Living in Columbia, IL

Explore Columbia and see how it fits the life you want to build.

11,127 Population Monroe & St. Clair Counties Counties City Place Type Illinois State
Overall Match8.4 / 10

Baseline match from currently available location scores. Choose priorities to personalize it.

Columbia at a Glance

Key facts and current data

Population11,127
Median Household Income$107,606
Median Home Value$293,000
Median Gross Rent$1,128
Median Age42.4
Average Household Size2.5
Unemployment1.4%
Work From Home12.5%
Homeownership82.4%
Housing Vacancy6.1%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020-2024 ACS 5-Year.

Columbia is a smaller community, so land use, housing supply and its relationship with surrounding communities can be especially important to movers. Home values are relatively modest compared with local household income, giving the area a comparatively favorable ownership-affordability signal. Unemployment is relatively low, which is a positive current labor-market signal.

Experience the Area

Experience Life in Columbia Before You Move

Explore Short-Term Stays in Columbia →Stay options powered by Stay22 · affiliate

NarrowTheList highly recommends you spend a week or two in Columbia and experience everyday life before deciding whether it is the right place to call home. Use that time to explore neighborhoods, drive your normal routes, shop where residents shop, and get a feel for the area at different times of day.

NarrowTheList Ratings

Data-driven starter ratings. More categories appear automatically as new datasets are added.

Housing Value4.2 / 5Home values compared with local household income.
Employment4.8 / 5Lower unemployment produces a stronger rating.
Housing Stability3.9 / 5Combines homeownership and housing vacancy.
Remote Work Friendly3.3 / 5Based on the share of residents working from home.
Income Strength4.8 / 5Household income compared on a national scale.

These are location-wide baseline ratings, not your personal match score. Your own priorities can change which factors matter most.

Housing & Cost of Living in Columbia

Current housing indicators from the U.S. Census Bureau

Median Home Value$293,000
Median Gross Rent$1,128
Homeownership82.4%
Housing Vacancy6.1%
Housing Value8.4/10
Housing Stability7.8/10

Home values are comparatively balanced against local household income, although individual neighborhoods can still vary substantially. A large majority of occupied homes are owner-occupied.

Jobs, Income & Remote Work

Employment and household-income context for Columbia, IL

Median Household Income$107,606
Unemployment1.4%
Work From Home12.5%
Employment9.6/10
Remote Work Friendly6.6/10
Income Strength9.6/10

The reported unemployment rate is relatively low. A meaningful share of employed residents work from home.

Population & Household Profile

Who lives in Columbia and how households are structured

Population11,127
Median Age42.4
Average Household Size2.5

Columbia is a smaller community, so its relationship with nearby towns, employment centers and services can be especially important.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020-2024 ACS 5-Year. NarrowTheList presents these values as relocation context; conditions can vary within a community.

Climate & Weather in Columbia

Long-term NOAA climate normals and practical seasonal context

NOAA climate normals for Columbia point to hot summers, winters with regular freezing conditions, a wetter annual rainfall pattern and occasional snowfall.

Average Summer High88.5°F
Average Winter Low22.0°F
Annual Rainfall45.1 in.
Annual Snowfall8.8 in.

Seasonal Life in Columbia

What the long-term climate pattern may mean for everyday living.

Spring

Spring is a good time to see how wetter conditions affect drainage, yards, commuting and the usability of outdoor spaces.

Summer

Summer is warm enough that shade and cooling still matter, but the typical high is below the extreme-heat range seen in many hotter U.S. markets.

Fall

Fall marks a substantial seasonal transition here. It is a useful time to judge how quickly temperatures change and whether that seasonal swing fits the lifestyle you want.

Winter

Freezing winter lows make heating, icy conditions and cold-weather routines worth evaluating even if annual snowfall is limited.

Source: NOAA/NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020. Seasonal descriptions are relocation context derived from the available long-term normals, not a forecast.

County Intelligence

Columbia & Its Counties

Data Pending Foreclosure Activity

Columbia spans Monroe and St. Clair counties.

Living in a community that crosses county lines can make location within Columbia especially important. Property taxes, housing characteristics, public services and other county-level factors may vary depending on which part of the community you call home.

Current NarrowTheList data for Columbia shows a population of about 11,127. These local figures become more useful when read together with county-level tax, housing, foreclosure and demographic conditions rather than treated as isolated city statistics.

Foreclosure Activity: Data Pending. A county-specific foreclosure signal is not available yet.

For someone comparing homes, county boundaries can matter because taxes, public services, court and recording systems, assessment practices and housing-market conditions are often administered or reported at the county level. NarrowTheList keeps that county relationship attached to the community so future tax, foreclosure, housing and demographic data can be interpreted in the correct geographic context.

County relationship Monroe County and St. Clair County
How NarrowTheList uses it

NarrowTheList connects Columbia with all 2 of its counties rather than assigning the community to only one. As additional county data becomes available, those differences can be compared alongside city-level information to help identify which parts of the area may better fit your priorities.

For someone considering a move to Columbia, the available data currently points to comparatively attainable ownership costs relative to local income and a relatively tight labor market. These signals are most useful when considered alongside the specific neighborhood, commute and housing type that fit the household making the move.

Nearby Cities & Communities

Nearby incorporated cities, towns, villages and other municipalities shown by straight-line distance.

Dupo, IL 4.0 miles away East Carondelet, IL 5.6 miles away Bella Villa, MO 7.0 miles away Millstadt, IL 7.0 miles away Green Park, MO 8.0 miles away Wilbur Park, MO 8.3 miles away Cahokia Heights, IL 8.5 miles away Arnold, MO 8.6 miles away Lakeshire, MO 8.7 miles away Waterloo, IL 8.8 miles away Sauget, IL 9.5 miles away Grantwood Village, MO 9.9 miles away