Columbia (West) & Ellicott City (Northwest) PUMA, MD

Public Use Microdata Area (PUMA)

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2021 Population

144,608

2.04% 1-year growth

US Senator

Ben Cardin

Democratic Party

US Senator

Chris Van Hollen

Democratic Party

2021 Median Age

42.1

0.473% 1-year decrease

2021 Poverty Rate

4.93%

11.2% 1-year increase

2021 Median Household Income

$150,215

3.22% 1-year growth

2021 Median Property Value

$600,700

2.44% 1-year growth

2021 Employed Population

72,633

0.0675% 1-year growth

About

In 2021, Columbia (West) & Ellicott City (Northwest) PUMA, MD had a population of 145k people with a median age of 42.1 and a median household income of $150,215. Between 2020 and 2021 the population of Columbia (West) & Ellicott City (Northwest) PUMA, MD grew from 141,712 to 144,608, a 2.04% increase and its median household income grew from $145,528 to $150,215, a 3.22% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Columbia (West) & Ellicott City (Northwest) PUMA, MD are White (Non-Hispanic) (54.9%), Asian (Non-Hispanic) (21.1%), Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (12.6%), Two+ (Non-Hispanic) (5.24%), and White (Hispanic) (2.22%).

25.5% of the households in Columbia (West) & Ellicott City (Northwest) PUMA, MD 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.

93.4% of the residents in Columbia (West) & Ellicott City (Northwest) PUMA, MD are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Howard County (West)--Columbia (West) & Ellicott City (Northwest) PUMA, MD are Howard Community College (1,436 degrees awarded in 2021) and Maryland University of Integrative Health (321 degrees).

In 2021, the median property value in Columbia (West) & Ellicott City (Northwest) PUMA, MD was $600,700, and the homeownership rate was 79.6%.

Most people in Columbia (West) & Ellicott City (Northwest) PUMA, MD drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 32.1 minutes. The average car ownership in Columbia (West) & Ellicott City (Northwest) PUMA, MD was 2 cars per household.

Columbia (West) & Ellicott City (Northwest) PUMA, MD borders Frederick County (Outside Greater Frederick City) PUMA, MD, Carroll County PUMA, MD, Baltimore County (Outer) PUMA, MD, Catonsville, Woodlawn & Arbutus PUMA, MD, Columbia (East), Ellicott City (Southeast) & Elkridge PUMA, MD, Olney, Damascus, Clarksburg & Darnestown PUMA, MD, and Fairland, Calverton, White Oak & Burtonsville PUMA, MD.

United States Maryland

Population & Diversity

Columbia (West) & Ellicott City (Northwest) PUMA, MD is home to a population of 145k people, from which 93.4% are citizens. As of 2021, 20.7% of Columbia (West) & Ellicott City (Northwest) PUMA, MD residents were born outside of the country (29.9k people).

In 2021, there were 2.6 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (79.4k people) in Columbia (West) & Ellicott City (Northwest) PUMA, MD than any other race or ethnicity. There were 30.5k Asian (Non-Hispanic) and 18.3k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

The most common non-English languages spoken as the primary langauge in households in Columbia (West) & Ellicott City (Northwest) PUMA, MD are Chinese (Incl. Mandarin, Cantonese) (6,867 households), Korean (6,435 households), and Spanish (3,988 households).

Population & Diversity

Residents by Gender and Age

RACE/ETHNICITY

73,291

Women

50.7%

71,384

Men

49.3%

The resident population of United States in 2021 was 144,675 inhabitants, with 49.3% men, and 50.7% women.

The visualization shows the distribution of the residents by gender and age in the United States.

With the upper buttons you can add a filter by race.

Citizenship

93.4%

2021 Citizenship

93.1%

2020 Citizenship

As of 2021, 93.4% of Columbia (West) & Ellicott City (Northwest) PUMA, MD residents were US citizens, which is lower than the national average of 93.4%. In 2020, the percentage of US citizens in Columbia (West) & Ellicott City (Northwest) PUMA, MD was 93.1%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been increasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Columbia (West) & Ellicott City (Northwest) PUMA, MD compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Columbia (West) & Ellicott City (Northwest) PUMA, MD

White (Non-Hispanic)
79.4k ± 1.88k
Asian (Non-Hispanic)
30.5k ± 1.69k
Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
18.3k ± 1.29k

5.34%

Hispanic Population

7.72k people

5.34% of the people in Columbia (West) & Ellicott City (Northwest) PUMA, MD are hispanic (7.72k people).

