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Everything You Should Know Before Moving to Columbia, PA

Considering a move to Columbia, PA? With a cozy population of just over 10,000, Columbia offers affordable living, with median home prices around $170,000 and average rents near $1,050. Residents enjoy a short 24-minute average commute, moderate crime rates, and access to reputable schools and healthcare nearby. Abundant historic charm, a friendly community, and four-season Pennsylvania weather make Columbia a great option for those seeking comfort and value in a small-town setting.

Demographics - Columbia, PA

Demographics - Columbia, PA

Columbia, PA is home to about 10,200 residents, with a balanced gender ratio and a median age of 37.8, reflecting a diverse small-town community. The population is predominantly White, with Black, Asian, and other groups contributing to its cultural mix. Around 7.5% of residents speak a language other than English at home, adding to the town's inclusive atmosphere.

demograph population
Population:
10,222
demograph density
Density:
4,000 per sq mi
demograph median age
Median Age:
37.8
Demograph Gender Ratio
Gender Ratio:
98 males per 100 females
demograph Non English Speakers Percentage
Non-English Speakers Percentage:
7.5%
demograph ethnicCompositionEthnic Composition
demograph whites
White:
80.2%
demograph blacks
Black:
8.7%
demograph asian
Asian:
1.1%
demograph others
Others:
10.0%
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People moving

Cost Of Living

Cost Of Living

What is the average cost of living in Columbia, PA?

Columbia offers an affordable cost of living, with a median home value of $170,000 and average rent at $1,050. Utility and transportation costs are in line with national averages, while groceries and healthcare remain reasonably priced. The town's cost of living index is 90.4, making it a budget-friendly choice in Pennsylvania.

cost of living medianHouseValue
Median House Value:
$170,000
cost of living grossRent
Gross Rent:
$1,050
cost of living monthlyElectricityCharges
Monthly Electricity Charges:
$115
cost of living autoInsurance
Auto Insurance:
$1,350
cost of living houseownerCostWithMortgage
House Owner Cost With Mortgage:
$1,250
cost of living houseownerCostWithoutMortgage
House Owner Cost Without Mortgage:
$480
cost of living stateTaxes State Taxes:
Low:
3.07%
|
High:
3.07%
cost of living costOfLivingIndex
Cost Of Living Index:
90.4
cost of living grocery
Grocery:
95.0
cost of living housing
Housing:
78.0
cost of living utilities
Utilities:
100.2
cost of living transportation
Transportation:
92.5
cost of living health-care
Health Care:
98.0
cost of living miscellaneous
Miscellaneous:
92.0

Crime

Crime

Is Columbia, PA a safe place to live?

Crime rates in Columbia are moderate for the region, with a chance of property crime at 1 in 51 and violent crime at 1 in 270. The overall crime index suggests residents enjoy a generally safe environment, though it's wise to take standard precautions. The town’s supportive community atmosphere contributes to its sense of security.

crime voilentCrimes
Violent Crimes Per 100k:
371
crime propertyCrime
Property Crimes Per 100k:
1,950
crime crimeIndex
Crime Index:
2,321
crime chanceOfViolentCrime
Chance Of Violent Crime:
1 in 270
crime chanceOfPropertyCrime
Chance Of Property Crime:
1 in 51
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Weather

Weather

What is the weather like in Columbia, PA year-round?

Columbia experiences four distinct seasons, with pleasant summers reaching highs of 86°F and winters dipping to 24°F. The area receives about 43 inches of annual rainfall and enjoys sunshine 52% of the year, making it ideal for those who appreciate varied weather. Residents can look forward to colorful springs and falls along the Susquehanna River.

weather winterWinter
weather min
Min:
24°F
weather max
Max:
39°F
weather springSpring
weather min
Min:
43°F
weather max
Max:
68°F
weather summerSummer
weather min
Min:
64°F
weather max
Max:
86°F
weather fallFall
weather min
Min:
46°F
weather max
Max:
69°F
weather averageRainfallInches
Average Rainfall Inches:
43.2 inches
weather sunnyDays Percentage
Sunny Days Percentage:
52%

Neighbors

Neighbors

Columbia's residents typically earn a median household income of $53,600, with a poverty rate of 15.6%. Most locals commute about 24 minutes to work, and the community boasts an 86.7% high school graduation rate. The neighborhood is close-knit, with affordable rent and a low unemployment rate of 4.7%.

neighbor medianIncome
Median Income:
$38,500
neighbor householdIncome
Household Income:
$53,600
neighbor familyIncome
Family Income:
$61,200
neighbor perCapitaIncome
Per Capita Income:
$26,700
neighbor incomeMale
Income Male:
$41,800
neighbor incomeFemale
Income Female:
$32,200
neighbor povertyRate
Poverty Rate:
15.6%
neighbor nonEnglishSpeakers
Non English Speakers:
7.5%
neighbor rent
Rent:
$1,050
neighbor unemployment
Unemployment Rate:
4.7%
neighbor publicTransport
Public Transport Usage:
1.2%
neighbor commuteTime
Commute Time:
23.8 minutes
neighbor educationEducation
neighbor highSchool
High School or Higher:
86.7%
neighbor bachelors
Bachelors or More:
15.2%
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Education

Education

How are the schools in Columbia, PA?

