City profile · Tennessee · Census ACS 2023

Columbia, TN

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Columbia - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

43,971
Residents
$61,204
Median income
$261,700
Median home
$1,349
Median rent (state)

Columbia - the verdict

Nationally, Columbia sits in the 37th percentile for household income and the 15th percentile for safety among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

37th
percentile, household income
58th
percentile, home value
50th
percentile, median rent
15th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Columbia, TN

43,971 people live in Columbia, Tennessee - a small city by U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. The typical household in Columbia brings in $61,204 a year, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 11.1%. Columbia's housing stock carries a median value of $261,700, and the median resident age is 35.9 years. 23.9% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 62.6% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

In 2024, 777 residential building permits were authorized in Columbia (Building Boom), up 59% from five years earlier, per Census BPS data. Columbia's reported crime rate runs above the national norm: FBI UCR figures show 3060.3 crimes per 100,000 residents, above the national average (reporting is voluntary across agencies, so treat this as reporting activity rather than a definitive danger score). NOAA climate normals record an annual average temperature of 58.0°F with 56.8 inches of precipitation per year and 0.9 inches of snowfall.

Living costs in Tennessee run below the national norm: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts Tennessee at 91.9 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Well Below Average). Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $1,349 monthly. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in Tennessee run around $218, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. Natural-hazard exposure scores 79.3 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (High).

Population

43,971 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Tennessee

Median Household Income

$61,204 /yr

Poverty 11.1%

Cost of Living Index (state)

91.9 (US=100)

Well Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Tennessee average

How does Columbia compare to other US cities?

Here's how Columbia stacks up against the full field of US cities (population 1,000+), computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 37% higher than other cities
Home value 58% pricier than other cities
Median rent 50% pricier than other cities
Safety 15% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

A national percentile can hide a lot of local variation: narrowed to Tennessee alone, Columbia ranks #145 of 174 Tennessee cities by lowest crime rate - a different, more locally useful comparison than stacking it against the entire country.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Columbia against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to Tennessee only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

Tennessee-relative analysis

Median Home Value places Columbia toward the top of Tennessee's cities

Among the 455 Tennessee cities PlainCities tracks with reported median home value data, Columbia ranks #103 - the 77th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Columbia only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#189 of 458
59th percentile in Tennessee
Median Gross Rent
#130 of 482
73rd percentile in Tennessee
Median Home Value
#103 of 455
77th percentile in Tennessee
Poverty Rate
#220 of 482
54th percentile in Tennessee
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#136 of 482
71st percentile in Tennessee

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within Tennessee only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

37thIncome percentile
15thSafety percentile

37th percentile nationally for median household income · 15th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Columbia's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Columbia's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 33 Avg. percentile National median
Columbia's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Columbia's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$261,700 42nd percentile more affordable than 42% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). This entry sits in this band. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Columbia $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Columbia, TN Columbia, TN's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Columbia, TN-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Columbia, TN median $61,204/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Columbia, TN's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Columbia, TN. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 23.9%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 11.1%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 62.6%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
43,971
Median Income
$61,204
Median Home Value
$261,700
Median Age
35.9
Poverty Rate
11.1%
Labor force participation
62.6%
Bachelor's Degree+
23.9%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
3060.3
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
573.2
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
2487.1
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Climate

Avg Temperature
58.0°F
Annual Precipitation
56.8"
Annual Snowfall
0.9"

Schools

Total Schools
11
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
40,000 residents45,000 residents50,000 residents55,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 41,835 residents 50,072 residents ▲ +19.7%
Columbia's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📈 Building Boom
Total Permits (2024)
777
housing units authorized
Single-Family
747
detached homes
Multifamily
30
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
17.7
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 490
2020 636
2021 1,212
2022 873
2023 690
2024 777

Permit volume increased 59% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
75.8%
Carpool
9.1%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
1.8%
Work from Home
12.5%
Other
0.8%

Based on 20,952 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Tennessee - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$120
avg/month
Natural Gas
$58
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$40
avg/month
Total Utilities
$218
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Tennessee state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Tennessee state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Columbia sits in

Cost of Living Index
91.9
Well Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,349/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
79.3 / 100
High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Tennessee

Brentwood
45,272 people
Lebanon
41,951 people
Gallatin
46,667 people
Mount Juliet
40,828 people
Germantown
40,812 people
Cleveland
48,185 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Columbia's 43,971 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Oakland Park, FL
44,015 people
Gainesville, GA
44,051 people
Saginaw, MI
43,879 people
Saratoga Springs, UT
44,070 people
Greenacres, FL
43,871 people
Hicksville, NY
43,868 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Columbia's $61,204 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Eddyville, IA
$61,205 median income
Hastings, NE
$61,202 median income
Hebron, NE
$61,207 median income
Las Maravillas, NM
$61,200 median income
Guilford Lake, OH
$61,196 median income
Morrow, GA
$61,215 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Columbia, TN Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Columbia, TN - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 72.7% 15.6% 8.8% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 11.8% White 72.7% Black or African American 15.6% Asian 0.6% American Indian 0.5% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 1.7% Two or more races 8.8% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Columbia compares to nearby Tennessee cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Columbia (this city) 43,971 $61,204
Brentwood 45,272 $184,720
Lebanon 41,951 $71,320
Gallatin 46,667 $73,589
Census ACS 5-year FIPS TN FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Columbia, TN?

What is the population of Columbia, TN? +

Columbia, TN counts 43,971 residents according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Columbia, TN? +

Columbia households earn a median of $61,204 annually, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Columbia? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Columbia; the closest available measure is the Tennessee state average, a cost of living index of 91.9 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Well Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Tennessee vary by metro area.

Is Columbia, TN safe? +

Columbia has a total crime rate of 3060.3 per 100,000 residents, which is above the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Columbia, TN? +

Homes in Columbia carry a median value of $261,700, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Columbia? +

The average annual temperature in Columbia runs 58.0°F, 56.8 inches of precipitation, and 0.9 inches of snowfall per year. Source: NOAA Climate Normals.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.