The following chart shows the 7 races represented in Columbia (West) & Ellicott City (Northwest) PUMA, MD as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

Most Common Origin

India
5,799 ± 1,832 people
China
4,593 ± 1,637 people
Korea
4,478 ± 1,617 people

In 2021, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Columbia (West) & Ellicott City (Northwest) PUMA, MD was India, the natal country of 5,799 Columbia (West) & Ellicott City (Northwest) PUMA, MD residents, followed by China with 4,593 and Korea with 4,478.

Foreign-Born Population

20.7%

2021 Foreign-Born Population

29.9k people

20.9%

2020 Foreign-Born Population

29.6k people

As of 2021, 20.7% of Columbia (West) & Ellicott City (Northwest) PUMA, MD residents (29.9k people) were born outside of the United States, which is higher than the national average of 13.6%. In 2020, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Columbia (West) & Ellicott City (Northwest) PUMA, MD was 20.9%, meaning that the rate has been decreasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Columbia (West) & Ellicott City (Northwest) PUMA, MD compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Non-English Households

Most Common Non-English Languages

Chinese (Incl. Mandarin, Cantonese)
6,867 households (4.98%)
Korean
6,435 households (4.67%)
Spanish
3,988 households (2.89%)

25.5% of the households in Columbia (West) & Ellicott City (Northwest) PUMA, MD reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language, which is higher than the national average of 21.7%. 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.

In 2021, the most common non-English language spoken in households in Columbia (West) & Ellicott City (Northwest) PUMA, MD was Chinese (Incl. Mandarin, Cantonese). 4.98% of the households in Columbia (West) & Ellicott City (Northwest) PUMA, MD reported speaking Chinese (Incl. Mandarin, Cantonese) at home as the primary shared language between all members living in the household.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
1,976 ± 293
Gulf War (2001-)
1,839 ± 363
Gulf War (1990s)
1,362 ± 356

Columbia (West) & Ellicott City (Northwest) PUMA, MD has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.07 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Columbia (West) & Ellicott City (Northwest) PUMA, MD employs 72.6k people. The largest industries in Columbia (West) & Ellicott City (Northwest) PUMA, MD are Elementary & secondary schools (4,796 people), Computer Systems Design (4,791 people), and Colleges, universities & professional schools, including junior colleges (3,646 people), and the highest paying industries are Management of companies & enterprises ($336,864), Electric power generation, transmission & distribution ($244,889), and Wired telecommunications carriers ($227,051).

Males in Columbia (West) & Ellicott City (Northwest) PUMA, MD have an average income that is 1.35 times higher than the average income of females, which is $100,947. The income inequality in Columbia (West) & Ellicott City (Northwest) PUMA, MD (measured using the Gini index) is 0.458, which is lower than than the national average.

Employment

Workforce Diversity

Measure

RACE/ETHNICITY

33,953

Women

46.8%

38,631

Men

53.2%

The workforce of Columbia (West) & Ellicott City (Northwest) PUMA, MD in 2020 was 72,584 people, with 46.8% woman, and 53.2% men.

The visualization shows the distribution of the workforce by gender and age in Columbia (West) & Ellicott City (Northwest) PUMA, MD.

With the upper buttons you can see the distribution of the average salary and add a filter by race.

Occupations

72.6k

2021 Value

0.0675%

1 Year growth

± 0.0675%

From 2020 to 2021, employment in Columbia (West) & Ellicott City (Northwest) PUMA, MD grew at a rate of 0.0675%, from 72.6k employees to 72.6k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Columbia (West) & Ellicott City (Northwest) PUMA, MD, are Other managers (3,413 people), Software developers (3,189 people), and Elementary & middle school teachers (1,829 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Columbia (West) & Ellicott City (Northwest) PUMA, MD.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

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

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in Maryland (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

72.6k

2021 Value

0.0675%

1 Year growth

± 0.0675%

From 2020 to 2021, employment in Columbia (West) & Ellicott City (Northwest) PUMA, MD grew at a rate of 0.0675%, from 72.6k employees to 72.6k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Columbia (West) & Ellicott City (Northwest) PUMA, MD, are Elementary & secondary schools (4,796 people), Computer Systems Design (4,791 people), and Colleges, universities & professional schools, including junior colleges (3,646 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Columbia (West) & Ellicott City (Northwest) PUMA, MD, though some of these residents may live in Columbia (West) & Ellicott City (Northwest) PUMA, MD and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$99,959

Median earning men ± $5,004

$66,227

Median earning women ± $3,299

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2021 are Manufacturing ($137,087), Public Administration ($127,446), and Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($125,250).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2021 are Public Administration ($117,590), Manufacturing ($95,405), and Professional, Scientific, & Management, & Administrative & Waste Management Services ($91,046).

