Metro area profile · Missouri
Columbia, MO metro area market data
Population, household spending and competition for 56 business types in the Columbia metro area, each scored against other metro areas.
- Population, 2025
- 219,062
- +3.9% since 2020
- Households
- 86,393
- Median household income
- $72,340
- +32.0% vs. 2015–2019, before inflation
- Median home value
- $258,700
- Jobs located here
- 114,165
- Highest market score
- 79
- Laundromats, #21 of 364 scored metro areas
A site report maps the competitors on map listings around any address in the Columbia metro area by name and distance, and the households and spending within reach. Or open the report at the center of the Columbia metro area. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardSurvey estimates 2020–2024 · population estimates 2025 · official business counts 2023 · map listings September 2026 · Data credits · How we measure
What this means
An estimated 219,062 people live in the Columbia metro area, in 86,393 households. Population estimates show the Columbia metro area grew 3.9% from 2020 to 2025, faster than the U.S. (+3.1%). The median household income in the Columbia metro area is $72,340 a year, 10% below the U.S. median of $80,734. That rose 32.0% from the 2015–2019 survey, before inflation.
Set against the U.S., households in the Columbia metro area spend the most on vehicle maintenance and repairs (an index of 112, where 100 is the U.S. average) and the least on child care and other personal services (71).
The highest Groundwork market scores in the Columbia metro area are for laundromats (79), dentists and orthodontists (78) and auto repair shops (74). The Columbia metro area ranks #21 of 364 scored metro areas for laundromats.
The Columbia metro area takes in 3 counties: Boone County, Cooper County and Howard County. For its number of households, the Columbia metro area has the most map listings, relative to the U.S., for home inspectors (2.7 times the U.S. rate) and the fewest for dentists and orthodontists (36% below the U.S. rate).
All 56 business types in the Columbia metro area
Highest Groundwork market score first. Each score compares the Columbia metro area with other metro areas for that business type, from 0 to 100. Spending per listing divides a whole spending line (all vehicle repairs, all eating out) by one type’s listings: the demand for each competitor, not a business’s revenue. Compare it across markets with its index, where 100 is the U.S. figure for the same type; the real estate types, whose line is all housing costs, show the index only. How the score works.
| Business type | Score | Rank among metro areas | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Spending per listing vs. U.S. (100) | Official establishments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Laundromats | 79 | #21 of 364 | 6 | 0.7 | $28.2M | 226 | 4 |
| Dentists and orthodontists | 78 | #11 of 387 | 73 | 8.4 | $1.7M | 168 | 72 |
| Auto repair shops | 74 | #36 of 387 | 167 | 19.3 | $557K | 125 | 82 |
| Auto repair and car care | 73 | #39 of 387 | 290 | 33.6 | $321K | 119 | 120 |
| Collision repair and body shops | 72 | #46 of 381 | 21 | 2.4 | $4.4M | 144 | 21 |
| Tire shops | 68 | #88 of 386 | 36 | 4.2 | $2.6M | 103 | 10 |
| Nail salons | 67 | #60 of 387 | 40 | 4.6 | $2.1M | 127 | 10 |
| Convenience stores | 67 | #79 of 387 | 69 | 8.0 | $7.5M | 95 | 4 |
| Doctors, dentists and clinics | 66 | #71 of 387 | 619 | 71.6 | $195K | 128 | 324 |
| Primary care and pediatrics | 66 | #78 of 387 | 43 | 5.0 | $2.8M | 158 | 161 |
| Physical therapy | 66 | #86 of 386 | 40 | 4.6 | $3M | 126 | 36 |
| Grocery and convenience stores | 66 | #88 of 387 | 144 | 16.7 | $3.6M | 106 | 35 |
| Clothing, shoes and laundry | 64 | #101 of 387 | 160 | 18.5 | $1.1M | 120 | 75 |
| Car washes and detailing | 62 | #108 of 387 | 32 | 3.7 | $2.9M | 115 | 17 |
| Roofing and gutters | 61 | #110 of 381 | 29 | 3.4 | $8M | 95 | 10 |
| Pet grooming and boarding | 60 | #117 of 386 | 27 | 3.1 | $2.7M | 105 | 17 |
| Grocery stores | 60 | #126 of 387 | 49 | 5.7 | $10.5M | 113 | 31 |
| Electricians | 59 | #123 of 383 | 21 | 2.4 | $11.1M | 92 | 37 |
