Columbia County, Oregon: commercial real estate data.
Columbia County, Oregon has a population of 53,493 across 657 square miles, up 2.8 percent since the 2020 census base. County output reached $2.08 bn in 2024, 996 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 60 7(a) approvals worth $29.9 m.
123 sourced county values · tier FULL · 11 sections
Columbia County
How many people live in Columbia County
- Population53,493
- Households20,928
- Average household size2.56
- Median household income$87,458
- Median age43.3
- Median gross rent$1,373 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$421,600
- Home value to household income4.8 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income18.8 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher19.9 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree5.7 percent
- Adults 25 and over38,975
- Population under 1810,867
- Share under 1820.3 percent
- Population 65 and over10,754
- Share 65 and over20.1 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6431,872
- Civilian labor force25,387
- Unemployment rate4.1 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over59.6 percent
- Rank by population among Oregon counties17th of 36
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents969th
Columbia County is the 17th largest of 36 Oregon counties by population. A median home costs 4.8 times median household income, which is an affordable ownership market by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 20.3 percent against 20.1 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Columbia County
Is Columbia County growing
- Population change since the 2020 census base2.80 percent
- Census 2020 base population52,592
- Births, 2024438
- Deaths, 2024563
- Natural change, 2024-125
- Net domestic migration, 2024213
- Net international migration, 202462
- Total net migration, 2024275
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 20241,729
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents926th
The county has grown 2.80 percent since the 2020 census base. Deaths exceeded births in 2024, so all of the growth came from people moving in. A market held up by migration alone is more sensitive to a change in relative cost than one growing from household formation.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Columbia County
Where people moving to Columbia County come from
- Tax returns filed by households arriving1,614
- People arriving, from those returns2,898
- Adjusted gross income arriving$107.4 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$0
- Average income of an arriving household$66,518
- Largest single originColumbia County Non-migrants (19,905 households)
- Largest single destination (19,905 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Columbia County Non-migrants | 19,905 | 39,461 | $1.58 bn |
| Other flows - Different State | 419 | 754 | $26.4 m |
| Washington County | 400 | 755 | $31.5 m |
| Multnomah County | 336 | 549 | $23.6 m |
| Other flows - West | 278 | 484 | $17.4 m |
| Other flows - Same State | 167 | 287 | $9.5 m |
| Clackamas County | 83 | 147 | $4.9 m |
| Clark County | 83 | 127 | $4.6 m |
The largest single source of arrivals is Columbia County Non-migrants, which is the catchment a retail or multifamily study should look at first.
US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Columbia County
What the Columbia County economy runs on
- County GDP, 2024$2.08 bn
- County GDP, 2023$2.02 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20242.7 percent
- GDP change over five years40.4 percent
- Rank by GDP among Oregon counties21st
- Rank by GDP among US county-equivalents1240th
- GDP per resident$38,874
Output grew 2.7 percent in the latest year and 40.4 percent over five, which is the trend line a lender will read behind any single year figure.
US Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional, table CAGDP2, CAGDP2, through 2024.
Columbia County
Who employs people in Columbia County
- Covered employment, annual average11,981
- Establishments reporting1,445
- Average annual pay$54,228
- Average weekly wage$1,043
- Sector 44-45, employment1,592
- Sector 44-45, average annual pay$36,291
- Sector 62, employment1,547
- Sector 62, average annual pay$48,710
- Sector 31-33, employment1,483
- Sector 31-33, average annual pay$68,331
- Sector 72, employment1,335
- Sector 72, average annual pay$24,783
- Sector 56, employment758
- Sector 23, employment683
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sector 44-45 | 1,592 | 118 | $36,291 |
| Sector 62 | 1,547 | 231 | $48,710 |
| Sector 31-33 | 1,483 | 64 | $68,331 |
| Sector 72 | 1,335 | 117 | $24,783 |
| Sector 56 | 758 | 67 | $48,881 |
| Sector 23 | 683 | 171 | $68,823 |
| Sector 81 | 475 | 146 | $36,010 |
| Sector 48-49 | 414 | 56 | $56,175 |
The largest sector is the biggest private employer group at 1,592 jobs, 13.3 percent of covered employment. Average pay per job sits below median household income, so households here typically need more than one earner.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Columbia County
What businesses operate in Columbia County
- Establishments, all industries996
- Employment at those establishments9,272
- Annual payroll$449.1 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents18.6
These are counts of establishments physically operating in the county, not listings, so they are the supply side a feasibility study measures demand against.
