Columbia County, Wisconsin: commercial real estate data.
Columbia County, Wisconsin had an estimated 58,113 residents on July 1, 2024, down 0.6 percent since the 2020 census base of 58,476, across 766 square miles. County output reached $4.27 bn in 2024, 1,432 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 73 7(a) approvals worth $46.0 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 2020-202458,272
- Households24,158
- Average household size2.41
- Median household income$85,351
- Median age43.7
- Median gross rent$978 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$283,200
- Home value to household income3.3 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income13.8 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher26.0 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree8.0 percent
- Adults 25 and over42,187
- Population under 1811,972
- Share under 1820.5 percent
- Population 65 and over11,422
- Share 65 and over19.6 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6434,878
- Civilian labor force31,401
- Unemployment rate3.1 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over67.8 percent
- Rank by population among Wisconsin counties26th of 72
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included916th of 3,222
Columbia County is the 26th largest of 72 Wisconsin counties by population. A median home costs 3.3 times median household income, which is moderately unaffordable by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 20.5 percent against 19.6 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's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 202458,113
- Census 2020 base population58,476
- Population change since the 2020 census base-0.62 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 2024164
- Births, 2024564
- Deaths, 2024612
- Natural change, 2024-48
- Net domestic migration, 202473
- Net international migration, 2024136
- Total net migration, 2024209
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024-579
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents2064th of 3,144
The county has lost 0.62 percent of its population since the 2020 census base. Deaths exceeded births in 2024 and the population still grew, so all of the growth came from people moving in. A market held up by migration 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 are people moving to Columbia County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving1,942
- People arriving, from those returns3,210
- Tax returns filed by households leaving1,886
- Net household movement56
- Adjusted gross income arriving$129.1 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$20.1 m
- Average income of an arriving household$66,479
- Average income of a leaving household$57,774
- Largest single originDane County (688 households)
- Largest single destinationDane County (513 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dane County | 688 | 1,119 | $50.9 m |
| Sauk County | 230 | 357 | $12.5 m |
| Dodge County | 109 | 175 | $5.2 m |
| Marquette County | 109 | 204 | $5.0 m |
| Adams County | 46 | 75 | $1.9 m |
| Jefferson County | 32 | 50 | $1.8 m |
| Milwaukee County | 32 | 48 | $2.0 m |
| Cook County | 26 | 44 | $4.6 m |
Households arriving report $8,705 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 Dane 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$4.27 bn
- County GDP, 2023$4.18 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20242.3 percent
- GDP change over five years44.4 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Wisconsin areas BEA publishes25th of 72
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes775th of 3,127
- GDP per resident$73,347
Output grew 2.3 percent in the latest year and 44.4 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
Employment by industry in Columbia County
- Covered employment, annual average21,963
- Establishments reporting1,775
- Average annual pay$52,667
- Average weekly wage$1,013
- Manufacturing, employment5,178
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$69,473
- Retail trade, employment2,613
- Retail trade, average annual pay$34,576
- Health care and social assistance, employment2,455
- Health care and social assistance, average annual pay$52,813
- Accommodation and food services, employment2,002
- Accommodation and food services, average annual pay$20,317
- Construction, employment1,060
- Administrative and support and waste management services, employment836
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 5,178 | 105 | $69,473 |
| Retail trade | 2,613 | 186 | $34,576 |
| Health care and social assistance | 2,455 | 305 | $52,813 |
| Accommodation and food services | 2,002 | 174 | $20,317 |
| Construction | 1,060 | 189 | $69,469 |
| Administrative and support and waste management services | 836 | 79 | $47,595 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 690 | 87 | $49,896 |
| Other services, except public administration | 578 | 111 | $47,586 |
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 5,178 jobs, 23.6 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 industries1,432
- Employment at those establishments20,998
- Annual payroll$1.06 bn
- Establishments per 1,000 residents24.6
These are counts of establishments physically operating in the county, not listings, so they are the supply side a feasibility study measures demand against. 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, 2024181
- Declared construction value permitted$68.0 m
- Single family units authorized137
- Multifamily units authorized44
- Multifamily share of units24.3 percent
- Average declared value per unit$375,423
- Units authorized per 1,000 households7.5
Single-family homes are 75.7 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 recorded73
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$46.0 m
- Average 7(a) approval$630,244
- Median 7(a) approval$266,800
- 10th percentile approval$50,000
- 90th percentile approval$1,990,000
- Largest single approval$4,501,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)1,069
- Jobs per approval14.6
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active33
