1st Advantage MortgageIn Columbia County, Pennsylvania, the typical household earns $64,644 a year and the typical rent is $943. Whatever your own numbers, compare written offers on APR, fees and total cost, and verify the lender is licensed in Pennsylvania before sharing details.
On this page
- Who lives in Columbia County
- What Columbia County households earn
- What it costs to live in Columbia County
- Work, industries and travel time in Columbia County
- Regional comparison for Columbia County
- Columbia County towns compared
- Who lives in Columbia County, in numbers
- Local borrowing considerations for Columbia County
- Budget math at the Columbia County median
- Before you sign
- Licensing and complaints for Columbia County
- Related local guides
- Frequently asked questions
Who lives in Columbia County
With an estimated 65,362 residents (ACS 2020 to 2024), Columbia County ranks 39th of 67 in Pennsylvania for population. Packed into 483 square miles, that is close to 135 residents for every square mile of land. Under the July 2023 OMB definitions, Columbia County is not part of any metropolitan area. Bloomsburg is the biggest of its 31 Census places, at roughly 13,024 people (20% of the county total).
What Columbia County households earn
The median household income in Columbia County is $64,644; statewide it is $77,971, so Columbia County runs 17% below Pennsylvania as a whole. In the state ranking that is 40th of 67.
| Income band | Share in Columbia County | Difference from Pennsylvania |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 27.4% | +5.4 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 43.2% | +4.1 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 24.0% | -3.0 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 5.4% | -6.5 pts |
The spread is wide: 29% of Columbia County households make $100,000 or more, and 27% make less than $35,000. The poverty rate is 13.7%, 2 points higher than the state's 11.7%. Income inequality, measured by the Gini index, comes to 0.436 here. A household earning below the $64,644 median should test any payment carefully; one earning above it should still pick the shortest term it can manage.
What it costs to live in Columbia County
Median gross rent, utilities included, comes to $943 in Columbia County versus $1,209 statewide. 42% of renting households spend 30% or more of income on rent, and 21% spend half or more. With a median value of $206,200, a typical Columbia County house costs 3.2 times what the median household earns in a year. The ownership rate is 69%. Half the housing stock was built before 1970.
| Cost | Columbia County | Pennsylvania figure | Median county, U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $943/mo | $1,209/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $206,200 | $254,500 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 69% | 69% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 42% | 48% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 24% | 24% | n/a |
| Mobile homes | 8.1% | 3.5% | n/a |
Work, industries and travel time in Columbia County
The biggest employer of Columbia County residents, by industry, is education and health care at 30% of workers, followed by manufacturing (14%). Compared with Pennsylvania, the county leans toward education and health care (30% against 27%). ACS puts five-year average unemployment at 6.0% in Columbia County. 10% of commuters travel 45 minutes or more each way, and 13% work from home.
| Sector | Columbia County | Compared with Pennsylvania |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 29.9% | +3.2 pts |
| Manufacturing | 14.4% | +3.0 pts |
| Retail trade | 11.6% | +0.5 pts |
| Arts, lodging and food service | 9.3% | +1.9 pts |
| Professional and administrative services | 5.8% | -5.5 pts |
| Construction | 5.8% | -0.2 pts |
Industry shapes paperwork. Salaried and public jobs are easy to verify, while hourly, tipped, commission or contract earners in Columbia County should have bank statements and tax returns ready.
Regional comparison for Columbia County
Montour County is closest, 14 miles from center to center; the sixth, Union County, is 34 miles off. Montour County leads the group on income ($76,976), Northumberland County trails ($60,583), and Columbia County out-earns 2 of the six.
| County | Miles | Median household income | Median rent | Homeownership |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbia County | - | $64,644 | $943/mo | 69% |
| Montour County, PA | 14 mi | $76,976 | $1,142/mo | 68% |
| Northumberland County, PA | 21 mi | $60,583 | $806/mo | 75% |
| Luzerne County, PA | 24 mi | $63,691 | $1,004/mo | 68% |
| Schuylkill County, PA | 26 mi | $68,313 | $876/mo | 76% |
| Sullivan County, PA | 28 mi | $69,764 | $775/mo | 85% |
| Union County, PA | 34 mi | $76,404 | $974/mo | 72% |
Columbia County towns compared
The table lists the 14 largest of 31 Census places in Columbia County, by population. Together all 31 hold about 37,565 people, so roughly 43% of residents live outside any named place. Incomes vary by place: $79,038 at the median in Espy, $42,647 in Briar Creek. Median rent ranges from $644 in Catawissa to $1,163 in Almedia. None of the 31 has its own city guide, so this page covers all of them.