Columbia offers quality public and private school options, with public schools providing low student-teacher ratios and serving the local community well. Families benefit from proximity to higher education, as Millersville University and Franklin & Marshall College are both less than 10 miles away. Educational attainment is strong, with nearly 87% of adults holding at least a high school diploma.

education PublicSchoolsPublic Schools
education publicName
Name:
Columbia High School
education publicStreet
Street:
901 Ironville Pike
education publicPhone
Phone:
717-684-7500
education publicStudents
Students:
400
education publicStudentTeacherRatio
Student Teacher Ratio:
13.5


education publicName
Name:
Park Elementary School
education publicStreet
Street:
50 S 6th St
education publicPhone
Phone:
717-684-2255
education publicStudents
Students:
350
education publicStudentTeacherRatio
Student Teacher Ratio:
14.2


education privateSchoolsPrivate Schools
education privateName
Name:
Our Lady of the Angels Catholic School
education privateStreet
Street:
404 Cherry St
education privatePhone
Phone:
717-684-2433
education privateStudents
Students:
220


education collegesColleges
education collegeName
Name:
Millersville University
education collegeCity
City:
Millersville
education collegeState
State:
PA
education collegeDistance
Distance:
7 miles
education collegeStudents
Students:
7,800


education collegeName
Name:
Franklin & Marshall College
education collegeCity
City:
Lancaster
education collegeState
State:
PA
education collegeDistance
Distance:
9 miles
education collegeStudents
Students:
2,300


Healthcare

Healthcare

Healthcare in Columbia is easily accessible, with major hospitals like Penn Medicine Lancaster General and UPMC Lititz nearby. The town has 2.4 physicians per 1,000 residents and a high health insurance coverage rate of 91.7%. Residents can expect reliable emergency services and a solid healthcare infrastructure.

healthcare majorHospitals Major Hospitals
healthcare hospitalName
Name:
Penn Medicine Lancaster General Hospital
healthcare hospitalAddress
Address:
555 N Duke St, Lancaster, PA 17602
healthcare hospitalPhone
Phone:
(717) 544-5511
healthcare hospitalType
Type:
General & Surgical
healthcare emergencyServices
Emergency Services:
Yes


healthcare hospitalName
Name:
UPMC Lititz
healthcare hospitalAddress
Address:
1500 Highlands Dr, Lititz, PA 17543
healthcare hospitalPhone
Phone:
(717) 625-5000
healthcare hospitalType
Type:
General & Surgical
healthcare emergencyServices
Emergency Services:
Yes


healthcare physiciansPer1000
Physicians Per 1000:
2.4
healthcare healthInsuranceCoverage
Health Insurance Coverage:
91.7%
healthcare healthCareIndex
Health Care Index:
72.3
Healthcare
Housing Market

Housing Market

Housing Market

What is the housing market like in Columbia, PA?

Columbia's housing market is both affordable and stable, featuring a median home price of $170,000 and average rent for a two-bedroom at $1,050. Over half of the homes are owner-occupied, and the area has a modest home appreciation rate of 6.6% over the past year. Rental vacancies remain low, reflecting consistent demand in this welcoming community.

housing market medianHomePrice
Median Home Price:
$170,000
housing market averageRentFor2Bedroom
Average Rent For 2 Bedroom:
$1,050
housing market ownerOccupiedRate
Owner Occupied Rate:
54.3%
housing market rentalVacancyRate
Rental Vacancy Rate:
6.5%
housing market homeAppreciationRate1Yr
Home Appreciation Rate (1yr):
6.6%
housing market newConstructionRate
New Construction Rate:
1.1%
housing market foreclosureRate
Foreclosure Rate:
0.7%

DMV Information

DMV Information

Residents of Columbia handle vehicle and licensing needs through the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT), located in Harrisburg. PennDOT offers comprehensive driver and vehicle services both online and in-person. The agency is accessible by phone and maintains a user-friendly website for routine transactions.

dmv state
State:
Pennsylvania
dmv department
Department:
Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) - Driver & Vehicle Services
dmv address
Address:
1101 S Front St, Harrisburg, PA 17104
dmv phone
Phone:
1-800-932-4600
DMV

Disclaimer: The information provided on this page is based on publicly available sources including AccuWeather, U.S. Census Bureau, local government data, and third-party partners such as Neustar. While we strive to ensure accuracy, all data is provided “as is” and should be independently verified before making any decisions. Movers.com makes no guarantees regarding the completeness or reliability of the information.

Top Movers in Columbia, PA

Planning a relocation in or near Columbia? We have you covered. Whether you're moving across a street or across town, our dependable network of local movers is ready to handle every aspect of your relocation. Find expert movers who will make your move as seamless, efficient, and stress-free as possible, from packing and loading to transporting and unpacking. Explore specialty moving services, compare estimates, and contact a reputable moving company in Columbia.

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FAQs About Moving to Columbia, PA

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Check the cost of living, housing, traffic, and public transit in Columbia. Each neighborhood has its own vibe, so pick one that fits your lifestyle. Be prepared for Columbia climate and weather.

Moving within Columbia usually costs between $300 and $1,500. Moving long distances can cost anywhere from $2,000 to more than $5,000. The price may go up if you need extra services like packing or storage. Fill out Movers.com quote form to compare the quotes easily.

While moves happen year-round, spring and fall are often more comfortable in Columbia. Booking outside of peak summer or winter seasons can save money and make scheduling easier.

Yes! Majority of moving companies in Columbia offer full service moving, which means they will help you pack, unpack, and arrange your belongings.

You should plan your move from Columbia at least 4 to 8 weeks in advance, especially if you're moving during the busy season (summer). You can get better availability, prices, and flexibility with your moving date if you book early. If you book at the last minute, you may have fewer choices or pay more.
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