City · Illinois
Columbia, Illinois
Columbia, city, mostly in Monroe County (98.3% of its 2020 residents), with a part in St. Clair County, Illinois. Columbia had 10,865 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, down 1.4% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 10,999 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 11,127 (±176). GEOID 1715833.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
10,865
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 10,999 · ACS 2020-2024: 11,127 ±176
Median household income
$107,606
±$11,510 (90% margin)
Illinois: $83,390
Median home value
$293,000
±$23,380 (90% margin)
Illinois: $263,300
Median gross rent
$1,128
±$72 (90% margin)
Illinois: $1,274
Where is Columbia and what county is it in?
Columbia is a city mostly in Monroe County (98.3% of its 2020 residents), with a part in St. Clair County, Illinois. It covers 10.6 square miles of land, 1,043 residents per square mile in 2020.
Columbia is in the St. Louis, MO-IL metropolitan statistical area, which takes in 15 counties (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Columbia lies partly within Sugar Loaf Township, a township with its own local government (2020 census blocks).
| County | 2020 residents | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Monroe County | 10,809 | 98.3% |
| St. Clair County | 190 | 1.7% |
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Columbia, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 10,865 people lived in Columbia on July 1, 2025, down 1.4% since 2020, a steeper fall than Illinois's (−0.8%). The 2020 Census counted 10,999 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 11,127 (±176).
| Measure | Columbia | Monroe County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 11,127 ±176 | 35,036 | +375 |
| Households | 4,448 ±212 | 13,851 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.48 ±0.12 | 2.51 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 4,735 ±200 | 14,759 | +367 |
Columbia's population since 2000
From 7,922 in 2000 to 10,865 in 2025: up 37.1%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Columbia as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Columbia?
The median resident of Columbia is 42.4 years old; 23.9% are under 18 and 16.5% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 94.9%, then non-Hispanic residents of two or more races at 2.5%.
| Measure | Columbia | Monroe County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 42.4 ±2.9 | 43.2 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 23.9% ±2.1 pts | 21.8% | – |
| 65 years and over | 16.5% ±1.7 pts | 19.7% | – |
| Male | 49.3% ±2.8 pts | 50.2% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 1.7% ±1.1 pts | 1.9% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 94.9% ±1.5 pts | 95.0% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.7% ±0.8 pts | 0.6% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.1% ±0.2 pts | 0.6% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.1 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.3 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 2.5% ±1.1 pts | 1.6% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.1% ±0.2 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 0.6% ±0.5 pts | 1.2% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 2.9% ±1.3 pts | 2.1% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 8.5% ±1.6 pts | 8.7% | – |
| With a disability | 9.6% ±2.1 pts | 10.6% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 2.4% ±1.2 pts | 2.5% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 97.7% ±1.3 pts | 96.0% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 49.0% ±5.0 pts | 38.7% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 18.1% ±3.8 pts | 13.7% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 90.7% ±5.2 pts | 92.6% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 1.4% ±0.9 pts | 0.9% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Columbia earn?
Half of Columbia's 4,448 households earn less than $107,606 a year (±$11,510), against $102,880 in Monroe County and $83,390 in Illinois. In 2015-2019 it was $121,810 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 5.4% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Columbia | Monroe County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $107,606 ±$11,510 | $102,880 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $127,467 ±$10,130 | $123,402 | – |
| Per capita income | $51,601 ±$3,746 | $49,605 | −$10,903 |
| People below the poverty line | 5.4% ±1.9 pts | 5.0% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 4.9% ±3.6 pts | 5.2% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 2.7% ±2.0 pts | 4.4% | – |
| Households with a computer | 96.0% ±2.5 pts | 94.7% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 94.0% ±2.9 pts | 92.7% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Columbia?
Owners occupy 82.4% of Columbia's occupied homes and renters 17.6%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $293,000 by its owner (±$23,380). The median renter pays $1,128 a month including utilities, and 41.3% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Columbia | Monroe County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $293,000 ±$23,380 | $282,100 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $1,128 ±$72 | $1,042 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 41.3% ±14.7 pts | 39.5% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,966 ±$139 | $1,973 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 82.4% ±3.4 pts | 84.7% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 17.6% ±3.4 pts | 15.3% | – |
| Housing units | 4,735 ±200 | 14,759 | +367 |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 1.0% ±1.1 pts | 0.9% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 3.5% ±5.4 pts | 3.4% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 81.1% ±3.5 pts | 83.5% | – |
| Mobile homes | 0.8% ±0.6 pts | 1.9% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 1.5% ±1.1 pts | 1.3% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 13.2% ±4.3 pts | 11.1% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 7.8% ±2.4 pts | 9.8% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 4.7% ±2.4 pts | 4.0% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How many new homes is Columbia building?
Builders took permits for 10 new housing units in Columbia in 2025 (10 in single-family houses), 0.9 per 1,000 residents against 1.5 across Illinois.
Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in Columbia work and get to work?
82.0% of Columbia's workers drive alone and 12.5% work from home. The average trip to work takes 26.4 minutes.
| Measure | Columbia | Monroe County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 70.1% ±2.7 pts | 68.3% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 1.4% ±1.1 pts | 1.9% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 82.0% ±3.3 pts | 79.7% | – |
| Carpooled | 2.8% ±1.6 pts | 5.7% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±0.6 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Walked | 1.8% ±1.3 pts | 1.5% | – |
| Worked from home | 12.5% ±2.9 pts | 12.6% | +7.5 pts |
| Mean travel time to work | 26.4 min ±2.3 | 28.3 min | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Columbia?
2 census tracts lie mostly in Columbia, and 2 more reach into it (2020 census blocks). Their median household incomes run from $77,500 (Tract 6001.03) to $136,113 (Tract 6001.04).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 6001.04Monroe County | 5,076 | $136,113 |
| Tract 6001.03Monroe County | 3,435 | $77,500 |
| Tract 6001.02Monroe County | 4,654 | $112,838 |
| Tract 5031.01St. Clair County | 2,672 | $112,740 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Columbia) · Census block assignment files
How does Columbia compare with other places in Illinois?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Columbia is the 3,031st-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 211th-most populous of 1,294 in Illinois.
Columbia ranks 257th of 1,380 places in Illinois with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 211th | 1,294 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 529th | 1,347 |
| Residents per square mile | 607th | 1,383 |
| Median household income | 257th | 1,380 |
| Per capita income | 227th | 1,383 |
| Median home value | 264th | 1,379 |
| Median gross rent | 440th | 1,280 |
| Poverty rate | 936th | 1,119 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 161st | 1,369 |
| Median age | 529th | 1,383 |
| Owner-occupied share | 472nd | 1,382 |
| Work from home | 411th | 1,015 |
| Travel time to work | 608th | 1,382 |
Columbia's figures with every place in Illinois (CSV)
Every place in Illinois, sortable · Compare Columbia with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Columbia?
15 of the 57 figures for Columbia on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Columbia are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' public schools in Columbia.