Columbia County, Pennsylvania Income Statistics
Columbia County Wealth Score
The wealth index reflects the overall economic prosperity and financial well-being of a county's residents based on income levels, employment rates, and income inequality metrics.
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D
Columbia County Well below averageLess wealthy than 80% of counties in Pennsylvania
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Columbia County | Pennsylvania Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $64,069 | $78,249 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $52,280 | $62,573 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 4.0% | 4.4% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 6.8% | 13.0% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 5.4% | 11.8% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Columbia County is about 18% lower than in Pennsylvania. Income has been growing slower in Columbia County (4.0%/yr) than in Pennsylvania (4.4%/yr).
About 7% of adults in Columbia County earn six figures ($100,000 or more) a year, lower than the Pennsylvania average of 13%.
Median Household Income 2009–2024 Trend
Median Household Income Over Time
Median household income in Columbia County, Pennsylvania grew by 54.1% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $64,069 in 2024. That's an average of about 4.0% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Columbia County
| Metric | Columbia County | Pennsylvania Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.543 | 0.537 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $62,691 | $71,585 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $48,162 | $57,854 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 23.2% | 19.2% | 18.4% |
The Gini coefficient measures how evenly income is shared between richer and poorer households, from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns nearly everything). The lower the number, the more equally income is distributed. In Columbia County, it is 0.543, higher than Pennsylvania's 0.537, so income is less evenly distributed here than there, and lower than the US's 0.552, so income is more evenly distributed here than there.
Men's income is about 30% more than women's income in Columbia County, Pennsylvania. Over a 35-year career, a 30% wage gap accumulates to roughly $508,515 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
The income gap between men and women in Columbia County, Pennsylvania has stayed about the same since 2009, at around 23%. Over that period the gap was widest at 26% in 2014, and was narrowest at 18% in 2020. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $5,716 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Columbia County | Pennsylvania Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 6.0% | 5.2% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 12.9% | 15.6% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 18 | 22 | 22 |
Approximately 1,954 people are unemployed in Columbia County, Pennsylvania.
The average commute time in Columbia County is 18 minutes, shorter than the 22 minutes in Pennsylvania.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
The unemployment rate in Columbia County, Pennsylvania has stayed about flat at 6.0% since 2011. Over that period the rate peaked at 6.3% in 2013 and fell as low as 4.5% in 2020.
Columbia County, PA Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Columbia County, PA is the 4th largest of the 6 counties compared here, 65,057 residents against a local median of 90,556. There is no headline here. Every measure below sits within 15% of the median across the nearest counties, which makes Columbia County, PA an unremarkable member of its own neighbourhood rather than an outlier in it.
The largest of those small differences is unemployment, 6% above the local median at 6.0% against 5.6%. Columbia County, PA has the 6th lowest unemployment of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Income growthAverage yearly change in median household income since 2016. Each year is measured in its own dollars, so this is growth before inflation. | Unemployment | Income inequalityGini coefficient: 0 would mean every household earns the same, 1 that a single household earns everything. The lower the number, the more equally income is shared here. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbia County, PA | 65,057 | $64,069 #5/6 | 4.0%/yr #6/6 | 6.0% #6/6 | 0.543 #6/6 |
| Montour County, PA | 18,103 | $76,148 | 4.3%/yr | 2.9% | 0.534 |
| Northumberland County, PA | 90,556 | $60,926 | 4.3%/yr | 3.7% | 0.517 |
| Schuylkill County, PA | 143,391 | $68,265 | 4.9%/yr | 5.6% | 0.521 |
| Sullivan County, PA | 5,888 | $68,854 | 5.6%/yr | 5.8% | 0.523 |
| Luzerne County, PA | 326,964 | $64,503 | 4.1%/yr | 5.8% | 0.530 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Columbia County, Pennsylvania has an overall wealth index grade of D, making it somewhat worse than Pennsylvania, and somewhat worse than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Columbia County, Pennsylvania.
How Rich Is Columbia County, Pennsylvania?
Columbia County has a wealth index grade of D. The wealth index grades areas from A+ (best) to F- by combining income levels, employment rates, and income inequality; a D grade means residents are somewhat worse off than the U.S. average. The median household income is $64,069, about 18% lower than the Pennsylvania average of $78,249.
Are incomes growing in Columbia County, Pennsylvania?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Columbia County, Pennsylvania rose 54%, from $41,583 to $64,069. Over the same years, income here lagged behind Pennsylvania as a whole: +54% against +57%.
What was the median household income in Columbia County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Columbia County, Pennsylvania was $62,040, up 4% from $59,487 in 2022. The Pennsylvania median that year was $76,230.
What was the median household income in Columbia County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Columbia County, Pennsylvania was $52,540. By 2024 it had risen 22% to $64,069.
What is the Gini coefficient in Columbia County, Pennsylvania?
The Gini coefficient in Columbia County is 0.543. It measures income inequality on a scale from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns everything). That is lower than the US average of 0.552, so income is distributed more equally than in the country overall.
How has the income gap between men and women changed in Columbia County, Pennsylvania?
The income gap between men and women in Columbia County, Pennsylvania has stayed about the same since 2009, at around 23%. Over that period the gap was widest at 26% in 2014, and was narrowest at 18% in 2020. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $5,716 since 2009.
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