The Town FilesColumbia City, Oregon
City in Columbia County · population 1,949 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $460,000
- Household income
- $96,750
- Jan low / Jul high
- 34° / 81°
- Snow a year
- 2 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 9
- Median age
- 45.1
Columbia City is a city of 1,949 people in Columbia County, Oregon. The median home is worth $460,000, above the typical Oregon town ($394,200). It ranks better for families than 91% of Oregon towns, quieter than 79% of Oregon towns, easier by car than 73% of Oregon towns.
How Columbia City ranks
Percentile among Oregon towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Oregon towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Columbia City is worth $460,000, above the typical Oregon town ($394,200). Homes cost about 4.8 times the median household income of $96,750, which is more affordable than 62% of Oregon towns. Median rent is $1,365 a month. 90.1% of households own their home.
| Housing | Columbia City | Typical Oregon town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $460,000 | $394,200 |
| Median rent | $1,365 | $1,312 |
| Median household income | $96,750 | $76,221 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.8× | 5.1× |
| Homeownership | 90.1% | 71.1% |
| Median year built | 1991 | 1981 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.2% | — |
Who lives in Columbia City
| People | Columbia City | Typical Oregon town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 45.1 | 41.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 18.5% | 20.1% |
| Under 18 | 17.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 20.6% | 23.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 9.4% | 10.8% |
| Veterans | 12.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.6% | — |
| Work from home | 8.0% | 12.2% |
| Average commute | 29.1 min | 23.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 96.9% | 92.4% |
Weather in Columbia City
July highs average 81.0°F and January lows 33.8°F. About 42.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 1.8 inches of snow (typical Oregon town: 3.1 in). Expect about 14 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 61 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
9 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Columbia City since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical Oregon town. The strongest, an F1, struck on June 29, 1989 about 7.0 miles from the town center. The most recent was on October 11, 2023.
Severe weather in Columbia County since 1996
Columbia County has been included in 17 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, biological.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 15, 2020 | Fire | DR-4562: Wildfires And Straight-Line Winds |
| March 28, 2020 | Biological | DR-4499: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3429: Covid-19 |
| August 8, 2017 | Severe Storm | DR-4328: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| February 17, 2016 | Severe Storm | DR-4258: Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
Jobs and pay in Columbia County
Columbia County had 11,981 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $54,228 a year. Unemployment was 4.4% in 2023; in Columbia City itself the ACS puts it at 3.1%.
Public schools in Columbia City
1 public school with 195 students, about 16.2 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Columbia City School | K-5 | 195 | 16.3 |
Towns near Columbia City
- St. Helens, OR3.0 mi · 13,817 people · home $394,200
- Woodland, WA3.1 mi · 6,531 people · home $438,800
- Warren, OR6.7 mi · 1,870 people · home $523,400
- La Center, WA7.1 mi · 3,424 people · home $584,600
- Kalama, WA8.3 mi · 2,959 people · home $471,500
- Ridgefield, WA8.8 mi · 10,319 people · home $613,500
- Scappoose, OR10.2 mi · 8,010 people · home $455,700
- Duluth, WA11.3 mi · 1,718 people · home $733,600
Columbia City questions
Is Columbia City, Oregon a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Columbia City scores better for retirees than 65% of Oregon towns and quieter than 79%. 18.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 45.1).
How much does a house cost in Columbia City?
The median owner-occupied home in Columbia City is valued at $460,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $96,750, so homes cost about 4.8 times income. Median rent is $1,365 a month.
What is the weather like in Columbia City?
July highs average 81.0°F and January lows 33.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 42.3 inches of precipitation a year and 1.8 inches of snow.
Does Columbia City get tornadoes?
9 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Columbia City since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F1 on June 29, 1989. The typical Oregon town has had 2.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)