8Official

Is Columbia a good place to live?

There is no universal answer. The profile scores below show who the available published evidence may suit; they are a decision aid, not a personal recommendation.

Try your profile
Remote worker56%strong on work, weak on housing · range 46–66%
Skilled employee67%strong on work, weak on education · range 57–77%
Student35%strong on legal route, weak on education · range 24–46%
Family56%strong on family, weak on education · range 46–66%
Retirement52%strong on safety, weak on admin · range 40–64%
Foreign residents349 people31 Dec 2024Official source · Census Reporter (underlying U.S. Census ACS)
Population10,399 people31 Dec 2024Official source · U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program
Median monthly rent927.4 EUR/month31 Dec 2024Community source · Census Reporter ACS 2020-2024 5-year, table B25064 (underlying U.S. Census Bureau ACS)
Median gross salary2,891 EUR/month31 Dec 2024Community source · Census Reporter ACS 2020-2024 5-year, table B20002 (underlying U.S. Census Bureau ACS)
Unemployment rate3.15 %31 Dec 2024Official source · Census Reporter (underlying U.S. Census ACS)
PM2.5 — annual mean7.35 µg/m³31 Dec 2024Official source · U.S. EPA Air Quality System / AirData
Every value keeps its source, geographic scope and verification date · Last checked 2026-09-11

Yes — migrants can receive medical care in Columbia when the national insurance or residence conditions are met.

Healthcare access follows the country-wide insurance rules; local capacity facts remain city data and are not used as proof of eligibility.

Open the official coverage guide
Country rule verified 2026-08-03.

Common questions

Answered from the published values on this page, each with its source and date.

How many people live in Columbia?

The published population was 10,399 people in July 2024. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program.

Is the air quality good in Columbia?

The annual PM2.5 mean is about 7.3 µg/m³ (2024) — above the WHO 2021 guideline of 5 µg/m³ but within the EU limit of 25 µg/m³. Source: U.S. EPA Air Quality System / AirData.

How safe is Columbia?

Police recorded about 2,326 incidents per 100,000 (2024). This counts all offences, so it is not comparable with a violent-crime-only rate from another source. Source: FBI Crime Data Explorer / Uniform Crime Reporting.

What is the typical salary in Columbia?

The median gross salary is about 2,891 EUR/month (ACS 2020-2024 5-year). Source: Census Reporter ACS 2020-2024 5-year, table B20002 (underlying U.S. Census Bureau ACS).

What is the unemployment rate in Columbia?

The unemployment rate is about 3.2 % (2024). Source: Census Reporter (underlying U.S. Census ACS).

How many foreign residents live in Columbia?

349 people residents hold a foreign nationality. Source: Census Reporter (underlying U.S. Census ACS).

Is Columbia a good place to live?

Columbia may suit different people for different reasons. The page's profile scores compare published cost, work, housing, safety, healthcare and other available factors; they are a decision aid, not a universal recommendation.

Cite this page

Open a format to select or copy this ImmigrationDB compilation citation. The native disclosure and text fallback work without JavaScript.

APA citation
ImmigrationDB. (2026, September 12). Columbia (PA), United States: rent, salary [ImmigrationDB compilation; snapshot approved-static-d7ed373c115d60d0; version approved-static-d7ed373c115d60d0]. ImmigrationDB. https://immigrationdb.com/cities/us/columbia-pa-071/ Retrieved 2026-09-12. Compilation license: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
BibTeX citation
@misc{immigrationdb_immigrationdb_columbia-pa-united-states-rent-salary_38a0078530d5,
  author = {ImmigrationDB},
  title = {Columbia (PA), United States: rent, salary},
  publisher = {ImmigrationDB},
  year = {2026},
  date = {2026-09-12},
  version = {approved-static-d7ed373c115d60d0},
  snapshot = {approved-static-d7ed373c115d60d0},
  url = {https://immigrationdb.com/cities/us/columbia-pa-071/},
  note = {Retrieved 2026-09-12. ImmigrationDB compilation. Compilation license: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/},
}
Markdown citation
[Columbia (PA), United States: rent, salary](https://immigrationdb.com/cities/us/columbia-pa-071/) — ImmigrationDB; ImmigrationDB; snapshot approved-static-d7ed373c115d60d0; version approved-static-d7ed373c115d60d0; retrieved 2026-09-12; built 2026-09-12.

This citation identifies the ImmigrationDB compilation/page. Underlying source publishers and datasets retain their own terms; inspect the Sources section and cite those records separately. View the underlying source records.

Sources

JSON Markdown
  1. Census Reporter (underlying U.S. Census ACS) api.censusreporter.org · checked 2026-08-03
  2. FBI CIUS Table 8 by City 2025 (CDE offenses-known-to-le-2025.zip) cde.ucr.cjis.gov · checked 2026-09-05
  3. FBI Crime Data Explorer / Uniform Crime Reporting cde.ucr.cjis.gov · checked 2026-08-04
  4. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information ncei.noaa.gov · checked 2026-08-05
  5. OpenFlights raw.githubusercontent.com · checked 2026-08-03
  6. OurAirports davidmegginson.github.io · checked 2026-08-03
  7. U.S. Census Bureau (TIGERweb ArcGIS REST service) tigerweb.geo.census.gov · checked 2026-08-03
  8. U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program www2.census.gov · checked 2026-08-05
  9. U.S. EPA Air Quality System / AirData aqs.epa.gov · checked 2026-08-05
  10. Census Reporter ACS 2020-2024 5-year, table B20002 (underlying U.S. Census Bureau ACS) api.censusreporter.org · checked 2026-09-11
Show 1 more source
  1. Census Reporter ACS 2020-2024 5-year, table B25064 (underlying U.S. Census Bureau ACS) api.censusreporter.org · checked 2026-09-11

Spotted a number that looks wrong? Every value here carries its source and date — tell us what you found and we will re-check it against the source.