US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Columbia County
What is being built in Columbia County
- Housing units authorised by permit, 202455
- Declared construction value permitted$18.5 m
- Single family units authorised47
- Multifamily units authorised8
- Multifamily share of units14.5 percent
- Average declared value per unit$335,808
- Units authorised per 1,000 households2.6
Multifamily is 14.5 percent of units authorised, so the pipeline is predominantly for sale product.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Columbia County
How much SBA lending happens in Columbia County
- 7(a) approvals recorded60
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$29.9 m
- Average 7(a) approval$498,105
- Median 7(a) approval$132,800
- 10th percentile approval$16,500
- 90th percentile approval$1,909,000
- Largest single approval$2,900,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)522
- Jobs per approval8.7
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active20
- Distinct industries receiving approvals38
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer28.3 percent
- Loans on real estate terms17
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter43
- Franchise loans7
- Franchise share of approvals11.7 percent
- Leading industry by approval countLimited-Service Restaurants (5)
- Most active lenderU.S. Bank, National Association (26)
- 504 approvals recorded12
- 504 gross approval dollars$15.2 m
- Average 504 approval$1,265,250
- Median 504 approval$657,000
- Distinct CDCs active5
- 504 jobs per approval11.6
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved9.2
- Most active CDCEvergreen Business Capital (6)
- 7(a) share of SBA approvals83.3 percent
- Combined SBA approval dollars$45.1 m
The average approval of $498,105 sits well above the median of $132,800, so a small number of large deals is pulling the mean up. The median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here actually gets. Only 28.3 percent of approvals run on real estate terms, so SBA credit here is mostly working capital and equipment rather than property acquisition.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30. US Small Business Administration, 504 FOIA release, FY2010 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Columbia County
Do SBA loans in Columbia County get paid back
- Loans with a final outcome recorded13
- Paid in full11
- Charged off2
- Charge off rate on resolved loans15.4 percent
- Status: Cancelled10
- Status: Paid in full11
- Status: Exempt from disclosure33
- Status: Charged off2
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed4
Of the 13 loans that have reached a final outcome, 15.4 percent were charged off. This is computed only over resolved loans, because a loan still running has not yet succeeded or failed and counting it either way would be wrong.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Columbia County
Which parts of Columbia County get the lending
- Places in the county with recorded lending6
- SCAPPOOSE, approvals28
- SAINT HELENS, approvals20
- RAINIER, approvals5
- CLATSKANIE, approvals3
- Vernonia, approvals3
- DEER ISLAND, approvals1
| Place | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| SCAPPOOSE | 28 | $5,735,000 |
| SAINT HELENS | 20 | $16,721,500 |
| RAINIER | 5 | $2,892,500 |
| CLATSKANIE | 3 | $2,693,500 |
| Vernonia | 3 | $1,813,800 |
| DEER ISLAND | 1 | $30,000 |
SCAPPOOSE accounts for 28 approvals against 20 in SAINT HELENS. County level figures average over that gap, which is why a site decision is made at the submarket rather than the county.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Columbia County
How big is Columbia County
- Land area657 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Oregon counties34th of 36
- Width, east to west29 mi
- Height, north to south32.3 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary3
- Residents per square mile of land81
- Establishments per square mile1.52
US Census Bureau county boundary geometry, TIGER, adjacency computed from shared boundary vertices, TIGER county boundaries. US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year. US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Coverage
What this page does not hold.
Every item below could be filled with a plausible figure. None of them is. On a page a lender may read, a number that cannot be traced is worse than an absence, so the absences are named.
- No NFIP communities are listed for this county in the FEMA Community Status Book.
- Flood zone record counts are not held. The flood coverage export has not landed, so no count is shown rather than an estimated one.
- Traffic counts resolve in the platform, not in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here.
- Zoning is in build. Parcel level zoning is not published on this page.
Feasibility studies
When a Columbia County site needs a document a lender will accept.
The same data layer behind this page is the one the studies are written from. A study for a Columbia County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population53,493
- Households20,928
- Average household size2.56
- Median household income$87,458
- Median age43.3
Common questions
Columbia County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Columbia County, Oregon?
53,493, in 20,928 households, ranking 17th of 36 Oregon counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Columbia County growing?
The population has grown 2.80 percent since the 2020 census base. In 2024 there were 438 births against 563 deaths, with net migration of 275. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Columbia County?
$87,458. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $421,600, which is 4.8 times income, and median gross rent is $1,373 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are there in Columbia County?
996 establishments, employing 9,272 people with an annual payroll of $449.1 m. These are establishments physically operating in the county, not listings. Source: US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
What is the average wage in Columbia County?
Average annual pay is $54,228, or $1,043 a week, across 11,981 covered jobs. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Columbia County?
60 7(a) approvals totalling $29.9 m since FY2020, across 20 lenders, with a median approval of $132,800, plus 12 504 approvals worth $15.2 m. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
Do SBA loans in Columbia County get paid back?
Of the 13 loans that have reached a final outcome, 11 were paid in full and 2 charged off, a charge off rate of 15.4 percent. Loans still running are excluded, because they have not yet succeeded or failed.
What is being built in Columbia County?
55 housing units were authorised by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $18.5 m. Multifamily was 14.5 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Columbia County?
Zone 2, a predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/L. Source: US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Where do people moving to Columbia County come from?
The largest single origin is Columbia County Non-migrants, with 19,905 households. Arriving households report an average income of $66,518 against null for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Columbia County on this page?
No. Annual average daily traffic resolves in the platform rather than in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here. It is a gap we know about rather than a figure we estimated.
Is zoning published for Columbia County?
Not yet. The zoning layer is in build. Nothing on this page presents parcel level zoning, and where a statutory framework applies it is marked as the statewide frame with confirm locally attached.