Columbia, MO

Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA)

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2023 Population

212,850

0.84% 1-year growth

US Senator

Josh Hawley

Republican Party

US Senator

Eric Schmitt

Republican Party

2023 Median Age

33.1

1.22% 1-year increase

2023 Poverty Rate

16.5%

4.33% 1-year decrease

2023 Median Household Income

$69,463

5.47% 1-year growth

2023 Employed Population

109,294

0.832% 1-year growth

About

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Columbia, MO are White (Non-Hispanic) (77.8%), Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (8.83%), Two+ (Non-Hispanic) (4.52%), Asian (Non-Hispanic) (4.1%), and Two+ (Hispanic) (1.55%).

None of the households in Columbia, MO reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

The largest universities in Columbia, MO are University of Missouri-Columbia (10,926 degrees awarded in 2023), Columbia College (177065) (1,920 degrees), and Central Methodist University-College of Graduate and Extended Studies (592 degrees).

Most people in Columbia, MO drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 19.7 minutes. The average car ownership in Columbia, MO was 2 cars per household.

Columbia, MO borders Jefferson City, MO, Mexico, MO, and Moberly, MO.

United States Missouri

Population & Diversity

In 2023, there were 8.81 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (166k people) in Columbia, MO than any other race or ethnicity. There were 18.8k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 9.62k Two+ (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Columbia, MO

White (Non-Hispanic)
166k ± 583
Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
18.8k ± 747
Two+ (Non-Hispanic)
9.62k ± 1.03k

4.09%

Hispanic Population

8.7k people

4.09% of the people in Columbia, MO are hispanic (8.7k people).

The following chart shows the 7 races represented in Columbia, MO as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the MSA level, so we are showing data for Columbia, MO.

Most Common Origin

Mexico
37,430 ± 4,735 people
India
22,246 ± 3,655 people
China
18,085 ± 3,297 people

In 2022, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Columbia, MO was Mexico, the natal country of 37,430 Columbia, MO residents, followed by India with 22,246 and China with 18,085.

Foreign-Born Population

5.77%

2023 Foreign-Born Population

12.3k people

5.77%

2022 Foreign-Born Population

12.2k people

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Columbia, MO compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
3,015 ± 314
Gulf War (2001-)
2,487 ± 358
Gulf War (1990s)
1,314 ± 286

Columbia, MO has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.21 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Columbia, MO employs 109k people. The largest industries in Columbia, MO are Educational Services (19,180 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (17,935 people), and Retail Trade (10,931 people), and the highest paying industries are Management of Companies & Enterprises ($101,264), Utilities ($82,781), and Finance & Insurance ($66,540).

Males in Missouri have an average income that is 1.33 times higher than the average income of females, which is $55,490. The income inequality in Missouri (measured using the Gini index) is N/A, which is N/A than the national average.

Employment

Occupations

109k

2023 Value

± 2,819

0.832%

1 Year growth

± 3.64%

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Columbia, MO, are Management Occupations (12,164 people), Office & Administrative Support Occupations (11,358 people), and Education Instruction, & Library Occupations (9,910 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Columbia, MO.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for false.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in Missouri (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

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Industries

Employment by Industries

109k

2023 Value

± 2,819

0.832%

1 Year growth

± 3.64%

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Columbia, MO, are Educational Services (19,180 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (17,935 people), and Retail Trade (10,931 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Columbia, MO, though some of these residents may live in Columbia, MO and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

N/A

Median earning men ± N/A

N/A

Median earning women ± N/A

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2023 are Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($80,769), Public Administration ($59,519), and Educational Services, & Health Care & Social Assistance ($57,050).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2023 are Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($53,851), Public Administration ($51,163), and Wholesale Trade ($45,986).

Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Missouri.

Y-Axis

2.17%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 2.94M people employed in Missouri. This represents a 2.17% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

Right after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, during April 2020, a general dip can be seen across industry sectors, resulting in an overall decline in employment by 11.8%.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in Missouri.

Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments

405
Health Care and Social Assistance
405
Construction
309
Other Services (except Public Administration)

The visualization shows the distribution of establishments by industry and by size according to the number of employees.

Depending on the option selected, the visualization shows the number of employees or number of establishments and its share across establishment sizes.

Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll

$1.3M
Health Care and Social Assistance
$866k
Finance and Insurance
$422k
Retail Trade

The chart shows the total annual payroll and the average annual payroll by industry.

Civics

In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in Missouri went to Donald J. Trump with 58.5% of the vote. The runner-up was Kamala Harris (40.1%), followed by Chase Oliver (0.797%).

Josh Hawley and Eric Schmitt are the senators currently representing the state of Missouri. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

Missouri is currently represented by 8 members in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

Presidential Elections

Presidential Popular Vote Over Time

Voting results are not available for Columbia, MO. Showing the available data for Missouri.

2024 Election Results

Donald J. Trump (58.5%)
Republican Party
Kamala Harris (40.1%)
Democratic Party
Chase Oliver (0.797%)
Libertarian Party

In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in Missouri went to Donald J. Trump with 58.5% of the vote. The runner-up was Kamala Harris (40.1%), followed by Chase Oliver (0.797%).

The following chart shows the popular vote results in Missouri for each registered party from 1976 to 2024.

Senator Elections

US Senators from Missouri

Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for Missouri.

Josh Hawley

Senator from Missouri

Assumed office on January 3, 2019

Eric Schmitt

Senator from Missouri

Assumed office on January 3, 2023

Josh Hawley and Eric Schmitt are the senators currently representing Missouri.

