Green Street eb from ped bridge, Columbia, NJ, Feb. 2024 · Mr. Matté (if there is an issue with this image, contact me using this image's Commons talk page, my Commons user talk page, or my English Wikipedia user talk page; I'll know about it a lot faster) / CC BY-SA 4.0Columbia Lake Dam site, NJ - information signs · Zeete / CC BY-SA 4.0
Columbia is a small town of 209 in New Jersey, with a median household income of $118,438
.
Its cost of living index is 98 (US average = 100), which is
2% below the national average.
Strengths:
Columbia stands out for a well-educated population.
Trade-offs:
No major red flags stand out in the available data. Whether Columbia is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Columbia 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: 98.4
Columbia's overall cost of living index is 98.4,
where 100 represents the US national average.
Living in Columbia costs roughly 2% less than the average American city.
Metric
Columbia, NJ
National Avg
Median Home Value
$289,800
$244,900
Median Monthly Rent
N/A
$1,163
Homeownership Rate
91.0%
65.9%
Median Household Income
$118,438
$74,755
Crime & Safety
Very Safe
Columbia's violent crime rate is 29.4 per 100,000 residents
— 92% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Violent Crime
29.4 /100k
Property Crime
402.8 /100k
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Metric
Columbia, NJ
National Avg
School District
N/A
—
Elementary Schools
N/A
—
Middle Schools
N/A
—
High Schools
N/A
—
Student/Teacher Ratio
N/A
16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
36.1%
35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher
89.5%
91.1%
Weather & Climate
Columbia sees average highs of 36.5°F in January
and 84.1°F in July,
with 48.2 inches of annual precipitation
and 23.3 inches of snow per year.
Columbia's cost of living index is 98, where 100 is the national average.
That makes Columbia roughly 2% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage.
The median home price is $289,800 and median rent is N/A/month.
Columbia's violent crime rate is 29.4 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 402.8 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
School district information is sourced from NCES Common Core of Data.
Columbia, NJ has a population of 209, a median household income of $118,438, and an unemployment rate of 0.0%.
Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Columbia averages 36.5°F in January and 84.1°F in July. Annual rainfall is 48.2 inches
with about 23.3 inches of snow per year.
Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
The population of Columbia, New Jersey is 209 with a median age of 55.3. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Columbia: cost of living index 98 (100 = US average), median home $289,800, median household income $118,438, crime index 12 (100 = US average, lower is safer). Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Columbia side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.
