Columbia County, New York: commercial real estate data.
Columbia County, New York had an estimated 60,299 residents on July 1, 2024, down 2.1 percent since the 2020 census base of 61,571, across 635 square miles. County output reached $3.46 bn in 2024, 1,819 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 79 7(a) approvals worth $21.0 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Columbia County
How many people live in Columbia County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202461,100
- Households26,627
- Average household size2.29
- Median household income$81,528
- Median age49.8
- Median gross rent$1,260 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$347,100
- Home value to household income4.3 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income18.5 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher39.4 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree20.3 percent
- Adults 25 and over47,481
- Population under 189,724
- Share under 1815.9 percent
- Population 65 and over16,023
- Share 65 and over26.2 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6435,353
- Civilian labor force30,385
- Unemployment rate5.4 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over59.1 percent
- Rank by population among New York counties40th of 62
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included884th of 3,222
Columbia County is the 40th largest of 62 New York counties by population. A median home costs 4.3 times median household income, which is seriously unaffordable by national standards. Residents 65 and over outnumber those under 18, at 26.2 percent against 15.9 percent, which points demand at health care, services and single story product rather than schools.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Columbia County
Is Columbia County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 202460,299
- Census 2020 base population61,571
- Population change since the 2020 census base-2.07 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 2024-317
- Births, 2024457
- Deaths, 2024751
- Natural change, 2024-294
- Net domestic migration, 2024-200
- Net international migration, 2024182
- Total net migration, 2024-18
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024-410
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents2512th of 3,144
The county has lost 2.07 percent of its population since the 2020 census base. The population fell in 2024 from both sources: deaths exceeded births and more people left than moved in.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Columbia County
Where are people moving to Columbia County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving1,631
- People arriving, from those returns2,530
- Tax returns filed by households leaving1,740
- Net household movement-109
- Adjusted gross income arriving$213.1 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$4.8 m
- Average income of an arriving household$130,673
- Average income of a leaving household$119,728
- Largest single originNew York County (182 households)
- Largest single destinationRensselaer County (206 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York County | 182 | 282 | $61.0 m |
| Kings County | 174 | 265 | $31.2 m |
| Dutchess County | 148 | 240 | $11.0 m |
| Rensselaer County | 116 | 197 | $6.8 m |
| Greene County | 83 | 149 | $5.5 m |
| Albany County | 77 | 102 | $3.7 m |
| Ulster County | 52 | 83 | $3.8 m |
| Westchester County | 51 | 78 | $10.8 m |
Households arriving report $10,945 more average income than households leaving, so the migration is raising local spending power rather than just moving it around. The largest single source of arrivals is New York County, 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 is the Columbia County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$3.46 bn
- County GDP, 2023$3.37 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20242.8 percent
- GDP change over five years27.2 percent
- Rank by GDP among the New York areas BEA publishes41st of 62
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes896th of 3,127
- GDP per resident$56,710
Output grew 2.8 percent in the latest year and 27.2 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
Employment by industry in Columbia County
- Covered employment, annual average20,888
- Establishments reporting2,212
- Average annual pay$56,241
- Average weekly wage$1,082
- Health care and social assistance, employment3,911
- Health care and social assistance, average annual pay$54,995
- Retail trade, employment2,729
- Retail trade, average annual pay$40,577
- Accommodation and food services, employment2,017
- Accommodation and food services, average annual pay$31,979
- Manufacturing, employment1,504
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$63,282
- Construction, employment1,252
- Other services, except public administration, employment615
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 3,911 | 176 | $54,995 |
| Retail trade | 2,729 | 239 | $40,577 |
| Accommodation and food services | 2,017 | 195 | $31,979 |
| Manufacturing | 1,504 | 109 | $63,282 |
| Construction | 1,252 | 253 | $62,991 |
| Other services, except public administration | 615 | 174 | $43,007 |
| Professional, scientific and technical services | 613 | 206 | $102,468 |
| Administrative and support and waste management services | 424 | 124 | $51,301 |
Health care and social assistance is the largest private sector at 3,911 jobs, 18.7 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Columbia County
How many businesses are in Columbia County?
- Establishments, all industries1,819
- Employment at those establishments16,420
- Annual payroll$818.1 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents29.8
These are counts of establishments physically operating in the county, not listings, so they are the supply side a feasibility study measures demand against. County Business Patterns counts private establishments with paid employees in March 2023, while the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages above counts every unemployment-insured employer, public ones included, as a 2024 annual average, so the two establishment and employment counts differ.
