Columbia County, Wisconsin Demographics 2026

Name: Columbia County, Wisconsin Demographics
Creator: U.S. Census Bureau
License: https://www.census.gov/data/developers/about/terms-of-service.html

Columbia County, Wisconsin has a population of 58,272, the 26th most populous county in Wisconsin. The median household income is $85,351 and the median home value is $283,200. The poverty rate is 7.8%.

Data vintage: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates · refreshed July 2026 · Methodology & source notes

Columbia County Quick Facts

Population 58,272

Median Household Income $85,351

Median Home Value $283,200

Poverty Rate 7.8%

Unemployment Rate 3.1%

Median Age 43.7 years

Homeownership Rate 76.7%

Affordability Ratio 3.3x

Bachelor's Degree+ 26.0%

High School Graduation 94.0%

Cities/Places 12

Population 58,272 26th of 72

Median Income $85,351 10% higher than state

Poverty Rate 7.8%

Unemployment 3.1%

How Columbia County Changed

Change from the 2019–2023 ACS period to 2020–2024. These are rolling five-year estimates, not year-over-year measurements.

Metric	2019–2023	2020–2024	Change
Population	58,322	58,272	-0.1%
Median household income	$82,792	$85,351	+3.1%
Median home value	$258,700	$283,200	+9.5%

Median Household Income

Columbia

$85,351

$77,485

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Columbia

$283,200

$266,500

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 10.5%

$25K-$50K 16.6%

$50K-$100K 32.0%

$100K+ 40.9%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

3.7%

$10K-$15K

1.8%

$15K-$20K

2.4%

$20K-$25K

2.6%

$25K-$30K

3.3%

$30K-$35K

2.7%

$35K-$40K

2.4%

$40K-$45K

4.8%

$45K-$50K

3.4%

$50K-$60K

6.2%

$60K-$75K

10.5%

$75K-$100K

15.4%

$100K-$125K

11.5%

$125K-$150K

9.2%

$150K-$200K

11.1%

$200K+

9.2%

Employment

3.1% Unemployment Rate State: 3.3%|National: 5.2%

65.7% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 76.7%

Renter 23.3%

Affordability Index Affordable

3.3x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $978/mo 13.8% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

20.5%

18-34

18.5%

35-54

25.9%

55-74

27.4%

75+

7.6%

Race & Ethnicity

Diversity Index

Very Low Diversity

A less diverse community where one racial or ethnic group represents a large majority.

State average: 37 | National average: 61

Education

Educational Attainment (Adults 25+)

Cities & Places in Columbia County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Portage	10,236	$64,722	13.5%	$204,900
Lodi	3,204	$117,584	5.1%	$328,200
Poynette	2,678	$93,500	6.7%	$296,600
Fall River	1,678	$72,167	9.5%	$243,700
Pardeeville	1,672	$64,902	8.8%	$230,400
Rio	1,141	$67,833	17.5%	$196,100
Arlington	946	$98,750	2.3%	$291,600
Cambria	795	$69,323	8.4%	$157,900
Wyocena	676	$83,269	11.7%	$223,500
Friesland	297	$86,250	3.7%	$151,300
Dekorra	161	$120,227	1.9%	$275,000
Doylestown	160	$75,000	3.8%	$206,700

Explore Wisconsin Rankings

Cities by Population All cities ranked by size Richest Cities Ranked by median income Most Educated By bachelor's degree rate Most Affordable By housing affordability

Population Overview

Columbia County is located in Wisconsin with a total population of 58,272. It is the 26th most populous county out of 72 in Wisconsin. The county encompasses 12 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Columbia County is 43.7 years. This is 9% higher than the state median of 40.2 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Columbia County is $85,351. This is 10% higher than the state median of $77,485. It is also 6% higher than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 7.8%. This is 27% lower than the state poverty rate of 10.5%. The unemployment rate is 3.1%. This is 6% lower than the state rate of 3.3%. The median home value is $283,200. Housing costs are 6% higher than the state median of $266,500. The home-value-to-income ratio is 3.3x. 76.7% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 13% higher than the state average of 67.8%.

Race & Ethnicity

Columbia County has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 90.3% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 4.1%. The Black or African American population (1.6%) is well below the state average of 5.9%. The Asian population (0.8%) is well below the state average of 2.9%.

Education

26.0% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 22% lower than the state rate of 33.4%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 94.0%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Columbia County come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates, with comparisons drawn against Wisconsin and national averages from the same dataset. See our methodology page for how each metric is defined, or data.census.gov for official tables with margins of error.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the population of Columbia County, Wisconsin?

Columbia County has a population of 58,272, making it the 26th most populous county in Wisconsin.

What is the median income in Columbia County?

The median household income in Columbia County is $85,351 with a poverty rate of 7.8%.

How many cities are in Columbia County, Wisconsin?

Columbia County contains 12 Census-designated places.