CensusEasy
COUNTY

Columbia County

Arkansas · 21,894 residents (2025 est.) · 766.065 sq mi
Time machine
COMPARE TO
Part of the Magnolia micropolitan area
Compare
The short version

Columbia County has notably lower household income than the US average, with a median household income of $55,334. Population has declined 13% since 2000. 22% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, below the national rate of 36%. Median home value has roughly tripled since 2000, reaching $152,100. At a median age of 34.2, residents skew younger than the country as a whole.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Younger
median age 34.2
US median: 38.9
Less educated
22% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 70%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
22,349
−13%since 2000
from 25,603 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Population density
29 / sq mi
−8%since 2009
from 32 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
Median age
34.2
−4%since 2000
from 35.7 in 2000
US average: 38.9

PEP 2025 EST:21,894 residents (Census Bureau Vintage 2025, released March 2026)

Population, 1990 – 2024
22K23K24K25K26K1990201020202024Columbia County
202422K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 56%(1,340)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 95.8%(1,302)
US avg: 6%
10 to 146.9%(1,537)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 198%(1,788)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 2410.8%(2,405)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 3413.1%(2,931)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 4410.1%(2,268)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 5410.1%(2,265)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 6411.7%(2,608)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 749.9%(2,207)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 844.8%(1,068)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over2.8%(630)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$55,334
+10%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $27,640 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$27,130
+77%since 2000
from $15,322 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
34.9%
+14.9 ptssince 2009
from 20.0% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
21.1%
Unchangedsince 2000
from 21.1% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.476
−2%since 2010
from 0.483 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Retail trade15.1%
US avg: 9.9%
Information11.1%
US avg: 10.8%
Other services7%
US avg: 6.7%
Finance & insurance5.8%
US avg: 5.9%
Public administration4.9%
US avg: 4.8%
Professional, scientific, technical4%
US avg: 5.1%
Wholesale trade3.8%
US avg: 6.9%
Education & health services1.9%
US avg: 0.9%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing1.8%
US avg: 1.6%
Transportation & warehousing1.2%
US avg: 2.2%
Manufacturing1%
US avg: 0.4%
Construction0.8%
US avg: 1.2%
Arts, entertainment, food0.3%
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$152,100
+70%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $49,000 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$649
−6%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $381 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
70.7%
−0.7 ptssince 2000
from 71.4% in 2000
29.3% rent
Vacancy rate
23.8%
+9.4 ptssince 2009
from 14.3% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Owner cost-burdened
19.3%
−1.9 ptssince 2009
from 21.2% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
24.2%
−12.8 ptssince 2009
from 37.0% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
2.7
+34%since 2009
from 2.1 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index: median home value divided by median household income. Lower is more affordable.
Gentrification Score
50
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
RELATED:See current rent listings in Columbia County on RentDataNow
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic61.6%(15,776)
Black36%(9,205)
Hispanic / Latino1.1%(269)
Asian0.3%(87)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic58.2%(12,997)
Black34.4%(7,687)
Hispanic / Latino3.5%(774)
Asian0.4%(90)
Other3.6%(801)
Diversity Score
68
+7%since 2009
from 63 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Segregation Score
33
Unchangedsince 2020
from 33 in 2020
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means White and non-White residents are more separated across neighborhoods.
Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Mexican3.2%(710)
Puerto Rican0.1%(19)
Panamanian0.1%(15)
Spaniard0%(11)
Asian origin
Hmong0.3%(59)
Vietnamese0.1%(22)
Pacific Islander origin
Ancestry
American10.6%(2,360)
English8.3%(1,860)
Irish6%(1,332)
German5.2%(1,173)
Scottish1.6%(362)
French1.1%(255)
Scotch-Irish1.1%(249)
Italian1%(213)
Norwegian0.7%(167)
Polish0.4%(99)
Dutch0.3%(66)
+ 10 more ancestry groups with data
Swedish0.2%(46)
British0.1%(19)
Nigerian0.1%(18)
West Indian0.1%(14)
Jamaican0.1%(14)
Greek0%(11)
Finnish0%(4)
Welsh0%(4)
RANKED:Largest American population · Largest English population · Largest Irish population · Largest German population · Largest Mexican population
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
21.9%
+5.1 ptssince 2000
from 16.8% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
88.7%
+14.7 ptssince 2000
from 74.1% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
7.4%
+2.5 ptssince 2000
from 4.9% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
22.3 min
+70%since 2000
from 13.1 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
80.8%
−1.2 ptssince 2009
from 81.9% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
8.0%
+0.5 ptssince 2009
from 7.5% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
0.4%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 0.4% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
5.4%
+2.4 ptssince 2009
from 3.0% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
3.3%
+0.3 ptssince 2009
from 3.0% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
Biked to work
0.4%
+0.4 ptssince 2009
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
No vehicle available
3.4%
−5.9 ptssince 2009
from 9.3% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
3.2%
−6.9 ptssince 2011
from 10.1% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
55.6%
−0.1 ptssince 2011
from 55.7% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Self-employed
14.4%
−4.2 ptssince 2009
from 18.6% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
30.9%
−30.2 ptssince 2009
from 61.1% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
48.4%
+0.4 ptssince 2009
from 47.9% in 2009
Female
51.6%
−0.4 ptssince 2009
from 52.1% in 2009
Foreign born
1.6%
−0.8 ptssince 2009
from 2.5% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
5.2%
−41.5 ptssince 2009
from 46.7% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
20.2%
Unchangedsince 2012
from 20.2% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
7.5%
−77.0 ptssince 2013
from 84.5% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
80.3%
+21.8 ptssince 2017
from 58.5% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
English only at home
96.6%
+1.1 ptssince 2016
from 95.6% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
2.2%
−0.7 ptssince 2016
from 2.9% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married38.9%(3,359)
Married46.6%(4,028)
Widowed2.8%(238)
Divorced11.8%(1,018)
Women 15+
Never married32.4%(3,088)
Married44%(4,190)
Widowed9.7%(921)
Divorced13.9%(1,328)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Drill deeper

