States › Pennsylvania › Columbia

Is Columbia, PA expensive to live in?

OKRent takes 28 cents of every $1 people earn here.
🏠 Rent per month (2026)$1,36722% lower than U.S. average
💵 Families earn per year (2026)$58,710about $4,893/month · 33% lower than U.S. average
🔑 House price$196,50041% lower than U.S. average

Rent is lower than in 65% of U.S. cities. A typical house costs about 3.3 years of household income.

How much money do I need?

To rent here comfortably, you should earn about $54,680 a year. That is $26 an hour at a full-time job.

Is rent cheaper than other Pennsylvania cities?

No. Rent here is more expensive than in most of Pennsylvania. It is number 135 of 269 cities from cheapest to most expensive.

Columbia
$1,367
Berwick
$879
Bala Cynwyd
$3,165
Northampton
$875
Munhall
$1,212
Roslyn
$1,561
Nanticoke
$874

How much do households earn in Columbia?

Under $25k
17.2%
$25k–50k
29.0%
$50k–100k
28.6%
$100k–150k
13.0%
$150k+
5.2%

Share of households by yearly income. 18.2% of households earn $100,000 or more.

Rent by apartment size in Columbia

SizeColumbiaU.S. average
Studio$480$1,338
1 bedroom$1,077$1,324
2 bedrooms$1,236$1,509
3 bedrooms$1,430$1,698

Median monthly rent plus utilities for all renters, by number of bedrooms.

How expensive is Columbia overall?

Everyday prices in Pennsylvania overall are 2% below the U.S. average (index 97.6, U.S. = 100).

Housing
85
Goods (food, clothes…)
99
Utilities
109
Other services
100
U.S. average
100

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities 2024. City-level data is not published for Columbia, so the Pennsylvania figure is shown.

Taxes and bills in Columbia

🏛️ Property tax$3,732a year · 1.90% of home value · U.S. $3,119
⚡ Electric bill$138a month (typical) · U.S. $156

Life in Columbia

Commute to work23.7 minU.S.: 26.4 min
College degree17.4%U.S.: 35.7%
Own their home52.8%U.S.: 65.2%
Below poverty line21.4%U.S.: 12.5%
Unemployment3.2%U.S.: 5.2%

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Columbia?

About the same. Renting and owning cost within $4 of each other each month.

Renting
$1,367
Owning
$1,363

Owning assumes a typical $196,500 home, 10% down, a 30-year loan at 6.5% and about 1.5% a year for taxes and insurance. You would also need $19,650 for the down payment.

Frequently asked questions

What is the average rent in Columbia, PA?

Renting in Columbia costs a median of about $1,367 a month in 2026, including utilities. The Pennsylvania median is $1,367.

How much do I need to make to live in Columbia?

To keep rent under 30% of income, you need about $54,680 a year, or $26 an hour at a full-time job.

Is Columbia cheap or expensive?

Columbia is rated OK: rent takes 27.9% of the typical household income of $58,710. It ranks 135th cheapest of 269 Pennsylvania cities we track.

How much are property taxes in Columbia?

The median homeowner in Columbia pays $3,732 a year in property taxes, about 1.90% of the median home value.

Is Columbia more expensive than the national average?

Overall prices in Pennsylvania are 2% below the U.S. average, according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.

How much does a house cost in Columbia?

The median home value in Columbia is $196,500, about 3.3 times the typical yearly household income.

10,278 people live in Columbia. Numbers are typical (middle) values.