Living in Columbia

In Columbia (Maryland), unemployment is 4.2% (2024).

Columbia registered an unemployment rate of 4.18% at the end of 2024. At the end of 2024, the foreign population in Columbia numbered 21,693.

Last checked 2026-10-0726 sources

Population104,338people31 Dec 2024Community source · Census Reporter ACS 2020-2024 5-year, table B01003 (underlying U.S. Census Bureau ACS)

Median gross salary5,469EUR/month31 Dec 2020Official source · 2024 American Community Survey 5-year detailed tables

Median rent1,887EUR/month31 Dec 2020Official source · ACS 2020-2024 5-year table-based Summary File, table B25064 (Median Gross Rent), place records

Unemployment rate4.18%country median 4.6% — 8% belowOfficial source · Census Reporter (underlying U.S. Census ACS)

PM2.5, annual mean5.59µg/m³31 Dec 2024Nearest stationOfficial source · US EPA Air Quality System (AQS)

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

What recurs every month2 published recurring costs, € per month

€ / month

Internet, 60 Mbps€60

Mobile plan, 10 GB€22

Metric	Value	Period	Source
Internet, 60 Mbps unlimited	60.38 EUR/month	30 Sept 2026	Verizon 300 Mbps home internet¹⁶Official · national market
Mobile plan, 10 GB	21.57 EUR/month	30 Sept 2026	Visible unlimited mobile plan¹⁷Official · national market
Average monthly rent (whole dwelling)	1,901 EUR/month	31 Dec 2020	ACS 2020-2024 5-year table-based Summary File, tables B25065 (Aggregate Gross Rent) and B25063 (Gross Rent, units with cash rent)³Official
Median monthly rent	1,887 EUR/month	31 Dec 2020	ACS 2020-2024 5-year table-based Summary File, table B25064 (Median Gross Rent), place records²Official

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 worker35%strong on work, weak on safety · range 25–45%

Skilled employee44%strong on work, weak on safety · range 35–53%

Student34%strong on legal route, weak on safety · range 23–45%

Family35%strong on family, weak on safety · range 24–46%

Retirement32%strong on air quality, weak on admin · range 19–45%

Work and income

What is the typical salary in Columbia?

The median gross salary is about 5,469 EUR/month (2020-2024). Source: 2024 American Community Survey 5-year detailed tables¹

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

What is the unemployment rate in Columbia?

The unemployment rate is about 4.2 % (2024).

Unemployment rate: 4.18 % · Census Reporter (underlying U.S. Census ACS)⁵

Unemployment across cities in United StatesUnemployment in Columbia is 4.2%. Of 2,153 cities with data, 1,250 have unemployment of 0 to under 5%.

1,250

778

0–55–1010–1515–2020–2525–30

Columbia 4.2%

Unemployment rate (%)

Metric	Value	Period	Source
Median gross salary	5,469 EUR/month	31 Dec 2020	2024 American Community Survey 5-year detailed tables¹Official
Unemployment rate	4.18 %country median 4.6%	31 Dec 2024	Census Reporter (underlying U.S. Census ACS)⁵Official

What does a salary buy in Columbia?

Take-home pay after tax, minus rent and the everyday bills this city publishes. Each line names its source.

Left over each month€2,134of €4,118 take-home

Rent
Internet
Mobile
Left over

Line-by-line breakdown and sources

Each month	€
Take-home payOECD Taxing Wages 2025, single, no children. Includes central and local income tax and employee social contributions; euro amounts at the ECB average for 2026-08.	€4,118
Rentaverage rent of a whole dwelling · official · ACS 2020-2024 5-year table-based Summary File, tables B25065 (Aggregate Gross Rent) and B25063 (Gross Rent, units with cash rent) · 2020-12-31	− €1,901
Internet€60 · official · Verizon 300 Mbps home internet · 2026-09-30	− €60
Mobile plan€22 · official · Visible unlimited mobile plan · 2026-09-30	− €22
Other everyday billsnot published for this city: public transport pass, utilities	—
Left overbefore the bills this city does not publish	€2,134

Take-home pay for other salaries and households Compare with another city Check a job offer in Columbia Salary needed to live in Columbia

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.

Healthcare

Metric	Value	Period	Source
Physicians per 100,000 residents	711.3 per 100,000	31 Dec 2023	Area Health Resources Files (AHRF), County 2024-2025 release⁴Official · county

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.

Mobility and administration

Columbia's nearest airport was BWI, 16 km away and offered 72 direct destinations.

Metric	Value	Period	Source
Direct destinations from the nearest major airport	72 count	3 Aug 2026	OpenFlights¹²Official
Distance to the nearest major airport	16 km	3 Aug 2026	OurAirports¹³Official
Nearest major airport (IATA code)	BWI	3 Aug 2026	OurAirports¹³Official

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, HybridCost varies

Open official information

USCIS English and citizenship class finder — Civic Orientation

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services

For immigrants, future citizens.

EnglishIn Person, OnlineCost varies

Open official information

Open the full United States section

National programme information is not treated as proof of a course location in Columbia.

Find courses near Columbia

Climate and air quality

The annual PM2.5 concentration measured 5.6 µg/m³ at the end of 2024. Monthly mean temperature moved from 1.3°C in January to 25.7°C in July.

Is the air quality good in Columbia?

The annual PM2.5 mean is about 5.6 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: 5.59 µg/m³ · US EPA Air Quality System (AQS)¹⁵

Temperature through the yearAverage daytime high and night-time low, °C

0°

6°-4°

8°-3°

13°1°

19°6°

24°12°

29°17°

32°20°

30°19°

27°15°

20°8°

14°3°

9°-1°

JFMAMJJASOND

Night-time low to daytime high

Rainfall through the yearAverage monthly precipitation, mm

102

101

114

104

113

100

JFMAMJJASOND

Air quality vs health guidelinesAnnual means against WHO 2021 guidelines and EU legal limits

Within WHO 2021 guidelineAbove WHO, within EU limitAbove EU legal limitCity annual mean · µg/m³

PM2.55.6WHO 5 · EU 25

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 5.6 µg/m³. Of 968 cities with data, 261 have annual PM2.5 of 6 to under 7 µg/m³.

135

261

252

124

1–22–33–44–55–66–77–88–99–1010–1111–1212–1313–1414–1515–16

Columbia 5.6

Annual PM2.5 (µg/m³)

Metric	Value	Period	Source
PM2.5 — annual mean	5.59 µg/m³	31 Dec 2024	US EPA Air Quality System (AQS)¹⁵Official · nearest-station reading
Average daytime high by month	Jan 6.2 · Feb 8 · Mar 12.6 · Apr 19.2 · May 24.1 · Jun 29.1 · Jul 31.5 · Aug 30.3 · Sep 26.5 · Oct 20.2 · Nov 14.1 · Dec 8.6 °C	31 Dec 1991	NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI)⁷Official · nearest-station reading
Average night-time low by month	Jan -3.7 · Feb -2.8 · Mar 1.1 · Apr 6.4 · May 11.8 · Jun 17 · Jul 19.8 · Aug 18.8 · Sep 14.9 · Oct 8.1 · Nov 2.5 · Dec -1.3 °C	31 Dec 1991	NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI)⁷Official · nearest-station reading
Average temperature by month	Jan 1.3 · Feb 2.6 · Mar 6.9 · Apr 12.8 · May 18 · Jun 23 · Jul 25.7 · Aug 24.5 · Sep 20.7 · Oct 14.1 · Nov 8.3 · Dec 3.7 °C	31 Dec 1991	NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI)⁷Official · nearest-station reading
Average precipitation by month	Jan 78.3 · Feb 73.7 · Mar 102 · Apr 86 · May 97.9 · Jun 101 · Jul 113.9 · Aug 103.8 · Sep 112.7 · Oct 100.1 · Nov 79.5 · Dec 94.2 mm	31 Dec 1991	NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI)⁷Official · nearest-station reading
PM2.5, highest monitored reading	22.2 µg/m³	31 Dec 2024	US EPA Air Quality System (AQS)¹⁵Official · nearest-station reading
PM2.5, annual mean	6.56 µg/m³	31 Dec 2024	US EPA Air Quality System (AQS)¹⁵Official · nearest-station reading
Annual precipitation	1,143 mm	31 Dec 1991	NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI)⁸Official · nearest-station reading
Maximum July temperature	31.5 °C	31 Dec 1991	NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI)⁹Official · nearest-station reading
Average annual temperature	13.5 °C	31 Dec 1991	NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI)¹⁰Official · nearest-station reading
Minimum January temperature	-3.7 °C	31 Dec 1991	NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI)¹¹Official · nearest-station reading

Similar climate. In United States: Murfreesboro ±1.5 °C. Elsewhere: Reims (France) ±3.6 °C, Cottbus (Germany) ±3.7 °C, Markham (Canada) ±3.8 °C, Mississauga (Canada) ±3.8 °C, Richmond Hill (Canada) ±3.8 °C. Twenty closest, compared month by month

Monthly highs and lows against the 1991–2020 station normals of the nearest station; ± is the average monthly difference.

Population and city profile

At the end of 2025, the city's area measured 82.7 km². Columbia's population density measured 1,261.5 people per km² at the end of 2024.

How many people live in Columbia?

The published population was 104,338 people in ACS 2020-2024 5-year. Source: Census Reporter ACS 2020-2024 5-year, table B01003 (underlying U.S. Census Bureau ACS)¹⁸

Who lives hereResidents by nationality, % of population

By nationality

National passport79.2%
Foreign residents20.8%

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

Metric	Value	Period	Source
City area	82.71 km²	31 Dec 2025	U.S. Census Bureau (TIGERweb ArcGIS REST service)¹⁴Official
Foreign-resident share	20.79 %	31 Dec 2024	Census Reporter (underlying U.S. Census ACS)⁵Official
Foreign residents	21,693 people	31 Dec 2024	Census Reporter (underlying U.S. Census ACS)⁵Official
Population density	1,262 people/km²	31 Dec 2024	Census Reporter (underlying U.S. Census ACS)⁵Official
Population	104,338 people	31 Dec 2024	Census Reporter ACS 2020-2024 5-year, table B01003 (underlying U.S. Census Bureau ACS)¹⁸Community estimate · Supplemental context

Alternatives for people set on Columbia

Three places for the three reasons people leave a city on the shortlist: stay in the region, stay in the country, or keep the budget and change the country. A percentage appears only where both cities publish that metric from the same source, period and grain. Distances are straight lines — travel times are not collected yet.

McLean as a Columbia alternative in the same region

42 km away, better on 3 of 3 metrics measured the same way, worse on 0.

Median gross pay, city: €10,418 McLean vs €5,469 Columbia+91%
Unemployment: 2.3% McLean vs 4.2% Columbia−46%
Foreign residents: 25.0% McLean vs 20.8% Columbia+20%

Full comparison More about McLean

Cities near Columbia

Published cities within 25 km, nearest first. Distances are straight-line.

Ellicott City 7.8 km away

Rent: 1,904 EUR/monthMedian monthly rent · 2020-12-31
Salary: 6,412 EUR/monthMedian gross salary · 2020-12-31

Scaggsville 8.7 km away

Rent: 3,235 EUR/monthMedian monthly rent · 2020-12-31
Salary: 6,814 EUR/monthMedian gross salary · 2020-12-31

Ilchester 9.0 km away

Rent: 1,954 EUR/monthMedian monthly rent · 2020-12-31

Jessup 11.2 km away

Rent: 2,021 EUR/monthMedian monthly rent · 2020-12-31
Salary: 4,582 EUR/monthMedian gross salary · 2020-12-31

West Elkridge 11.3 km away

Rent: 2,120 EUR/monthMedian monthly rent · 2020-12-31
Salary: 6,006 EUR/monthMedian gross salary · 2020-12-31

Elkridge 12.5 km away

Rent: 2,120 EUR/monthMedian monthly rent · 2020-12-31
Salary: 6,006 EUR/monthMedian gross salary · 2020-12-31

Alternative cities in United States

Other cities in United States to compare with Columbia, nearest in population first.

