Columbia, Maryland Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Columbia, MD Population Density Map and Area Scores
Area Score
Health, income and education, each graded from F to A+. Explore interactive maps for deeper analysis.
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A+
Health Top grade
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A+
Income Top grade
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A+
Education Top grade
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population
| Metric | Columbia | Maryland Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 105,363 | 6,204,886 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 3273.2 | 500.2 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | 0.07% | 0.51% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 37.9 | 38.0 | 37.3 |
| Households | 41,479 | 2,362,551 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Columbia grew by 7.7% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 105,363 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Columbia is Millennials, aged 29–44, at 23.2% of residents. That is 0.9 points above Maryland as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 22,298 21.2% +0.9 pts
- Millennials 29–44 24,456 23.2% +0.9 pts
- Gen X 45–60 22,217 21.1% on par
- Boomers 61–79 17,022 16.2% -0.3 pts
Residents by birth cohort, from the 2025 age distribution. The right-hand figure is how far each cohort's share sits above or below Maryland, in percentage points. Children younger than Gen Z and the generations before the Boomers are counted in the population but not shown here, so these shares do not add up to 100%.
Male and female share
Women are 51.2% of the people living in Columbia and men 48.8%.
- Women 51.2% Maryland 51.5%
- Men 48.8% Maryland 48.5%
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Economy
Columbia has a the economy index of A+, which means it is exceptionally prosperous.
| Metric | Columbia | Maryland Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $131,934 | $103,916 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 3.00% | 3.98% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 4.1% | 4.8% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Columbia is about 27% higher than in Maryland.
Housing
| Metric | Columbia | Maryland Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $426,735 | $267,101 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $2,040 | $1,704 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 64.9% | 67.6% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Columbia is about 17.4 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $2,040 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Columbia spend about 48 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 198 hours, about 8.3 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Columbia | Maryland Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 23.8 | 28.3 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 47.6 | 56.5 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 198 | 236 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $6,151 | $7,301 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 24.7% | 19.3% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 24,020 | 16,437 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 4,070 | 2,353 | 1,355 |
The average commute time in Columbia is 24 minutes, shorter than the 28 minutes in Maryland.
Estimated yearly cost applies a single national wage rule of thumb (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics average hourly earnings), not a measurement of wages in this area. Traffic volume figures come from proprietary Ticon and TrafficZoom data.
Education & Households
Columbia has a education index of A+, which means it is exceptionally educated.
| Metric | Columbia | Maryland Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 59.0% | 39.3% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.56 | 2.57 | 2.53 |
Health
Columbia has a health index of A+, which means it is exceptionally healthy.
| Metric | Columbia | Maryland Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 82.1 | 78.4 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 8.6% | 13.2% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 9.6% | 15.9% | 19.0% |
Columbia, MD Compared With Nearby Cities
How Columbia, MD compares with the 2 cities closest to it.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbia, MD | 105,363 | $131,934 #2/3 | $426,735 #3/3 | 23.8 min #1/3 |
| North Laurel, MD | 23,968 | $118,897 | $616,908 | 27.5 min |
| Ellicott City, MD | 66,776 | $156,960 | $553,571 | 25.1 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Columbia, Maryland.
How big is Columbia, Maryland by population?
About 105,363 people live in Columbia, Maryland, in 41,479 households of 2.6 people on average. The median age is 37.9, close to the U.S. median of 37.3.
Is Columbia, Maryland mostly urban or rural?
Averaged over its land area, Columbia, Maryland has 3,273 people per square mile, a density typical of a city. That is about 38 times the U.S. average of 86.
Is Columbia, Maryland an affordable place to live?
The median home costs 3.2 times the median household income ($426,735 against $131,934), compared with 3.1 times nationally. A ratio of about 3 is traditionally considered affordable. Median rent of $2,040 a month takes about 19% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
How strong is the job market in Columbia, Maryland?
Unemployment in Columbia, Maryland is only 4.1%, well below the U.S. rate of 5.2%, a sign of a tight labor market where employers compete for workers.
How common is a college degree in Columbia, Maryland?
59.0% of adults in Columbia, Maryland hold a bachelor's degree or higher (about 6 in 10), well above the U.S. share of 31.6%.
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