| Martial arts and dance studios | 58 | #109 of 387 | 34 | 3.9 | $2.3M | 113 | 25 |
| Bakeries and dessert shops | 58 | #133 of 387 | 71 | 8.2 | $4.7M | 113 | 53 |
| Gas stations | 57 | #148 of 387 | 81 | 9.4 | $2.9M | 121 | 84 |
| Clothing and shoe stores | 57 | #159 of 387 | 123 | 14.2 | $1.4M | 108 | 67 |
| Salons, barbers and spas | 56 | #131 of 387 | 346 | 40.0 | $244K | 115 | 114 |
| Spas and skin care | 56 | #137 of 387 | 81 | 9.4 | $1M | 119 | 22 |
| Fast food and sandwich shops | 55 | #165 of 387 | 114 | 13.2 | $2.9M | 95 | 175 |
| Sit-down restaurants | 54 | #160 of 387 | 471 | 54.5 | $705K | 106 | 153 |
| Gyms, studios and classes | 53 | #149 of 387 | 111 | 12.8 | $695K | 105 | 66 |
| Barbershops | 53 | #164 of 387 | 34 | 3.9 | $2.5M | 132 | 9 |
| Restaurants and cafes | 53 | #172 of 387 | 873 | 101.0 | $380K | 103 | 385 |
| Yoga, Pilates and fitness studios | 52 | #142 of 347 | 14 | 1.6 | $5.5M | 136 | 41 |
| Hair salons | 51 | #166 of 387 | 183 | 21.2 | $462K | 107 | 73 |
| Home repair trades | 51 | #189 of 387 | 114 | 13.2 | $2M | 84 | 121 |
| Chiropractors | 50 | #194 of 386 | 57 | 6.6 | $2.1M | 89 | 29 |
| Pet stores | 49 | #201 of 382 | 19 | 2.2 | $3.8M | 84 | 6 |
| Gyms | 47 | #224 of 387 | 63 | 7.3 | $1.2M | 94 | 41 |
| Pest control | 44 | #213 of 345 | 15 | 1.7 | $7M | 69 | 8 |
| Coffee shops and cafes | 44 | #243 of 387 | 97 | 11.2 | $3.4M | 92 | 53 |
| Pizza | 44 | #243 of 387 | 83 | 9.6 | $4M | 79 | 175 |
| Optometrists and eye care | 43 | #267 of 386 | 43 | 5.0 | $2.8M | 90 | 20 |
| Mortgage brokers and lenders | 41 | #253 of 373 | 28 | 3.2 | Index only | 110 | 19 |
| Pet businesses | 41 | #268 of 387 | 104 | 12.0 | $694K | 79 | 51 |
| HVAC and plumbing | 39 | #281 of 387 | 64 | 7.4 | $3.6M | 76 | 74 |
| Real estate agents and brokers | 34 | #345 of 387 | 237 | 27.4 | Index only | 93 | 108 |
| Funeral homes | 33 | #294 of 377 | 23 | 2.7 | $429K | 63 | 10 |
| Property management | 32 | #335 of 374 | 38 | 4.4 | Index only | 57 | 40 |
| Real estate | 32 | #358 of 387 | 317 | 36.7 | Index only | 88 | 199 |
| Veterinarians | 31 | #323 of 384 | 42 | 4.9 | $1.7M | 63 | 28 |
| House cleaning | 29 | #339 of 375 | 22 | 2.5 | $4.8M | 75 | 67 |
| Landscaping and lawn care | 27 | #347 of 385 | 66 | 7.6 | $1.6M | 55 | 93 |
| Lawn, cleaning and pest control | 26 | #362 of 387 | 103 | 11.9 | $1M | 61 | 168 |
| Child care and preschools | 24 | #364 of 387 | 68 | 7.9 | $524K | 52 | 81 |
| Home inspectors | 23 | #236 of 243 | 14 | 1.6 | Index only | 33 | 6 |
| Insurance agencies | 22 | #357 of 387 | 182 | 21.1 | $778K | 62 | 113 |
| Dry cleaners | Not scored | Not scored | 4 | 0.5 | $42.4M | 270 | 4 |
| Oil change and quick lube | Not scored | Not scored | 4 | 0.5 | $23.2M | 169 | 5 |
| Urgent care and walk-in clinics | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 0.2 | $60.5M | Too few | 6 |
Household spending in the Columbia metro area
What households here spend in a year on each line, in total and per household, with the index against the U.S. average (100).
| Spending line | A year, all households | Per household | Index vs. U.S. (100) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle maintenance and repairs | $93M | $1,076 | 112 |
| Gasoline and other fuels | $234.3M | $2,711 | 104 |
| Food away from home | $331.9M | $3,842 | 94 |
| Groceries | $516.4M | $5,977 | 95 |
| Personal care products and services | $84.6M | $979 | 97 |
| Child care and other personal services | $35.6M | $412 | 71 |
| Memberships, classes and admissions | $77.2M | $893 | 91 |
| Medical and dental services | $121M | $1,400 | 109 |
| Pets | $72.2M | $836 | 92 |
| Clothing, shoes and related services | $169.5M | $1,962 | 95 |
| Vehicle insurance | $141.6M | $1,639 | 84 |
| Home repairs, maintenance and insurance | $232.4M | $2,691 | 89 |
| Lawn care, cleaning and other household services | $105.5M | $1,221 | 86 |
| Rent and homeowner costs | $1.2B | $13,921 | 84 |
Household spending is estimated from the incomes of the households in each neighborhood, using what households at each income spent nationally in 2024, adjusted for the region. It counts what residents spend, wherever they spend it.
Population and households in the Columbia metro area
- Population, 2025 estimate
- 219,062+3.9% since 2020
- Households
- 86,393
- Median age
- 36.4
- Homes lived in by their owners
- 60%
- Vehicles per household
- 1.9
- Land area
- 1,714 sq. mi.
- People per square mile
- 125
- Median household income
- $72,340+32.0% vs. 2015–2019, before inflation
- Average household income
- $97,624
- Median home value
- $258,700
- Jobs located here
- 114,165
- Daytime population
- 231,692Residents who don’t work, plus everyone whose job is here
Looking at a specific site in the Columbia metro area?
These figures cover the whole metro area. A site report draws rings around one address and counts what’s inside them: households, spending, jobs, and the competitors on map listings by name and distance, for any of the 56 business types.
Or open the report at the center of the Columbia metro area. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardRelated markets
Counties in the Columbia metro area 3
- Boone County, MO188,043 people
- Cooper County, MO16,824 people
- Howard County, MO10,147 people
Other markets based in Missouri 12
- St. Louis, MO-IL metro area2,810,850 people
- Kansas City, MO-KS metro area2,218,142 people
- Springfield, MO metro area486,785 people
- Joplin, MO-KS metro area203,626 people
- Jefferson City, MO metro area150,437 people
- St. Joseph, MO-KS metro area120,012 people
- Cape Girardeau, MO-IL metro area98,169 people
- Farmington, MO area66,999 people
- Branson, MO area56,529 people
- Warrensburg, MO area54,732 people
- Fort Leonard Wood, MO area53,894 people
- Sikeston, MO area49,835 people
Questions
How fast is the Columbia, MO metro area growing?
Population estimates put the Columbia metro area at 219,062 people in 2025, up 3.9% since 2020, faster than the U.S. (+3.1%). It has 86,393 households. Against the 2015–2019 survey, median household income rose 32.0%, before inflation.
How much do households in the Columbia, MO metro area spend?
Households in the Columbia metro area spend about $1.2B a year on rent and homeowner costs, $516.4M on groceries and $331.9M on food away from home. Relative to the U.S., household spending in the Columbia metro area runs highest on vehicle maintenance and repairs (an index of 112, where 100 is the U.S. average) and lowest on child care and other personal services (71).
Which business types have the highest market scores in the Columbia, MO metro area?
Of the business types scored in the Columbia metro area, laundromats (79), dentists and orthodontists (78) and auto repair shops (74) have the highest Groundwork market scores. For laundromats, that ranks #21 of 364 scored metro areas.
How does the Columbia, MO metro area compare with the U.S.?
Median household income in the Columbia metro area is $72,340, 10% below the U.S. median of $80,734. The population rose 3.9% from 2020 to 2025, against +3.1% for the U.S. The median home value is $258,700, against $332,700 for the U.S. Against the U.S., map listings per household run highest for home inspectors (2.7 times the U.S. rate) and lowest for dentists and orthodontists (36% below the U.S. rate).
What is the Groundwork market score?
The Groundwork market score runs from 0 to 100 and compares a market with others of its kind for one business type: states with states, metro areas with metro areas, small-town markets and counties with their own. It weighs household spending per competitor (35%), households per business with payroll (25%), population growth (20%) and spending power (20%), each ranked against those peers. A higher score means that, taken together, the market has more household spending and more households for each business already there, faster population growth and more spending per household than similar markets. It describes a market, not any one site or deal. 53 of the 56 business types have a score in the Columbia metro area, each ranked against other metro areas.
How can I see the market around a specific site?
Run a Groundwork site report on an address in the Columbia metro area. It maps the competitors on map listings near the site and sizes the households and spending within the distance you choose. New accounts get 10 actions over 3 days, no card.
All markets in Missouri · Every U.S. market · How we measure
Screening a site or an acquisition in the Columbia metro area?
A site report maps the competitors on map listings near an address and sizes the households and spending around it.
The button opens the report at the center of the Columbia metro area. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Figures are estimates for research only. Not investment or real estate advice.