| Town or CDP | Type | People | Median household income | Median gross rent | Miles from center |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bloomsburg | town | 13,024 | $51,536 | $980 | 4 mi |
| Berwick | borough | 10,317 | $49,800 | $797 | 8 mi |
| Espy | CDP | 1,624 | $79,038 | $1,101 | 3 mi |
| Catawissa | borough | 1,536 | $51,992 | $644 | 7 mi |
| Almedia | CDP | 1,271 | $67,361 | $1,163 | 2 mi |
| Mifflinville | CDP | 1,193 | $48,173 | $974 | 5 mi |
| Lightstreet | CDP | 1,156 | $70,739 | $1,132 | 1 mi |
| Millville | borough | 943 | $65,469 | $772 | 8 mi |
| Lime Ridge | CDP | 842 | $63,148 | $994 | 3 mi |
| Briar Creek | borough | 828 | $42,647 | $680 | 6 mi |
| Buckhorn | CDP | 646 | $59,531 | n/a | 5 mi |
| Benton | borough | 485 | $34,500 | $956 | 10 mi |
| Fernville | CDP | 456 | $68,750 | n/a | 5 mi |
| Orangeville | borough | 421 | $63,854 | $1,096 | 2 mi |
Who lives in Columbia County, in numbers
27% of Columbia County adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or more. The uninsured rate is 4.0%, against 5.6% for Pennsylvania.
| Columbia County | Pennsylvania | U.S. county median | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 41.0 | 40.9 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 26.6% | 35.2% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 7.4% | 7.9% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 4.0% | 5.6% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 7.3% | 10.4% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 12.9% | 15.6% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 13.7% | 11.7% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 6.0% | 5.3% | 4.4% |
| Commute length | Columbia County |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 37.5% |
| 15 to 29 min | 36.3% |
| 30 to 44 min | 16.2% |
| 45 to 59 min | 4.9% |
| 60+ min | 5.0% |
Local borrowing considerations for Columbia County
The county's numbers point to a few situations that come up often for Columbia County borrowers.
- Know your credit. Review all three bureau reports for free (AnnualCreditReport.com).
- Fraud. Gift cards, wire transfers or fees to unlock a loan mean walk away (report it).
- Requirements. Lenders weigh credit history, documented income and existing debt (what to gather).
Budget math at the Columbia County median
Here is the Columbia County median household run through a simple DTI check. Your numbers will differ.
- $5,387 a month: gross income for a household at the Columbia County median
- Less median rent of $943, which is 18% of it
- $1,212: what a 40% ratio leaves once rent is paid
Two-income households and single earners in Columbia County land in very different places on this math, so run it for your own budget.
Before you sign
Quick steps for Columbia County:
- Size the loan to the bill, not to the most a lender offers.
- Prequalify with soft pulls where offered, then compare in writing.
- Look the lender up with the state regulator first.
- Ask a Columbia County credit union about member loans.
Licensing and complaints for Columbia County
No county office licenses personal lenders. For Columbia County, check the Pennsylvania Department of Banking and Securities. Banks and credit unions have their own regulators, and the CFPB takes complaints about any lender. More on Pennsylvania: Pennsylvania personal loans.
Related local guides
The Pennsylvania guide covers the whole state.
Frequently asked questions
How much do households in Columbia County earn?
The median is $64,644; 29% earn $100,000 or more and 27% under $35,000. A lender uses your own documented income, not this figure.
How much is rent in Columbia County?
Median gross rent, utilities included, is $943 a month; 42% of renters spend 30% or more of income on it.
I live in a small Columbia County town. Is this my guide?
Yes. If your town has no city guide, this county page is the local one; it covers Bloomsburg, Berwick, Espy, Catawissa, Almedia and 26 more.
Will a Columbia County address affect my match?
Beyond confirming Pennsylvania as your state, no. Your answers about amount, credit, income and payments are all that count.
Where can someone in Columbia County check a lender's license?
With the Pennsylvania Department of Banking and Securities. If a lender is unlicensed or asks for a fee before funding, walk away.