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 Tennessee with 45,441 residents. The median household earns $63,719 a year and the median rent is $1,197 a month, which is 22.5% of the median household income. It is part of the Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN metropolitan area, where BLS counts 1,099,300 jobs.
How Columbia compares. Among the 80 largest places in Tennessee, Columbia is #19 by population, #68 for long commutes (#1 = fewest), #50 for college degrees (#1 = most), #31 for remote work (#1 = most). Its county, Maury County, is #11 of 95 counties for average pay ($62,782).
Columbia has 45,441 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 0.6% of the population of Tennessee. It covers 36 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 1,245 people per square mile. The median age is 35.5, 9% younger than the state median (35.5 against 38.9).
The median gross rent is $1,197 a month (rent plus utilities), about the same as the state median ($1,197 against $1,189). Over a year that is 22.5% 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 $308,700, which is 4.8 times the median household income ($63,719). 63.4% of households own their home, 5% below the state average (63.4% against 66.9%).
The Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN metropolitan area has 1,099,300 jobs in the BLS wage survey, and the median pay across all occupations is $50,390 a year, about the same as the national median ($50,390 against $50,980). The biggest occupation groups are office and administrative support (142,660 jobs, median $47,960); transportation and material moving (118,420 jobs, median $43,280); food preparation and serving related (103,250 jobs, median $32,150). The area is most specialised in arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media (1.3 times) and transportation and material moving (1.2 times), where the share of workers is above the national share. The best-paying groups with at least 5,000 jobs are management ($126,320) and computer and mathematical ($94,650). In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Maury County was 3.7%. 64.1% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Maury County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 76.1% drive alone, 0.1% use public transit, 2.2% walk, 12.8% work from home. 23.1% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 52% above the state average (23.1% against 15.2%).
25.4% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 18% below the state share (25.4% against 31.1%). 4.5% of residents were born outside the United States, 27% below the state share (4.5% against 6.1%). The poverty rate is 14.2%, 3% above the state rate (14.2% against 13.8%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 79°F (26.0°C), and the coolest is Jan at 37°F (2.7°C). About 1,374 mm (54 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; Dec is the wettest month (136 mm) and Sep the driest (94 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: Spring Hill (11 miles, rent 54% higher); Thompson's Station (15 miles, rent 74% higher); Lewisburg (19 miles, rent 27% lower); Franklin (23 miles, rent 61% higher). Rent differences are against Columbia; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in Tennessee (395) →State guide: TennesseeCountry guideMaury CountyTennessee 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 395 federal postings open in Tennessee (USAJOBS, state level; we do not have a city filter for them). Private-sector jobs are not in this feed.
Open federal jobs in Tennessee →
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 33,120 | 1.59 | $39,790 | $31,960 | $50,260 | -1% |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 28,680 | 1.05 | $29,150 | $22,280 | $36,200 | -7% |
| Retail Salespersons | 28,580 | 1.04 | $34,420 | $26,230 | $49,930 | -3% |
| Registered Nurses | 25,100 | 1.05 | $84,040 | $69,480 | $112,030 | -14% |
| General and Operations Managers | 23,820 | 0.96 | $119,990 | $59,000 | $240,110 | +13% |
| Customer Service Representatives | 20,770 | 1.13 | $45,510 | $32,140 | $63,730 | +2% |
| Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators | 20,770 | 2.09 | $56,400 | $36,460 | $79,140 | +26% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 20,090 | 1.00 | $38,190 | $31,580 | $47,230 | +2% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 19,490 | 1.21 | $29,390 | $15,080 | $50,050 | -17% |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 18,860 | 1.29 | $60,630 | $44,600 | $83,940 | +3% |
| Cashiers | 18,270 | 0.84 | $30,570 | $23,080 | $37,160 | -7% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers | 17,890 | 1.76 | $73,060 | $46,580 | $106,870 | +5% |
| Office Clerks, General | 16,770 | 0.96 | $43,860 | $28,940 | $61,490 | -3% |
| Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks | 13,790 | 1.42 | $50,810 | $38,150 | $74,090 | +0% |
| Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants | 12,970 | 1.91 | $45,570 | $36,500 | $59,260 | -1% |
| Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | 12,100 | 1.00 | $49,000 | $33,810 | $65,910 | +3% |
| Light Truck Drivers | 11,940 | 1.72 | $44,970 | $33,620 | $80,180 | +0% |
| Accountants and Auditors | 11,290 | 1.10 | $78,080 | $53,650 | $125,740 | -7% |
| Maintenance and Repair Workers, General | 11,040 | 1.02 | $48,780 | $36,400 | $68,540 | -2% |
| Security Guards | 10,710 | 1.18 | $37,010 | $30,360 | $56,270 | -3% |
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Physicians, All Other | 2,490 | 1.03 | $295,640 | $100,990 | $452,390 | +11% |
| Chief Executives | 1,730 | 1.19 | $218,190 | $83,260 | $487,440 | +2% |
| Dentists, General | 1,170 | 1.33 | $215,290 | $128,100 | $340,780 | +26% |
| Nurse Anesthetists | 830 | 2.27 | $211,450 | $152,170 | $302,450 | -11% |
| Family Medicine Physicians | 650 | 0.85 | $211,370 | $64,180 | $311,930 | -13% |
| Computer and Information Systems Managers | 5,640 | 1.19 | $165,970 | $104,020 | $267,840 | -5% |
| Architectural and Engineering Managers | 1,060 | 0.68 | $159,720 | $112,220 | $266,740 | -7% |
| Financial Managers | 7,400 | 1.24 | $156,860 | $97,860 | $330,000 | -6% |
| Lawyers | 3,990 | 0.75 | $142,540 | $81,890 | $346,830 | -11% |
| Purchasing Managers | 570 | 0.95 | $140,410 | $100,250 | $239,370 | -5% |
| Pharmacists | 2,630 | 1.16 | $137,590 | $69,510 | $167,070 | -2% |
| Marketing Managers | 3,290 | 1.18 | $135,370 | $83,300 | $223,640 | -19% |
| Human Resources Managers | 1,840 | 1.18 | $135,230 | $89,130 | $225,240 | -9% |
| Administrative Services Managers | 3,220 | 1.72 | $133,220 | $78,280 | $217,580 | +17% |
| Sales Managers | 4,700 | 1.04 | $131,600 | $72,520 | $239,990 | -11% |
| Computer Network Architects | 1,650 | 1.30 | $129,370 | $86,480 | $175,500 | -3% |
| Physician Assistants | 750 | 0.65 | $129,050 | $104,990 | $150,780 | -5% |
| Software Developers | 7,750 | 0.65 | $126,610 | $78,410 | $169,070 | -7% |
| Veterinarians | 500 | 0.84 | $126,230 | $104,190 | $166,120 | -3% |
| Nurse Practitioners | 4,540 | 1.99 | $122,320 | $84,300 | $139,740 | -8% |
These figures are for the whole Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN metropolitan area, not the city alone.
Median pay across all occupations: $50,390 (US $50,980); unemployment 2.8% (2026M09).
| Industry (residents) ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Education and health care | 25.1% |
| Manufacturing | 14.9% |
| Retail trade | 11.7% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 9.4% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 8.0% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 6.7% |
| Construction | 6.3% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 5.0% |
| Other services | 4.8% |
| Public administration | 3.9% |
| Information | 2.5% |
| Wholesale trade | 1.6% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 0.1% |
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 ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maury County | 107,791 | $7,115 million | $66,007 | 42,247 | 3,126 | $62,782 | +3.3% | 3.7% | 60,697 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 8,505 | 25.2% | $91,315 | 2.45 |
| Retail trade | 4,714 | 14.0% | $38,382 | 1.12 |
| Accommodation and food services | 4,158 | 12.3% | $24,051 | 1.08 |
| Health care and social assistance | 4,054 | 12.0% | $61,599 | 0.67 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 2,126 | 6.3% | $56,351 | 1.19 |
| Construction | 2,116 | 6.3% | $72,205 | 0.95 |
| Administrative and waste services | 1,990 | 5.9% | $52,165 | 0.80 |
| Finance and insurance | 1,858 | 5.5% | $83,290 | 1.08 |
| Professional and technical services | 1,301 | 3.9% | $78,027 | 0.44 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 962 | 2.9% | $49,309 | 0.76 |
| Educational services | 575 | 1.7% | $38,337 | 0.66 |
| Real estate and rental | 441 | 1.3% | $56,320 | 0.67 |
| Information | 432 | 1.3% | $85,544 | 0.55 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 321 | 1.0% | $30,172 | 0.45 |
| Management of companies | 192 | 0.6% | $104,488 | 0.27 |
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 | 76.1% |
| Public transit | 0.1% |
| Walk | 2.2% |
| Work from home | 12.8% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 23.1% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $63,719 |
| Income per person | $32,500 |
| Median gross rent per month | $1,197 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 22.5% |
| Median home value | $308,700 |
| Homeowners | 63.4% |
| Poverty rate | 14.2% |
| Price level of the metro area (US = 100) | 96.3 |
| Metro median pay, all occupations | $50,390 |
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: No state tax on wages.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 35.5 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 91.4% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 25.4% |
| Born abroad | 4.5% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 64.1% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 2.7 | 37 | 109 |
| Feb | 4.7 | 40 | 134 |
| Mar | 9.6 | 49 | 119 |
| Apr | 14.9 | 59 | 125 |
| May | 19.6 | 67 | 122 |
| Jun | 24.0 | 75 | 106 |
| Jul | 26.0 | 79 | 125 |
| Aug | 25.9 | 79 | 103 |
| Sep | 22.4 | 72 | 94 |
| Oct | 15.8 | 60 | 100 |
| Nov | 9.1 | 48 | 101 |
| Dec | 4.7 | 40 | 136 |
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 ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring Hill | TN | 11 mi | 55,765 | $112,013 | $1,844 |
| Thompson's Station | TN | 15 mi | 8,294 | $132,647 | $2,088 |
| Lewisburg | TN | 19 mi | 12,861 | $48,341 | $872 |
| Franklin | TN | 23 mi | 87,133 | $119,528 | $1,923 |
| Fairview | TN | 25 mi | 10,009 | $91,131 | $1,301 |
| Brentwood | TN | 30 mi | 45,556 | $182,088 | $2,825 |
| Pulaski | TN | 30 mi | 8,285 | $48,538 | $835 |
| Lawrenceburg | TN | 31 mi | 11,844 | $42,343 | $775 |
| Nolensville | TN | 31 mi | 15,074 | $177,148 | $2,454 |
| Shelbyville | TN | 34 mi | 24,661 | $55,073 | $1,056 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
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45,441 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$1,197 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 22.5% of the median household income.
$63,719 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
3.7% (BLS county, Maury County (latest month 2026M09)).
Tennessee. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.