Places similar to Columbia County

McDuffie County
Pop 21,640
Conway County
Pop 21,393
Meriwether County
Pop 21,516
Yell County
Pop 19,956
Places similar to Columbia County
Head to head

Compare Columbia County to nearby counties

COLUMBIA COUNTY VS
Lafayette County
Income$41,278−25%
Home value$81,000−47%
Population5,888−73%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
COLUMBIA COUNTY VS
Claiborne Parish
Income$32,831−41%
Home value$82,100−46%
Population13,354−39%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
COLUMBIA COUNTY VS
Nevada County
Income$53,886−3%
Home value$83,300−45%
Population7,942−64%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
COLUMBIA COUNTY VS
Ouachita County
Income$49,268−11%
Home value$102,100−33%
Population21,731−1%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Columbia County, Arkansas?

Columbia County, Arkansas has about 22,349 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Columbia County, Arkansas?

The typical household in Columbia County, Arkansas earns about $55,334 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Columbia County, Arkansas expensive?

In Columbia County, Arkansas, the median home is worth about $152,100, and the typical rent is about $649 a month.

How educated are people in Columbia County, Arkansas?

About 21.9% of adults age 25 and over in Columbia County, Arkansas hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Columbia County, Arkansas?

About 21.1% of people in Columbia County, Arkansas live below the federal poverty line.

Has Columbia County, Arkansas grown since 1990?

Yes, Columbia County, Arkansas has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 3,342 residents, a change of about -13 percent over that period.

Keep going

Explore from here

7 census tracts
Census Tract 9501Census Tract 9504.01Census Tract 9502Census Tract 9505Census Tract 9503.02Census Tract 9504.02Census Tract 9503.01
4 ZIP codes
ZIP 71753ZIP 71770ZIP 71740ZIP 71752
Up the hierarchy
All counties in Arkansas
Rankings
Highest income countiesLowest poverty counties

DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →