3 census tracts · pop 11,706 · pop-weighted Eviction Risk Score 7.9/10
· range 7.5–8.5
Columbia City spans 3 census tracts of Seattle, WA and houses 11,706 people. That produces an Eviction Risk Score of 7.9/10, Elevated tier. Against a Seattle baseline of 27.4%, 45% of renters here cross the 30%-of-income line.
The strongest single driver of the headline number is rent-regulation exposure at 9/10. On the high side is tenant-organizing strength at 9/10.
The severe-burden share is 22%. Those renters are past the 50% mark, and they miss rent for reasons that have nothing to do with willingness to pay. Running hot is eviction-process difficulty at 8.5/10.
Scores across the 3 constituent tracts range from 7.5 to 8.5. A 1-point internal spread means block-level underwriting beats area-level here. The filing record is not thin: 78 evictions logged in this tract.
The worst year on record was 2009, when filings touched 5.0% of renter households. Average gross rent is $2,229, 10% above the Seattle average of $2,030. The most recent observed rate, 3.0% in 2013, is well off that peak.
That places it #26 of 65 neighborhoods in Seattle. For a like-for-like read, Licton Springs and Youngstown score within a fraction of it. Annual rent works out to 20% of average household income of $130,597.
42% of occupied units are renter-occupied.
For a specific building, read the per-tract breakdown below rather than the 7.9 headline, because the internal range is too wide to average safely. The number is rebuilt whenever its ACS, court-record, or statutory inputs change.
Risk score
7.9
Elevated
3 tracts · population-weighted
Columbia City vs SeattleHow this neighborhood stacks against the citywide average
Single-parent HH, disability, language barriers, age 17- / 65+
Racial/ethnic minority68%ile
Hispanic + non-white share of population
Housing & transport85%ile
Multi-unit structures, mobile homes, crowding, no vehicle
Eviction filings · Princeton Eviction Lab
Court-record eviction history in Columbia City
Aggregated across 1 validated constituent tract. Filing rate is filings per 100 renter households, pop-weighted.
Historic baseline (2000–2018)
78Total filings (sum)
2.47%Avg annual filing rate
5.0%Peak year (2009)
2.96%Latest filed (2013)
Frequently asked
About Columbia City
Q1
What is the eviction-risk score for Columbia City?
Columbia City scores 7.9/10 (Elevated tier) across 3 census tracts. The pop-weighted Eviction Risk Score blends state law, county filing rates, parent-city politics, and tract-specific rent-to-income and poverty signals.
Q2
How does Columbia City compare to Seattle overall?
Columbia City scores 0.0 points higher than Seattle overall (7.9/10). Renters spend 45% of income on rent vs 27% citywide. Average rent: $2,229 vs $2,030.
Q3
What is the average rent in Columbia City?
Average gross rent in Columbia City is $2,229/month (pop-weighted across 3 census tracts, ACS 5-year 2023). 45% of renter households are cost-burdened.
Q4
What percentage of Columbia City residents are renters?
42% of Columbia City households are renter-occupied (vs 56% in Seattle). The neighborhood has 11,706 residents.
Q5
Is Columbia City a high social-vulnerability area?
Columbia City sits in the 49th percentile nationally on the CDC Social Vulnerability Index (less vulnerable). The index combines poverty, unemployment, household composition, racial/ethnic minority share, and housing/transportation factors across all US census tracts.
Q6
Which tracts in Columbia City have the highest eviction risk?
The highest-risk constituent tract in Columbia City is census tract 53033010301 (score 8.5/10). Across the 3 tracts in this neighborhood the score ranges from 7.5 to 8.5, a spread of 1 points.
Q7
How safe is Columbia City for landlords?
Columbia City carries a elevated-tier eviction-risk profile for landlords (7.9/10). Pop-weighted across 3 constituent tracts, the score blends parent-city rent-control posture, county eviction-process timelines, and tract-specific rent-to-income / poverty signals. Compared to Seattle as a whole (7.9/10), this neighborhood is in line with the citywide level.
Q8
What is the demographic breakdown of Columbia City?
Columbia City has 12,300 residents. Top groups: White (non-Hispanic) (44.7%), Asian (non-Hispanic) (23.6%), Black (non-Hispanic) (17%). Source: ACS 5-year 2023, table B03002.
