<PAGE> PAGE 1
000 B000000 12/31/96
000 C000000 741558
000 D000000 N
000 E000000 NF
000 F000000 Y
000 G000000 N
000 H000000 N
000 I000000 3.0.a
000 J000000 U
001 A000000 COLUMBIA MUNICIPAL BOND FUND, INC.
001 B000000 811-3983
001 C000000 5032223600
002 A000000 1301 SW FIFTH AVENUE
002 B000000 PORTLAND
002 C000000 OR
002 D010000 97201
003 000000 N
004 000000 N
005 000000 N
006 000000 N
007 A000000 N
007 B000000 0
018 000000 Y
019 A000000 Y
019 B000000 12
019 C000000 COLUMBIAFD
022 A000001 SMITH BARNEY, SHEARSON
022 B000001 131912900
022 C000001 26087
022 D000001 34697
022 A000002 DAIN BOSWORTH, INC.
022 B000002 410212020
022 C000002 29329
022 D000002 25761
022 A000003 SEATTLE N.W. SECURITIES
022 B000003 911172183
022 C000003 10340
022 D000003 4591
022 A000004 CHILTON & O'CONNOR, INC.
022 B000004 954025174
022 C000004 945
022 D000004 0
022 A000005 SEATTLE FIRST NATIONAL BANK
022 B000005 910402650
022 C000005 851
022 D000005 0
022 A000006 CHARTER INVESTMENT GROUP
022 B000006 930683889
022 C000006 616
022 D000006 191
022 A000007 PAINE WEBBER
<PAGE> PAGE 2
022 B000007 132638166
022 C000007 754
022 D000007 0
022 A000008 DRIZOS INVESTMENTS, INC.
022 B000008 840940766
022 C000008 417
022 D000008 0
022 A000009 OPPENHEIMER & CO.
022 B000009 132798343
022 C000009 137
022 D000009 0
022 A000010 U.S. NATIONAL BANK OF OREGON
022 B000010 930571729
022 C000010 433
022 D000010 331
023 C000000 70008
023 D000000 65570
062 A000000 Y
062 B000000 0.0
062 C000000 0.0
062 D000000 0.0
062 E000000 0.0
062 F000000 0.0
062 G000000 0.0
062 H000000 0.0
062 I000000 0.0
062 J000000 0.0
062 K000000 0.0
062 L000000 1.2
062 M000000 0.0
062 N000000 0.0
062 O000000 97.8
062 P000000 0.0
062 Q000000 0.0
062 R000000 1.0
071 A000000 70008
071 B000000 72420
071 C000000 367963
071 D000000 19
072 A000000 12
074 N000000 376785
074 T000000 375667
075 A000000 0
075 B000000 376604
077 A000000 Y
080 A000000 ICI MUTUAL INSURANCE COMPANY
080 C000000 15000
081 A000000 Y
081 B000000 20
082 A000000 Y
082 B000000 100
<PAGE> PAGE 3
083 A000000 N
083 B000000 0
084 A000000 N
084 B000000 0
085 A000000 Y
085 B000000 N
SIGNATURE GEORGE HANSETH
TITLE SR. VICE PRESIDENT
<TABLE> <S> <C>
<ARTICLE> 6
<LEGEND>
THIS SCHEDULE CONTAINS SUMMARY FINANCIAL INFORMATION EXTRACTED FROM THE
AUDITED ANNUAL REPORT OF THE COLUMBIA FUNDS DATED DECEMBER 31, 1996 AND
THE AUDITED ANNUAL REPORT OF THE COLUMBIA FUNDS DATED DECEMBER 31, 1995,
AND IS QUALIFIED IN ITS ENTIRETY BY REFERENCE TO SUCH FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.
</LEGEND>
<CIK> 0000741558
<NAME> COLUMBIA MUNICIPAL BOND
<S> <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE> YEAR
<FISCAL-YEAR-END> DEC-31-1996
<PERIOD-START> JAN-01-1996
<PERIOD-END> DEC-31-1996
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST> 353,382,696
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE> 367,290,112
<RECEIVABLES> 5,055,797
<ASSETS-OTHER> 0
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS> 4,438,727
<TOTAL-ASSETS> 376,784,636
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES> 0
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT> 0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES> 1,177,206
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES> 1,117,206
<SENIOR-EQUITY> 0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON> 361,610,832
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK> 30,931,729
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR> 31,014,220
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT> 0
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII> 0
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS> 149,182
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS> 0
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC> 13,907,416
<NET-ASSETS> 375,667,430
<DIVIDEND-INCOME> 0
<INTEREST-INCOME> 20,956,147
<OTHER-INCOME> 0
<EXPENSES-NET> 2,118,565
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME> 18,837,582
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT> 1,991,804
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT> (7,232,960)
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS> 13,596,426
<EQUALIZATION> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME> 18,837,582
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS> 1,842,655
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER> 0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD> 4,732,337
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED> 6,210,439
<SHARES-REINVESTED> 1,395,611
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS> (8,128,488)
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR> 0
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR> (39,875)
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR> 0
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR> 0
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES> 1,881,542
<INTEREST-EXPENSE> 0
<GROSS-EXPENSE> 2,118,565
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS> 376,603,861
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN> 12.37
<PER-SHARE-NII> .61
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC> (.16)
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND> .61
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS> .06
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL> 0
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END> 12.15
<EXPENSE-RATIO> .56
<AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING> 0
<AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE> 0
</TABLE>