Employment by Industry Sector

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

Y-Axis

2.75%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 155M people employed in Maryland. This represents a 2.75% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

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

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Civics

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in Maryland went to Joseph R Biden Jr. with 65.4% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (32.2%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (1.1%).

Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen are the senators currently representing the state of Maryland. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

Maryland 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 (West) & Ellicott City (Northwest) PUMA, MD. Showing the available data for Maryland.

2020 Election Results

Joseph R Biden Jr. (65.4%)
Democratic Party
Donald J. Trump (32.2%)
Republican Party
Jo Jorgensen (1.1%)
Libertarian Party

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in Maryland went to Joseph R Biden Jr. with 65.4% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (32.2%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (1.1%).

The following chart shows the popular vote results in Maryland for each registered party from 1976 to 2020.

Senator Elections

US Senators from Maryland

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

Ben Cardin

Senator from Maryland

Assumed office on January 3, 2007

Chris Van Hollen

Senator from Maryland

Assumed office on January 3, 2017

Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen are the senators currently representing Maryland.

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 Maryland over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

US Representative Elections

US Representatives from Maryland

Maryland 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 Maryland have changed over time starting in 2008.

Education

In 2021, universities in Columbia (West) & Ellicott City (Northwest) PUMA, MD awarded 1,757 degrees. The student population of Columbia (West) & Ellicott City (Northwest) PUMA, MD in 2021 is skewed towards women, with 3,337 male students and 5,550 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Columbia (West) & Ellicott City (Northwest) PUMA, MD are White (720 and 43.8%), followed by Black or African American (428 and 26%), Asian (195 and 11.9%), and Hispanic or Latino (147 and 8.94%).

The largest universities in Columbia (West) & Ellicott City (Northwest) PUMA, MD by number of degrees awarded are Howard Community College (1,436 and 81.7%) and Maryland University of Integrative Health (321 and 18.3%).

The most popular majors in Howard County (West)--Columbia (West) & Ellicott City (Northwest) PUMA, MD are General Studies (581 and 33.1%), Liberal Arts & Sciences (203 and 11.6%), and Registered Nursing (167 and 9.5%).

Admissions & Enrollments

Enrollments by Gender and Races

In 2021 there were 8,887 students enrolled in Columbia (West) & Ellicott City (Northwest) PUMA, MD, 37.5% men and 62.5% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 2,662 records, of which 60.9% were women and 39.1% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

General Studies
581 degree-majors awarded
Liberal Arts & Sciences
203 degree-majors awarded
Registered Nursing
167 degree-majors awarded

In 2021, the most common concentation for Associates Degree recipients in Howard County (West)--Columbia (West) & Ellicott City (Northwest) PUMA, MD was General Studies with 581 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Associates Degree from schools in Howard County (West)--Columbia (West) & Ellicott City (Northwest) PUMA, MD according to their major.

Universities

Gender

Race

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

Howard Community College
1,436 degrees awarded
Maryland University of Integrative Health
321 degrees awarded

In 2021, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Howard Community College with 1,436 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

In 2021, 584 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Columbia (West) & Ellicott City (Northwest) PUMA, MD, which is 0.498 times less than the 1,173 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2021 the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 720 degrees mean that there were 1.68 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Black or African American, with 428 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

Public, 2-year ($6,615) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2021.

Public, 2-year ($765) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2021.

Public, 2-year ($2,400) 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

Measure

In 2021, 0.269% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 1.09% of women were in the same situation.

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

Educational Attainment

Race

The most common educational levels obtained by the working population of Columbia (West) & Ellicott City (Northwest) PUMA, MD in 2021 were Graduate Degree (36.7k), Bachelors Degree (34.7k), and Primary Education (16.1k).

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

The median property value in Columbia (West) & Ellicott City (Northwest) PUMA, MD was $600,700 in 2021, which is 2.45 times larger than the national average of $244,900. Between 2020 and 2021 the median property value increased from $586,400 to $600,700, a 2.44% increase. The homeownership rate in Columbia (West) & Ellicott City (Northwest) PUMA, MD is 79.6%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 64.6%.

People in Columbia (West) & Ellicott City (Northwest) PUMA, MD have an average commute time of 32.1 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Columbia (West) & Ellicott City (Northwest) PUMA, MD is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Median household income in Columbia (West) & Ellicott City (Northwest) PUMA, MD is $150,215. In 2021, the PUMA with the highest Median Household Income in Columbia (West) & Ellicott City (Northwest) PUMA, MD was Bethesda, Potomac & North Bethesda PUMA, MD with a value of $164,873, followed by Olney, Damascus, Clarksburg & Darnestown PUMA, MD and Columbia (West) & Ellicott City (Northwest) PUMA, MD, with respective values of $152,505 and $150,215.

Housing

Property

$600,700

Median Property Value 2021

±$7,140

$40,854

Median Property Taxes

±$1,304

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Columbia (West) & Ellicott City (Northwest) PUMA, MD the largest share of households pay taxes in the $3k+ range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Columbia (West) & Ellicott City (Northwest) PUMA, MD compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

Rent vs Own

79.6%

Homeownership

2021

69.1%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2021

In 2021, 79.6% of the housing units in Columbia (West) & Ellicott City (Northwest) PUMA, MD were occupied by their owner. This percentage declined from the previous year's rate of 79.6%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Columbia (West) & Ellicott City (Northwest) PUMA, MD compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Equity

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.

Race/Ethnicity

Highest Median Household Income (Total)

In 2021, the PUMA with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Columbia (West) & Ellicott City (Northwest) PUMA, MD was Bethesda, Potomac & North Bethesda PUMA, MD with a value of $164,873, followed by Olney, Damascus, Clarksburg & Darnestown PUMA, MD and Columbia (West) & Ellicott City (Northwest) PUMA, MD, with respective values of $152,505 and $150,215.

The following map shows all of the PUMAs in Columbia (West) & Ellicott City (Northwest) PUMA, MD colored by their Median Household Income (Total).

Household Income

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

$150,215

Median Household Income

± $5,882

51.4k

Number of Households

± 1,699

In 2021, the median household income of the 51.4k households in Columbia (West) & Ellicott City (Northwest) PUMA, MD grew to $150,215 from the previous year's value of $145,528.

The following chart displays the households in Columbia (West) & Ellicott City (Northwest) PUMA, MD 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 $200k+ range.

Wage Distribution

0.458

2021 Wage GINI in Columbia (West) & Ellicott City (Northwest) PUMA, MD

0.459

2020 Wage GINI in Columbia (West) & Ellicott City (Northwest) PUMA, MD

In 2021, the income inequality in Columbia (West) & Ellicott City (Northwest) PUMA, MD was 0.458 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.202% decline from 2020 to 2021, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for Columbia (West) & Ellicott City (Northwest) PUMA, MD was lower than than the national average of 0.478. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in Columbia (West) & Ellicott City (Northwest) PUMA, MD in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in Columbia (West) & Ellicott City (Northwest) PUMA, MD across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2021

Drove Alone (73%)
Worked At Home (17.5%)
Carpooled (5.35%)

In 2021, 73% of workers in Columbia (West) & Ellicott City (Northwest) PUMA, MD drove alone to work, followed by those who worked at home (17.5%) and those who carpooled to work (5.35%).

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

32.1 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Columbia (West) & Ellicott City (Northwest) PUMA, MD have a longer commute time (32.1 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.8 minutes). Additionally, 3.49% of the workforce in Columbia (West) & Ellicott City (Northwest) PUMA, MD have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Columbia (West) & Ellicott City (Northwest) PUMA, MD compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Columbia (West) & Ellicott City (Northwest) PUMA, MD distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Columbia (West) & Ellicott City (Northwest) PUMA, MD have 2 cars.

Poverty

Poverty & Diversity

4.93% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Columbia (West) & Ellicott City (Northwest) PUMA, MD (7.09k out of 144k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is lower than the national average of 12.6%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 25 - 34, followed by Females 45 - 54 and then Females 35 - 44.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Columbia (West) & Ellicott City (Northwest) PUMA, MD is Black, followed by White and Asian.

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

96.5% of the population of Columbia (West) & Ellicott City (Northwest) PUMA, MD has health coverage, with 65.4% on employee plans, 6.2% on Medicaid, 11.3% on Medicare, 12.1% on non-group plans, and 1.42% on military or VA plans.

Coverage

Health Care Diversity

In 2021, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 25.9% under 18 years, 15.4% between 18 and 34 years, 42.7% between 35 and 64 years, and 16% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 49.4% were men and 50.6% were women.

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

Uninsured People

3.5%

Uninsured

65.4%

Employer Coverage

6.2%

Medicaid

11.3%

Medicare

12.1%

Non-Group

1.42%

Military or VA

Between 2020 and 2021, the percent of uninsured citizens in Columbia (West) & Ellicott City (Northwest) PUMA, MD grew by 9.57% from 3.19% to 3.5%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Columbia (West) & Ellicott City (Northwest) PUMA, MD changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.