Jobs, pay and daily life in Columbia, from official statistics with source and year on every table.
Click any dot to open that city: jobs, pay, rent, commute, county economy and climate. Dot size follows population; colours follow the state flag.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 07/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Columbia is a city in Pennsylvania with 10,278 residents. The median household earns $54,437 a year and the median rent is $1,075 a month, which is 23.7% of the median household income. It is part of the Lancaster, PA metropolitan area, where BLS counts 252,230 jobs.
How Columbia compares. Among the 100 largest places in Pennsylvania, Columbia is #85 by population, #94 for remote work (#1 = most), #88 for college degrees (#1 = most), #69 for household income (#1 = highest). Its county, Lancaster County, is #20 of 67 counties for average pay ($59,966).
Columbia has 10,278 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 0.1% of the population of Pennsylvania. It covers 2 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 4,258 people per square mile. The median age is 41.8, about the same as the state median (41.8 against 40.9).
The median gross rent is $1,075 a month (rent plus utilities), 11% below the state median ($1,075 against $1,209). Over a year that is 23.7% of the median household income. US housing guidance treats housing as affordable when it takes 30% of income or less, so the typical household is under that line. The median home value is $196,500, which is 3.6 times the median household income ($54,437); a ratio under 4 usually means ownership is within reach for many households. 52.8% of households own their home, 24% below the state average (52.8% against 69.3%). A low ownership share points to a rental-heavy market with more apartments and shorter stays.
The Lancaster, PA metropolitan area has 252,230 jobs in the BLS wage survey, and the median pay across all occupations is $48,210 a year, 5% below the national median ($48,210 against $50,980). The biggest occupation groups are transportation and material moving (28,450 jobs, median $44,810); office and administrative support (25,980 jobs, median $46,290); production (23,280 jobs, median $47,940). The area is most specialised in production (1.7 times) and construction and extraction (1.3 times), where the share of workers is well above the national share. The best-paying groups with at least 5,000 jobs are management ($103,590) and healthcare practitioners and technical ($81,890). In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Lancaster County was 2.5%. 60.4% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Lancaster County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 73.7% drive alone, 0.6% use public transit, 6.5% walk, 5.9% work from home. 11.1% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 32% below the state average (11.1% against 16.4%).
17.4% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 51% below the state share (17.4% against 35.2%). 3.4% of residents were born outside the United States, 56% below the state share (3.4% against 7.7%). The poverty rate is 21.4%, 83% above the state rate (21.4% against 11.7%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 76°F (24.5°C), and the coolest is Jan at 29°F (-1.9°C). About 1,193 mm (47 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; Jun is the wettest month (122 mm) and Jan the driest (72 mm). These values come from NASA satellite-based climatology on a grid of about 50 km, so they describe the wider area, not a weather station in the city.
Closest cities in this guide: Elizabethtown (10 miles, rent 9% higher); Lancaster (10 miles, rent 15% higher); East York (11 miles, rent 26% higher); Willow Street (12 miles, rent 149% higher). Rent differences are against Columbia; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in Pennsylvania (519) →State guide: PennsylvaniaCountry guideLancaster CountyPennsylvania rankings
These links go to official sources and open in a new window. The first one is the government's or company's own site as listed in Wikidata (property "official website"); check it before relying on it.
There are 519 federal postings open in Pennsylvania (USAJOBS, state level; we do not have a city filter for them). Private-sector jobs are not in this feed.