US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Columbia County
Building permits in Columbia County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 2024137
- Declared construction value permitted$53.8 m
- Single family units authorized137
- Multifamily units authorized0
- Multifamily share of units0.0 percent
- Average declared value per unit$392,956
- Units authorized per 1,000 households5.1
Single-family homes are 100.0 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is predominantly single-family.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Columbia County
SBA loans in Columbia County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded79
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$21.0 m
- Average 7(a) approval$265,938
- Median 7(a) approval$100,000
- 10th percentile approval$19,000
- 90th percentile approval$777,800
- Largest single approval$2,000,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)429
- Jobs per approval5.4
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active31
- Distinct industries receiving approvals53
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer17.7 percent
- Loans on real estate terms14
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter64
- Franchise loans0
- Franchise share of approvals0.0 percent
- Leading industry by approval countJanitorial Services (5)
- Most active lenderKeyBank National Association (13)
- 504 approvals recorded21
- 504 gross approval dollars$7.3 m
- Average 504 approval$345,905
- Median 504 approval$253,000
- Distinct CDCs active1
- 504 jobs per approval6.7
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved19.4
- Most active CDCEmpire State Certified Development Corporation (21)
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$28.3 m
The average approval of $265,938 sits well above the median of $100,000, pulled up by a few larger deals, so the median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here gets. Only 17.7 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
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Columbia County
Do SBA loans in Columbia County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded13
- Paid in full11
- Charged off2
- Status: Charged off2
- Status: Paid in full11
- Status: Cancelled14
- Status: Exempt from disclosure49
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed3
Only 13 loans have reached a final outcome, fewer than the 30 a charge-off rate needs, so no rate is published.
Compare against the national and state SBA charge-off rates, computed the same way over resolved loans only.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Columbia County
SBA lending by place in Columbia County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending22
- Hudson, approvals23
- Valatie, approvals10
- Germantown, approvals8
- Ghent, approvals6
- New Lebanon, approvals4
- Hillsdale, approvals3
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Hudson | 23 | $3,576,000 |
| Valatie | 10 | $4,450,700 |
| Germantown | 8 | $601,900 |
| Ghent | 6 | $1,376,000 |
| New Lebanon | 4 | $1,429,000 |
| Hillsdale | 3 | $1,414,700 |
| Chatham | 3 | $678,000 |
| Kinderhook | 3 | $225,000 |
| 14 other borrower cities | 19 | $7,257,800 |
Hudson accounts for 23 approvals against 10 in Valatie. 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 large is Columbia County?
- Land area635 sq mi
- Rank by land area among New York counties35th of 62
- Width, east to west29.6 mi
- Height, north to south36.7 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary5
- Residents per square mile of land96
- Establishments per square mile2.86
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.
Columbia County
Flood risk in Columbia County
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book22
- Of those, participating in the NFIP22
- NFIP participation rate100.0 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
- Radon levels in Columbia County, EPA zone predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 4 pCi/LZone 1
The EPA places Columbia County in radon zone 1, a predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 4 pCi/L. The zone is a screening prediction for the county and does not substitute for a test at an address. 100.0 percent of the county's listed communities participate in the National Flood Insurance Program, per Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26.
Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26. US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Coverage
What this page does not hold.
Traffic counts, zoning and the flood zone at an address are not on this page; they resolve at the address in the platform. How this page was built →
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.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202461,100
- Households26,627
- Average household size2.29
- Median household income$81,528
- Median age49.8
Common questions
Columbia County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Columbia County, New York?
The Census Bureau estimates 60,299 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 61,100, in 26,627 households, ranking 40th of 62 New York counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Columbia County's population growing?
The population has fallen 2.07 percent since the 2020 census base of 61,571, to 60,299 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 457 births against 751 deaths, with net migration of -18. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Columbia County?
$81,528. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $347,100, which is 4.3 times income, and median gross rent is $1,260 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Columbia County?
1,819 establishments, employing 16,420 people with an annual payroll of $818.1 m. These are establishments physically operating in the county, not listings. Source: US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
What is employment by industry in Columbia County?
Health care and social assistance is the largest private sector at 3,911 jobs, 18.7 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 20,888 jobs at an average annual pay of $56,241, or $1,082 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Columbia County?
79 7(a) approvals totaling $21.0 m since FY2020, across 31 lenders, with a median approval of $100,000, plus 21 504 approvals worth $7.3 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Columbia County?
137 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $53.8 m. Multifamily was 0.0 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Columbia County?
Zone 1, a predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 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 New York County, with 182 households. Arriving households report an average income of $130,673 against $119,728 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?
No. Nothing on this page presents parcel level zoning, and where a statutory framework applies it is marked as the statewide frame, to be confirmed locally.
Columbia County
Cities and places in Columbia.
15 Census places lie wholly or partly in Columbia County. All 15 carry enough published place level data for a page of their own and are linked.
| Place | Type | Population | SBA 7(a) approvals, projects in this county | Lies in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hudson | city | 5,865 | 23 | Wholly in this county |
| Lorenz Park | CDP | 1,991 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Valatie | village | 1,796 | 10 | Wholly in this county |
| Chatham | village | 1,669 | 3 | Wholly in this county |
| Philmont | village | 1,439 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Niverville | CDP | 1,181 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Kinderhook | village | 1,072 | 3 | Wholly in this county |
| Stottville | CDP | 1,045 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Germantown | CDP | 1,042 | 8 | Wholly in this county |
| Claverack-Red Mills | CDP | 925 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Copake Lake | CDP | 784 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Taconic Shores | CDP | 606 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Ghent | CDP | 517 | 6 | Wholly in this county |
| Copake | CDP | 222 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Copake Falls | CDP | 11 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
A further 24 of the county's 79 SBA 7(a) approvals are to borrowers in cities that match no Census place in Columbia County, the largest being New Lebanon (4), Hillsdale (3), North Chatham (2). Those are postal cities, unincorporated areas and cities outside the county, so no place row claims them; they are counted in the county total above.
Nearby