Is Columbia Heights, MN a Good Place to Live?
Columbia Heights is a small city of 21,822 in Minnesota, with a median household income of $70,470 and a 5.2% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 104 (US average = 100), which is 4% above the national average.
Strengths: Columbia Heights stands out for below-average home prices, lower-than-average crime, solid school ratings (B), short average commutes.
Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Columbia Heights is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Columbia Heights city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.
Cost of Living
Index: 104.5Columbia Heights's overall cost of living index is 104.5, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Columbia Heights costs roughly 4% more than the average American city.
| Metric | Columbia Heights, MN | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $242,100 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,177 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 66.0% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $70,470 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Safer than AverageColumbia Heights's violent crime rate is 321.3 per 100,000 residents — 15% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Columbia Heights is served primarily by Columbia Heights Public School Dist. The student-to-teacher ratio is 15.9:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | Columbia Heights, MN | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | Columbia Heights Public School Dist | — |
| Elementary Schools | 3 | — |
| Middle Schools | 2 | — |
| High Schools | 4 | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 15.9:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 30.7% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 89.8% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
Columbia Heights sees average highs of 21.7°F in January and 83.1°F in July, with 33.0 inches of annual precipitation and 40.4 inches of snow per year.
| Metric | Columbia Heights, MN |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 21.7°F |
| Average High — July | 83.1°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 33.0" |
| Annual Snowfall | 40.4" |
Demographics
| Metric | Columbia Heights, MN | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 21,822 | — |
| Median Age | 37.2 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.2% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 24.2 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 54.4% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 23.9% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 11.1% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 5.8% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 21.1% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 15.3% | 16.8% |
Nearby Cities
ZIP Codes in Columbia Heights
Columbia Heights, MN is covered by 1 ZIP code: