Columbia County

What Columbia County does

Columbia County, Oregon is a public governmental entity and political subdivision of the state of Oregon, founded in 1854 and headquartered at the Courthouse in St. Helens. The county serves a population of more than 53,000 residents across 657 square miles in northwest Oregon, including 62 miles of Columbia River shoreline. It operates a portfolio of core public services through specialized departments: public safety (Sheriff's Office, District Attorney, Community Justice, County Jail, Justice Court), infrastructure (Public Works, Land Development, Building Division, Solid Waste Transfer Station), health and welfare (Public Health, Emergency Management), mobility (CC Rider transit system), and quality-of-life services (Parks, Forests, Recreation). The transit fleet is operated under contract by MTR Western, LLC, while ambulance services in some areas are covered by Metro West Ambulance.

The county's technology footprint is modest: its public-facing website and online services run on the EvoGov municipal content management system, with third-party integrations including FlashVote for community surveys, the NW Connector regional transit platform, and a third-party e-filing portal for business personal property returns. There is no documented AI, proprietary platform, or developer-facing API. Internally, the Finance Department maintains GFOA certification for both financial reporting and budget presentation.

Columbia County's revenue model is a hybrid of statutory taxation, transactional fees, and intergovernmental transfers. In tax year 2024-25 the county collected $102,766,111.39 in property taxes across 88 tax code areas, of which approximately 9.47% (~$9.73M) flows to the county general fund, 3.90% (~$4.01M) to Jail Operations, and 1.95% (~$2.01M) to the Enhanced Law Enforcement levy; the remainder is distributed to schools, cities, and special districts. Supplementary revenue comes from unit-priced service fees (commercial solid waste tipping at $112.36/ton, self-haul minimums of $27.48, senior rates of $16.91, special handling, and unsecured load fees), federal and state funding (which has declined sharply for Oregon counties), and federal/state program grants for public health and emergency preparedness. Recent financial pressure prompted 15 scheduled unpaid furlough days in FY 2025-2026.

Name

Columbia County

Legal name

Columbia County, Oregon

Website

https://columbiacountyor.gov

Company type

Public

Founded year

1854

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Local Government Administration

NAICS

Other General Government Support (92119), Other General Government Support (921190), Regulation and Administration of Transportation Programs (92612), Police Protection (922120), Fire Protection (922160)

SIC

Transportation Services (4700), Sanitary Services (4950), Lessors Of Real Property, Nec (6519)

akta.pro primary industry

Mayor/City Manager & General Administration (BPAIACAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

State/Provincial Transportation, Roads & Public Works Administration (BPAIABAK), Local Public Health & Human Services Administration (BPAIACAK), Municipal Tax & Revenue Administration (Local) (BPAIACAD)

Keywords

• County government services
• Public administration
• Property tax collection
• Public safety services
• Public transit operations

Headquarters

HQ city

Oregon City

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices8 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Property Tax Collection: Columbia County collects approximately $102.7 million annually in property taxes from businesses and private landowners. Of this, approximately 9.47% ($9.73 million) goes to the county's general fund, 3.90% ($4.01 million) to Jail Operation Fund, and 1.95% ($2.01 million) to Enhanced Law Enforcement levy. Over 90% is distributed to schools, cities, and special districts.
2. Service Fees: Fees collected for various county services including solid waste disposal, building permits, animal licenses, marriage licenses, passports, and other government services.
3. Federal and State Funding: Counties across Oregon have experienced steep declines in federal funding, particularly from forest payments. Columbia County relies on intergovernmental revenue to fund public safety, transportation, and public health services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Columbia County is a local government entity providing public services to residents of northwestern Oregon, including public health, public safety (sheriff and emergency management), public works, parks, community justice, land development and building regulation, solid waste and recycling, and public transit through the CC Rider system. It also administers property tax collection, county clerk functions, and elections for its jurisdiction.

Product overview

Columbia County, Oregon is a governmental entity providing comprehensive public services to its residents through a portfolio of interconnected departments and programs. The county operates as a unified government with core services including public safety (Sheriff's Office, District Attorney, Community Justice, Justice Court), infrastructure (Public Works, Land Development, Building Division), health and welfare (Public Health, Emergency Management), and quality of life services (Parks/Recreation, Transit/CC Rider). Supporting administrative functions include Finance/Tax, Assessor's Office, County Clerk, and Human Resources. The county recently completed major renovations to the historic John Gumm Building which now serves as a central civic hub for multiple departments.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Public Health Services Public Health department provides community health programs and services to Columbia County residents, including preventative health and related public health functions.
• Sheriff's Office / Law Enforcement Services Columbia County Sheriff's Office provides law enforcement, public safety, and related services to residents of the county.
• CC Rider Transit System CC Rider is the public transportation service operated by Columbia County, providing fixed-route bus service for residents across the county.
• Solid Waste and Recycling Solid Waste and Recycling department provides waste collection, disposal, and recycling services to county residents and businesses.
• Parks and Recreation Parks department provides public parks and recreation facilities and programs for Columbia County residents.
• Land Development Services (Building Division, Planning) Land Development Services and the Building Division administer building permits, planning review, and land use regulations for property owners and developers in Columbia County.
• Property Tax Collection (Finance and Tax) Finance and Tax department administers property tax assessment support, billing, and collection for Columbia County, with approximately $102.7 million in property tax collected.
• Emergency Management Services Emergency Management provides preparedness, response, and recovery coordination for emergencies and natural disasters in Columbia County.
• Public Works Public Works department maintains county roads, bridges, and related public infrastructure for Columbia County residents.
• Community Justice Services Community Justice provides adult probation, juvenile services, and related community supervision functions for Columbia County.
• County Clerk Services County Clerk maintains official county records, filings, marriage licenses, and administers elections for Columbia County.
• District Attorney's Office District Attorney's Office prosecutes criminal cases on behalf of Columbia County and serves victims of crime within the jurisdiction.
• Assessor's Office Assessor's Office performs property valuation and assessment functions for Columbia County for taxation purposes.

Quantifiable outcome

• Property tax collection of $102.7 million annually supporting schools, fire districts, cities, and county services

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• RiverCities Transit (Longview, WA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 June 2025Inter-county transit partnership connecting Columbia County to Longview, Washington. CC Rider buses scheduled to meet RiverCities Transit buses for connections between St. Helens, Rainier, and Longview.
• Commute with EnterpriseminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 March 2024Partnership to encourage shared rides in Columbia County. CC Rider created improvements to the transit system to provide new transit options while reducing commuter expenses for workers returning to offices.
• MTR Western, LLCcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerTransit operations contractor that operates the CC Rider bus fleet. Contract restructured in 2021 with final component approved by County Commissioners.
• Oregon Health Authority (OHA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState agency partnership for ambulance service standards, public health emergency preparedness, and health services coordination.
• Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState agency partnership for transportation infrastructure, winter weather preparedness coordination, and regional transit planning.
• Metro West AmbulancecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPrivate contractor currently serving Vernonia area. As part of contingency planning, Metro West has confirmed ability to maintain ambulance service throughout the County if needed.
• Columbia Health ServicescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal health services provider partnership for youth prevention events, substance use prevention education, and school-based health centers.
• Youth EraminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerYouth advisory council providing input and guidance for youth prevention events, ensuring programming reflects youth-led approach to prevention.
• Columbia Community Mental HealthminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner supporting youth prevention events and substance use education programs in Columbia County.
• ECONorthwestminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerEconomic consulting firm engaged to research potential revenue sources and develop fiscal sustainability report 'A Path Forward' for Columbia County.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Yamhill County, Oregon: Mid-sized Oregon county (~107K population) operating the same set of general-purpose county services. Closely comparable in service delivery model and Oregon-state fiscal framework.
• Tillamook County, Oregon: Rural Oregon coastal county (~27K population, ~1,125 sq mi). Provides equivalent county services including sheriff, public works, public health, transit, and property tax administration. Comparable funding structure with small tax base.
• Cowlitz County, Washington: Southwest Washington county directly across the Columbia River from Columbia County. Operates RiverCities Transit (Columbia County's regional transit partner). Similar service portfolio and bi-state rural governance context.
• Hood River County, Oregon: Columbia River Gorge county (~24K population) with similar small-county service portfolio. Comparable demographics, tourism/recreation economy, and revenue constraints.
• Lincoln County, Oregon: Central Oregon coastal county (~50K population, ~992 sq mi) with similar rural service-portfolio structure. Comparable reliance on tourism, property taxes, and state/federal intergovernmental revenue.
• Linn County, Oregon: Mid-sized Oregon county (~130K population) operating general-purpose county services. Larger than Columbia County but comparable in service portfolio and Oregon funding framework.
• Clatsop County, Oregon: Neighboring northwest Oregon county of similar rural/coastal profile (~40K population, ~873 sq mi). Operates the same portfolio of public safety, public works, public health, transit, and solid waste services. Most directly comparable in terms of service mix and demographics.
• Wasco County, Oregon: Columbia River Gorge county (~27K population) with similar rural profile, Columbia River shoreline, and small-tax-base fiscal structure. Comparable public safety, public works, and public health service delivery model.

Regional players

• Wahkiakum County, Washington: Small rural Washington county (~4K population) on the Columbia River. Comparable service-delivery model and rural funding constraints, though with substantially smaller scale.

Broad incumbents

• Multnomah County, Oregon: Oregon's most populous county (~800K, includes Portland). Operates the same general-purpose county services at significantly larger scale and budget. Provides regional context for service standards and best practices across the region.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ColCountyOR

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Columbia County