In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

The following chart shows elected senators in Missouri over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

US Representative Elections

US Representatives from Missouri

Missouri is currently represented by 8 members in the U.S. house.

Members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms, and the following chart shows the how the members for Missouri have changed over time starting in 2008.

Education

In 2023, universities in Columbia, MO awarded 13,976 degrees. The student population of Columbia, MO in N/A is skewed towards N/A, with N/A male students and N/A female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Columbia, MO are White (10,446 and 77.5%), followed by Black or African American (1,023 and 7.59%), Hispanic or Latino (808 and 5.99%), and Two or More Races (590 and 4.38%).

The largest universities in Columbia, MO by number of degrees awarded are University of Missouri-Columbia (10,926 and 78.2%), Columbia College (177065) (1,920 and 13.7%), and Central Methodist University-College of Graduate and Extended Studies (592 and 4.24%).

The most popular majors in Columbia, MO are General Business (1,347 and 9.64%), Other Ethnic, Minority, Gender, & Group Studies (1,253 and 8.97%), and General Studies (651 and 4.66%).

The median tuition costs in Columbia, MO are $19,034 for private four year colleges, and $13,008 and $33,216 respectively, for public four year colleges for in-state students and out-of-state students.

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

University

Measure

In 2023 in Columbia, MO, the percentage of applicants admitted was 77.9%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 30.9%. The number of students enrolled in 2023 was 42,358 (42.2% men and 57.8% women).

The line chart shows the evolution of the percentage of applicants admitted, admitted who enrolled or the number of students enrolled according to the option selected in the upper button.

Enrollments by Gender and Races

Universities

In 2023 there were 42,358 students enrolled in Columbia, MO, 42.2% men and 57.8% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 30,925 records, of which 58.4% were women and 41.6% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

General Business
1,053 degrees awarded
General Health Services
533 degrees awarded
General Psychology
487 degrees awarded

In 2023, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Columbia, MO was General Business with 1,053 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Bachelors Degree from schools in Columbia, MO according to their major.

Universities

Gender

Race

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

University of Missouri-Columbia
10,926 degrees awarded
Columbia College (177065)
1,920 degrees awarded
Central Methodist University-College of Graduate and Extended Studies
592 degrees awarded

In 2023, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was University of Missouri-Columbia with 10,926 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

University

In 2023, 5,570 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Columbia, MO, which is 0.663 times less than the 8,406 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2023, the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 10,446 degrees mean that there were 10.2 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Black or African American, with 1,023 degrees awarded.

Awarded Degrees over Time

The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

Tuition

Average Net Price by Sector

Universities

Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($19,034) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2023.

Public, 4-year or above ($1,122) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2023.

Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($1,120) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

The graph shows the average net price by sector and year.

Working Population

Educational Pyramid

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Missouri.

Measure

In N/A, N/A% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while N/A% of women were in the same situation.

This visualization shows the gender distribution of the population according to the academic level reached.

Educational Attainment

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Missouri.

The most common educational levels obtained by the working population in false were N/A.

This visualization illustrates the percentage distribution of the population according to the highest educational level reached. You can filter the data by race by using the selector above.

Housing & Living

People in Columbia, MO have an average commute time of 19.7 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Columbia, MO is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Equity

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.

The following map shows all of the counties in Columbia, MO colored by their Median Household Income (N/A).

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Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$69,463

Median Household Income

± $1,962

N/A

Number of Households

± 0

The following chart displays the households in Columbia, MO distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $75k - $100k range.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Columbia, MO is from Columbia, MO.

N/A Wage GINI in N/A

In N/A, the income inequality in N/A was N/A according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a N/A N/A from N/A to N/A, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat N/A even. The GINI for N/A was N/A than the national average of 0.478. In other words, wages are distributed N/A evenly in N/A in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in Columbia, MO across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2023

Drove Alone (76%)
Worked At Home (8.92%)
Carpooled (8.82%)

In 2023, 76% of workers in Columbia, MO drove alone to work, followed by those who worked at home (8.92%) and those who carpooled to work (8.82%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

Commute Time

19.7 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Columbia, MO have a shorter commute time (19.7 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.6 minutes). Additionally, 1.82% of the workforce in Columbia, MO have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Columbia, MO compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Columbia, MO distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Columbia, MO have 2 cars.

Poverty

Poverty & Diversity

16.5% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Columbia, MO (33.1k out of 201k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.4%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 18 - 24, followed by Males 18 - 24 and then Females 25 - 34.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Columbia, MO is White, followed by Black and Two Or More.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals
Florida
4,915 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798. New York has the second highest (5,087), followed by Florida (4,915).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

Health

93.4% of the population of Columbia, MO has health coverage, with 58.6% on employee plans, 10.1% on Medicaid, 10.7% on Medicare, 12.2% on non-group plans, and 1.79% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Missouri see 1409 patients per year on average, which represents a 0.285% increase from the previous year (1405 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1617 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 433 patients per year.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Missouri.

1,409 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Missouri

Primary care physicians in Missouri see an average of 1,409 patients per year. This represents a 0.285% increase from the previous year (1,405 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Missouri in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

Health Care Diversity

In N/A, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in .

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, N/A were men and N/A were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

Uninsured People

6.58%

Uninsured

58.6%

Employer Coverage

10.1%

Medicaid

10.7%

Medicare

12.2%

Non-Group

1.79%

Military or VA

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Columbia, MO changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.

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