- Distinct industries receiving approvals42
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer28.8 percent
- Loans on real estate terms21
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter48
- Franchise loans12
- Franchise share of approvals16.4 percent
- Leading industry by approval countLimited-Service Restaurants (9)
- Most active lenderBank First, N.A. (13)
- 504 approvals recorded59
- 504 gross approval dollars$58.3 m
- Average 504 approval$988,763
- Median 504 approval$691,000
- Distinct CDCs active2
- 504 jobs per approval13.8
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved13.9
- Most active CDCWBD, Inc. (58)
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$104.3 m
The average approval of $630,244 sits well above the median of $266,800, pulled up by a few larger deals, so the median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here gets. Only 28.8 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 recorded19
- Paid in full19
- Charged off0
- Status: Paid in full19
- Status: Exempt from disclosure42
- Status: Cancelled9
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed3
Only 19 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 lending12
- Wisconsin Dells, approvals17
- Portage, approvals13
- Pardeeville, approvals11
- Poynette, approvals9
- Lodi, approvals7
- Columbus, approvals5
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Wisconsin Dells | 17 | $9,641,100 |
| Portage | 13 | $14,411,300 |
| Pardeeville | 11 | $4,042,500 |
| Poynette | 9 | $4,732,800 |
| Lodi | 7 | $4,966,000 |
| Columbus | 5 | $1,392,300 |
| Rio | 3 | $5,001,000 |
| Arlington | 3 | $524,700 |
| 4 other borrower cities | 5 | $1,296,100 |
Wisconsin Dells accounts for 17 approvals against 13 in Portage. 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 area766 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Wisconsin counties34th of 72
- Width, east to west39.1 mi
- Height, north to south24.7 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary6
- Residents per square mile of land76
- Establishments per square mile1.87
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
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Columbia County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 550581
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book11
- Of those, participating in the NFIP11
- NFIP participation rate100.0 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
- Radon levels in Columbia County, EPA zone predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/LZone 2
The county's own community in the status book, unincorporated Columbia County (community 550581), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places Columbia County in radon zone 2, a predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 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 2020-202458,272
- Households24,158
- Average household size2.41
- Median household income$85,351
- Median age43.7
Common questions
Columbia County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Columbia County, Wisconsin?
The Census Bureau estimates 58,113 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 58,272, in 24,158 households, ranking 26th of 72 Wisconsin 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 0.62 percent since the 2020 census base of 58,476, to 58,113 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 564 births against 612 deaths, with net migration of 209. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Columbia County?
$85,351. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $283,200, which is 3.3 times income, and median gross rent is $978 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Columbia County?
1,432 establishments, employing 20,998 people with an annual payroll of $1.06 bn. 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?
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 5,178 jobs, 23.6 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 21,963 jobs at an average annual pay of $52,667, or $1,013 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?
73 7(a) approvals totaling $46.0 m since FY2020, across 33 lenders, with a median approval of $266,800, plus 59 504 approvals worth $58.3 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Columbia County?
181 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $68.0 m. Multifamily was 24.3 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 Dane County, with 688 households. Arriving households report an average income of $66,479 against $57,774 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.
16 Census places lie wholly or partly in Columbia County. All 16 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portage | city | 10,236 | 13 | Wholly in this county |
| Columbus | city | 5,488 | 5 | Wholly in this county |
| Lake Wisconsin | CDP | 5,384 | None recorded | 97.7 percent here, 2.3 percent Sauk County |
| Lodi | city | 3,204 | 7 | Wholly in this county |
| Poynette | village | 2,678 | 9 | Wholly in this county |
| Wisconsin Dells | city | 2,547 | 17 | 44.7 percent here, 28.8 percent Sauk County, 21.2 percent Adams County, 5.3 percent Juneau County |
| Fall River | village | 1,678 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Pardeeville | village | 1,672 | 11 | Wholly in this county |
| Randolph | village | 1,642 | None recorded | 24.1 percent here, 75.9 percent Dodge County |
| Rio | village | 1,141 | 3 | Wholly in this county |
| Arlington | village | 946 | 3 | Wholly in this county |
| Cambria | village | 795 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Wyocena | village | 676 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Friesland | village | 297 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Dekorra | CDP | 161 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
| Doylestown | village | 160 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
A further 1 of the county's 73 SBA 7(a) approvals are to borrowers in cities that match no Census place in Columbia County, the largest being Barbaroo (1). 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