Open federal jobs in Pennsylvania →
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Retail Salespersons | 7,400 | 1.17 | $30,280 | $23,610 | $46,590 | -14% |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 6,990 | 1.00 | $29,150 | $27,290 | $39,220 | -19% |
| General and Operations Managers | 6,990 | 1.23 | $98,810 | $50,090 | $210,750 | -7% |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 6,870 | 1.10 | $28,580 | $22,150 | $35,930 | -8% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 5,860 | 1.28 | $36,400 | $27,580 | $47,830 | -2% |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 5,730 | 1.20 | $42,440 | $31,940 | $55,720 | +5% |
| Registered Nurses | 5,640 | 1.03 | $89,620 | $76,940 | $105,490 | -8% |
| Cashiers | 5,280 | 1.05 | $28,680 | $22,620 | $36,250 | -13% |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 5,080 | 1.52 | $58,350 | $39,740 | $78,480 | -0% |
| Office Clerks, General | 4,330 | 1.08 | $44,540 | $29,400 | $61,720 | -1% |
| Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators | 3,990 | 1.75 | $46,530 | $36,060 | $61,490 | +4% |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 3,680 | 1.03 | $35,690 | $27,740 | $46,110 | -3% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 3,520 | 0.95 | $32,190 | $17,820 | $62,100 | -9% |
| Customer Service Representatives | 3,440 | 0.82 | $44,290 | $29,090 | $62,260 | -1% |
| Nursing Assistants | 3,380 | 1.44 | $44,890 | $38,690 | $49,060 | +6% |
| Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | 2,960 | 1.07 | $46,270 | $32,130 | $60,050 | -3% |
| Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products | 2,790 | 1.39 | $64,180 | $39,350 | $128,810 | -11% |
| Carpenters | 2,750 | 2.53 | $55,690 | $39,140 | $79,160 | -8% |
| Maintenance and Repair Workers, General | 2,520 | 1.02 | $49,650 | $34,200 | $74,070 | +0% |
| Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators | 2,380 | 1.89 | $50,050 | $38,680 | $62,230 | +8% |
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Computer and Information Systems Managers | 530 | 0.49 | $142,460 | $97,670 | $216,930 | -19% |
| Financial Managers | 950 | 0.69 | $134,280 | $81,430 | $227,720 | -19% |
| Sales Managers | 810 | 0.78 | $129,480 | $72,250 | $220,980 | -13% |
| Lawyers | 520 | 0.43 | $125,510 | $81,030 | $231,930 | -21% |
| Industrial Production Managers | 550 | 1.37 | $111,860 | $73,350 | $181,310 | -11% |
| Software Developers | 850 | 0.31 | $104,740 | $73,450 | $164,490 | -23% |
| Medical and Health Services Managers | 1,050 | 1.09 | $103,680 | $64,650 | $158,000 | -16% |
| General and Operations Managers | 6,990 | 1.23 | $98,810 | $50,090 | $210,750 | -7% |
| Civil Engineers | 540 | 0.90 | $97,780 | $71,280 | $131,610 | -3% |
| Industrial Engineers | 610 | 1.03 | $97,770 | $65,500 | $135,080 | -5% |
| Project Management Specialists | 1,430 | 0.83 | $95,820 | $61,000 | $141,730 | -6% |
| Registered Nurses | 5,640 | 1.03 | $89,620 | $76,940 | $105,490 | -8% |
| Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers | 760 | 0.70 | $86,800 | $55,540 | $105,660 | +14% |
| Mechanical Engineers | 560 | 1.17 | $83,710 | $64,370 | $131,360 | -20% |
| Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education | 740 | 0.73 | $80,960 | $57,290 | $97,890 | +26% |
| Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education | 1,900 | 1.10 | $80,820 | $48,640 | $97,100 | +12% |
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | 2,350 | 1.04 | $78,360 | $60,740 | $93,600 | +22% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers | 990 | 0.99 | $78,360 | $51,410 | $110,430 | -2% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers | 1,630 | 1.24 | $76,300 | $56,750 | $116,900 | -5% |
| Accountants and Auditors | 1,990 | 0.85 | $76,110 | $50,230 | $115,980 | -9% |
These figures are for the whole Lancaster, PA metropolitan area, not the city alone.
Median pay across all occupations: $48,210 (US $50,980); unemployment 2.5% (2026M09).
| Industry (residents) ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 19.8% |
| Education and health care | 17.3% |
| Retail trade | 13.2% |
| Construction | 10.0% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 9.9% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 9.3% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 6.4% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 5.9% |
| Other services | 2.6% |
| Public administration | 2.3% |
| Wholesale trade | 2.0% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 0.7% |
| Information | 0.5% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Columbia lies and cover the whole county, not only the city.
