Columbia County, New York
Located in New York, Columbia County has a population of 61,100 residents and a median age of 49.8 years, making it the #884 most populous county out of 3,222 nationwide. In terms of economic indicators, the county has a poverty rate of 12.1%. The median home value is $347,100, and the median household income is $81,528, which is 8% above the national median.
Demographics
Columbia County has a population of 61,100, making it the #884 most populous county in the US. The median age is 49.8 years, which is 28.0% above the national median.
Population Trend
Rankings →Year-over-Year Population Growth
Age & Sex Distribution
Race & Ethnicity
Nativity
Geographic Mobility (Past Year)
Economy
The median household income in Columbia County is $81,528, ranking #523 out of 3,222 counties — 8.5% above the national median. The poverty rate is 12.1% and unemployment stands at 5.4%.
Median Household Income Trend
Rankings →Income Distribution
Industry of Employment
Occupation
Housing
The median home value in Columbia County is $347,100 (+23.1% vs national). Renters pay a median of $1,260/mo and the homeownership rate is 76.3%.
Median Home Value Trend
Rankings →Household Type
Education
In Columbia County, 39.4% of adults age 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher, which is 16.8% above the national average, ranking #295 out of 3,222 counties.
Bachelor's Degree or Higher Trend
Rankings →Health & Wellbeing
Life expectancy in Columbia County is 79.2 years. 14.2% of adults report poor or fair health and 5.5% lack health insurance. Data from County Health Rankings (2025).
Life Expectancy Trend
Substance Use
14.6% of adults in Columbia County smoke , 33.0% are obese , and 23.1% report excessive drinking. The drug overdose death rate is 23.6 per 100,000.
Adult Smoking Trend
Safety
The suicide rate is 13.3 per 100,000. Motor vehicle deaths occur at a rate of 9.7 per 100,000.
Suicide Rate Trend
Families & Children
17.5% of children in Columbia County live in poverty and the infant mortality rate is 5.7 per 1,000 live births. The teen birth rate is 9.2 per 1,000 females age 15–19.
Teen Birth Rate Trend
Civic & Transportation
Voter turnout in Columbia County is 74.7%. The mean commute time is 27.4 min, which is 0.6% below the national average.
Voter Turnout Trend
Mean Commute Time Trend
Rankings →Elections
In the 2024 presidential election, Columbia County voted Democratic with a margin of 14.8%. The vote was 57.4% Dem / 42.6% Rep. Compared to 2020, the margin shifted 1.9 toward Republicans .
Vote Share Over Time
About Columbia County, New York
Columbia County, New York has a total population of 61,100, making it the 884th most populous county in the United States. The median age in Columbia County is 49.8 years, which is 28.0% above the national median of 38.9 years.
The median household income in Columbia County is $81,528, which ranks #523 of 3,222 counties nationwide. This is 8.5% above the national median of $75,149. The poverty rate is 12.1%, lower than the national rate of 12.6%. The unemployment rate stands at 5.4%.
The median home value in Columbia County is $347,100, 23.1% above the national median. Renters in Columbia County pay a median gross rent of $1,260 per month. The homeownership rate is 76.3%, compared to the national rate of 64.4%.
In Columbia County, 39.4% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 16.8% above the national average of 33.7%. Health insurance coverage stands at 96.6% of the population. The average commute time for workers is 27.4 min.
Columbia County is a diverse community. The largest racial or ethnic group is White (non-Hispanic) at 82.4% of the population, followed by Hispanic or Latino (6.3%) and Two or More Races (4.8%).
All data for Columbia County, New York comes from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates. These figures are estimates based on survey sampling and are subject to margin of error. For the most detailed and up-to-date data, visit the Census Bureau's official data portal.