All United States cities

Lynn104,236 residents Suffolk104,699 residents Fishers104,812 residents Vacaville103,850 residents Renton104,975 residents Sandy Springs105,013 residents

How does Columbia compare?

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Put Columbia's key facts on your site — a card with this page's figures and a link back, free under CC BY 4.0.

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 104,338 people in ACS 2020-2024 5-year. Source: Census Reporter ACS 2020-2024 5-year, table B01003 (underlying U.S. Census Bureau ACS).

Is the air quality good in Columbia?

The annual PM2.5 mean is about 5.6 µg/m³ (2024) — above the WHO 2021 guideline of 5 µg/m³ but within the EU limit of 25 µg/m³. Source: US EPA Air Quality System (AQS).

What is the typical salary in Columbia?

The median gross salary is about 5,469 EUR/month (2020-2024). Source: 2024 American Community Survey 5-year detailed tables.

What is the unemployment rate in Columbia?

The unemployment rate is about 4.2 % (2024). Source: Census Reporter (underlying U.S. Census ACS).

How many foreign residents live in Columbia?

21,693 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.

Which cities are near Columbia?

Ellicott City, Scaggsville, Ilchester, Jessup, West Elkridge are near Columbia. Typed relationship labels are shown where published; other rows use straight-line distance from admitted coordinates.

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, October 16). Columbia (Maryland), United States: population, rent, salary [ImmigrationDB compilation; version 00049285e5661e7dfea03f9c942500ad]. ImmigrationDB. https://immigrationdb.com/cities/us/columbia/ Retrieved 2026-10-16. Compilation license: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

BibTeX citation

@misc{immigrationdb_immigrationdb_columbia-maryland-united-states-population-rent-salary_e23a1fea2563,
  author = {ImmigrationDB},
  title = {Columbia (Maryland), United States: population, rent, salary},
  publisher = {ImmigrationDB},
  year = {2026},
  date = {2026-10-16},
  version = {00049285e5661e7dfea03f9c942500ad},
  url = {https://immigrationdb.com/cities/us/columbia/},
  note = {Retrieved 2026-10-16. ImmigrationDB compilation. Compilation license: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/},
}

Markdown citation

[Columbia (Maryland), United States: population, rent, salary](https://immigrationdb.com/cities/us/columbia/) — ImmigrationDB; ImmigrationDB; version 00049285e5661e7dfea03f9c942500ad; retrieved 2026-10-16; built 2026-10-16.

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

2024 American Community Survey 5-year detailed tables api.census.gov · checked 2026-10-04
ACS 2020-2024 5-year table-based Summary File, table B25064 (Median Gross Rent), place records www2.census.gov · checked 2026-09-18
ACS 2020-2024 5-year table-based Summary File, tables B25065 (Aggregate Gross Rent) and B25063 (Gross Rent, units with cash rent) www2.census.gov · checked 2026-09-19
Area Health Resources Files (AHRF), County 2024-2025 release data.hrsa.gov · checked 2026-10-04
Census Reporter (underlying U.S. Census ACS) api.censusreporter.org · checked 2026-08-03
download.geonames.org recorded crime data download.geonames.org · checked 2026-08-28
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) ncei.noaa.gov · checked 2026-08-06
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) nodc.noaa.gov · checked 2026-08-07
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) nodc.noaa.gov · checked 2026-08-07
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) nodc.noaa.gov · checked 2026-08-07

Show 16 more sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) nodc.noaa.gov · checked 2026-08-07
OpenFlights raw.githubusercontent.com · checked 2026-08-03
OurAirports davidmegginson.github.io · checked 2026-08-03
U.S. Census Bureau (TIGERweb ArcGIS REST service) tigerweb.geo.census.gov · checked 2026-08-03
US EPA Air Quality System (AQS) aqs.epa.gov · checked 2026-08-06
Verizon 300 Mbps home internet verizon.com · checked 2026-09-15
Visible unlimited mobile plan visible.com · checked 2026-09-15
Census Reporter ACS 2020-2024 5-year, table B01003 (underlying U.S. Census Bureau ACS) api.censusreporter.org · checked 2026-09-11
Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06

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