| County ⇅ | Population ⇅ | GDP (2024) ⇅ | GDP per resident ⇅ | Jobs (QCEW 2024) ⇅ | Employer sites ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Job change vs 2023 ⇅ | Unemployment rate ⇅ | Labour force ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lancaster County | 557,931 | $39,951 million | $71,606 | 252,045 | 14,605 | $59,966 | +1.0% | 2.5% | 297,770 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 43,677 | 18.7% | $62,809 | 1.21 |
| Manufacturing | 37,215 | 16.0% | $70,706 | 1.80 |
| Retail trade | 29,138 | 12.5% | $36,953 | 1.16 |
| Accommodation and food services | 20,463 | 8.8% | $24,175 | 0.89 |
| Construction | 18,874 | 8.1% | $77,616 | 1.43 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 14,031 | 6.0% | $59,054 | 1.31 |
| Wholesale trade | 12,592 | 5.4% | $70,425 | 1.27 |
| Professional and technical services | 11,151 | 4.8% | $81,718 | 0.64 |
| Administrative and waste services | 8,428 | 3.6% | $43,789 | 0.57 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 8,342 | 3.6% | $45,450 | 1.10 |
| Finance and insurance | 6,596 | 2.8% | $102,466 | 0.64 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 4,999 | 2.1% | $25,510 | 1.18 |
| Educational services | 4,197 | 1.8% | $48,569 | 0.81 |
| Management of companies | 4,064 | 1.7% | $123,286 | 0.96 |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing | 3,336 | 1.4% | $45,169 | 1.64 |
| Real estate and rental | 2,569 | 1.1% | $59,019 | 0.66 |
| Information | 2,072 | 0.9% | $66,850 | 0.44 |
| Utilities | 935 | 0.4% | $107,933 | 0.98 |
| Mining, oil and gas | 443 | 0.2% | $86,827 | 0.46 |
QCEW counts jobs covered by unemployment insurance; sectors with too few employers are withheld by BLS. Latest-month unemployment is preliminary.
| How residents get to work ⇅ | Share ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 73.7% |
| Public transit | 0.6% |
| Walk | 6.5% |
| Work from home | 5.9% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 11.1% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $54,437 |
| Income per person | $33,896 |
| Median gross rent per month | $1,075 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 23.7% |
| Median home value | $196,500 |
| Homeowners | 52.8% |
| Poverty rate | 21.4% |
| Price level of the metro area (US = 100) | 98.3 |
| Metro median pay, all occupations | $48,210 |
Estimate for a wage earner: 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction (IRS), Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500, Medicare 1.45% (+0.9% above $200,000 single / $250,000 married), and a state rate you set. It ignores credits, pre-tax deductions, local taxes and benefits. Sources: IRS: tax year 2026 inflation adjustments · SSA wage base per Federal Register notice 2025-19763.
State tax: Flat 3.07%.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 41.8 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 82.4% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 17.4% |
| Born abroad | 3.4% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 60.4% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | -1.9 | 29 | 72 |
| Feb | -0.7 | 31 | 72 |
| Mar | 3.9 | 39 | 87 |
| Apr | 10.5 | 51 | 95 |
| May | 16.4 | 62 | 100 |
| Jun | 21.6 | 71 | 122 |
| Jul | 24.5 | 76 | 122 |
| Aug | 23.7 | 75 | 113 |
| Sep | 19.8 | 68 | 117 |
| Oct | 12.7 | 55 | 112 |
| Nov | 6.2 | 43 | 82 |
| Dec | 0.9 | 34 | 99 |
Satellite-reanalysis climatology on a grid of roughly 50 km, so it smooths local effects (hills, coast, city heat). It is not a weather-station record.
| City ⇅ | State ⇅ | Distance (straight line) ⇅ | Population ⇅ | Median household income ⇅ | Median rent ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elizabethtown | PA | 10 mi | 11,925 | $76,105 | $1,174 |
| Lancaster | PA | 10 mi | 57,719 | $63,690 | $1,240 |
| East York | PA | 11 mi | 9,388 | $88,021 | $1,356 |
| Willow Street | PA | 12 mi | 9,647 | $109,675 | $2,672 |
| Lititz | PA | 13 mi | 9,619 | $88,576 | $1,364 |
| York | PA | 13 mi | 44,938 | $48,420 | $1,014 |
| Shiloh | PA | 16 mi | 11,246 | $94,324 | $1,530 |
| Middletown | PA | 17 mi | 9,632 | $55,765 | $1,234 |
| Weigelstown | PA | 18 mi | 15,485 | $73,722 | $1,385 |
| Hershey | PA | 19 mi | 14,242 | $78,587 | $1,268 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
Pick two cities.
vs
10,278 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$1,075 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 23.7% of the median household income.
$54,437 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
2.5% (BLS county, Lancaster County (latest month 2026M09)).
Pennsylvania. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.