The Town FilesColumbia, Pennsylvania
Township in Bradford County · population 1,167 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $219,300
- Household income
- $69,688
- Jan low / Jul high
- 15° / 81°
- Snow a year
- 44 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 3
- Median age
- 52.5
Columbia is a township of 1,167 people in Bradford County, Pennsylvania. The median home is worth $219,300, close to the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). It ranks quieter than 73% of Pennsylvania towns.
How Columbia ranks
Percentile among Pennsylvania towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Pennsylvania towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Columbia is worth $219,300, close to the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). Homes cost about 3.1 times the median household income of $69,688, which is more affordable than 39% of Pennsylvania towns. Median rent is $931 a month. 77.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Columbia | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $219,300 | $214,250 |
| Median rent | $931 | $996 |
| Median household income | $69,688 | $75,278 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.1× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 77.9% | 81.5% |
| Median year built | 1964 | 1971 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 5.3% | — |
Who lives in Columbia
| People | Columbia | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 52.5 | 44.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 26.3% | 21.1% |
| Under 18 | 20.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 17.7% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 7.7% | 8.5% |
| Veterans | 4.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.2% | — |
| Work from home | 6.1% | 10.6% |
| Average commute | 26.3 min | 25.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 80.4% | 89.0% |
Weather in Columbia
July highs average 80.9°F and January lows 14.9°F. About 41.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 43.8 inches of snow (typical Pennsylvania town: 31.8 in). Expect about 4 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 160 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Columbia since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Pennsylvania town. The strongest, an F1, struck on July 5, 1992 about 3.3 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 15, 2012.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 9 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on June 20, 2001.
Severe weather in Bradford County since 1996
Bradford County has been included in 21 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| March 30, 2020 | Biological | DR-4506: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3441: Covid-19 |
| November 27, 2018 | Severe Storm | DR-4408: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| December 2, 2016 | Flood | DR-4292: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| October 29, 2012 | Hurricane | EM-3356: Hurricane Sandy |
Jobs and pay in Bradford County
Bradford County had 22,333 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $60,112 a year. Unemployment was 3.3% in 2023; in Columbia itself the ACS puts it at 0.6%.
Towns near Columbia
- Troy, PA5.8 mi · 1,249 people · home $155,900
- Rutland, PA6.0 mi · 779 people · home $218,500
- Sullivan, PA6.7 mi · 1,466 people · home $282,100
- Springfield, PA6.9 mi · 1,144 people · home $233,600
- Wells, PA7.3 mi · 1,150 people · home $210,400
- Troy, PA7.4 mi · 1,585 people · home $165,400
- South Creek, PA8.2 mi · 1,116 people · home $163,700
- Jackson, PA9.8 mi · 1,881 people · home $179,700
Columbia questions
Is Columbia, Pennsylvania a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Columbia scores better for retirees than 46% of Pennsylvania towns and quieter than 73%. 26.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 52.5).
How much does a house cost in Columbia?
The median owner-occupied home in Columbia is valued at $219,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $69,688, so homes cost about 3.1 times income. Median rent is $931 a month.
What is the weather like in Columbia?
July highs average 80.9°F and January lows 14.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 41.2 inches of precipitation a year and 43.8 inches of snow.
Does Columbia get tornadoes?
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Columbia since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F1 on July 5, 1992. The typical Pennsylvania town has had 10.
- 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)