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COUNTY

Columbus County

North Carolina · 50,487 residents (2025 est.) · 938.121 sq mi
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The short version

Columbus County has notably lower household income than the US average, with a median household income of $49,442. Population has declined 8% since 2000. 15% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, below the national rate of 36%. Median home value has more than doubled since 2000, reaching $146,000. Households here earn about 32% less than the North Carolina median.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 42.6
US median: 38.9
Less educated
15% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 25%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
50,140
−8%since 2000
from 54,749 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Population density
53 / sq mi
−7%since 2009
from 58 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
Median age
42.6
+15%since 2000
from 36.9 in 2000
US average: 38.9

PEP 2025 EST:50,487 residents (Census Bureau Vintage 2025, released March 2026)

Population, 1990 – 2024
49K51K54K56K59K1990201020202024Columbus County
202450K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 55.4%(2,721)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 95.8%(2,912)
US avg: 6%
10 to 145.7%(2,851)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 195.8%(2,921)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 246.4%(3,192)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 3412.5%(6,257)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 4411.4%(5,706)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 5412.4%(6,237)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 6413.9%(6,967)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 7412%(6,015)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 846.6%(3,288)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over2.1%(1,073)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$49,442
+1%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $26,805 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$27,773
+93%since 2000
from $14,415 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
34.3%
+17.6 ptssince 2009
from 16.6% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
18.2%
−4.5 ptssince 2000
from 22.7% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.473
+1%since 2010
from 0.469 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Information13.5%
US avg: 10.8%
Retail trade10.4%
US avg: 9.9%
Wholesale trade7.9%
US avg: 6.9%
Finance & insurance6.3%
US avg: 5.9%
Other services5.4%
US avg: 6.7%
Professional, scientific, technical4.9%
US avg: 5.1%
Public administration3.8%
US avg: 4.8%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing2.9%
US avg: 1.6%
Construction2.7%
US avg: 1.2%
Arts, entertainment, food1.7%
US avg: 1.9%
Education & health services1.4%
US avg: 0.9%
Transportation & warehousing1%
US avg: 2.2%
Manufacturing0.2%
US avg: 0.4%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$146,000
+25%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $64,100 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$824
+19%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $379 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
71.1%
−5.3 ptssince 2000
from 76.4% in 2000
28.9% rent
Vacancy rate
14.9%
−0.9 ptssince 2009
from 15.8% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Owner cost-burdened
24.7%
−4.2 ptssince 2009
from 28.9% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
37.0%
−5.9 ptssince 2009
from 43.0% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
3.0
+10%since 2009
from 2.7 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index: median home value divided by median household income. Lower is more affordable.
Gentrification Score
24
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
RELATED:See current rent listings in Columbus County on RentDataNow
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic62.8%(34,380)
Black30.9%(16,901)
Hispanic / Latino2.3%(1,269)
Asian0.2%(118)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic58.6%(29,364)
Black28%(14,048)
Hispanic / Latino5.6%(2,831)
Asian0.5%(249)
Other7.3%(3,648)
Diversity Score
71
+9%since 2009
from 65 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Segregation Score
20
−16%since 2020
from 24 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
Mexican4.4%(2,203)
Honduran0.8%(400)
Puerto Rican0.1%(70)
Colombian0.1%(32)
Spaniard0.1%(31)
Salvadoran0.1%(30)
Cuban0%(20)
Dominican0%(15)
Asian origin
Vietnamese0.2%(106)
Burmese0.2%(78)
Asian Indian0.1%(38)
Filipino0%(14)
Japanese0%(13)
Pacific Islander origin
Samoan0.1%(31)
Ancestry
American15.7%(7,872)
English9.2%(4,607)
Irish4.5%(2,268)
German2.9%(1,455)
Scotch-Irish1.7%(843)
Scottish1.4%(720)
French0.9%(430)
Italian0.6%(324)
Polish0.3%(139)
Welsh0.3%(137)
Norwegian0.2%(107)
+ 26 more ancestry groups with data
Dutch0.2%(90)
West Indian0.2%(89)
Nigerian0.2%(83)
Arab0.1%(66)
Jamaican0.1%(47)
Ukrainian0.1%(32)
Swedish0.1%(31)
Egyptian0.1%(28)
Lithuanian0.1%(28)
Moroccan0%(25)
Haitian0%(24)
Austrian0%(21)
Greek0%(21)
Canadian0%(20)
Hungarian0%(18)
Israeli0%(11)
British0%(9)
Swiss0%(7)
Russian0%(3)
Syrian0%(2)
Danish0%(2)
RANKED:Largest American population · Largest English population · Largest Irish population · Largest Mexican population · Largest German population
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
14.6%
+4.5 ptssince 2000
from 10.1% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
86.8%
+18.2 ptssince 2000
from 68.6% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
4.9%
+1.5 ptssince 2000
from 3.3% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
29.3 min
+50%since 2000
from 19.5 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
83.3%
+4.1 ptssince 2009
from 79.3% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
8.9%
−6.6 ptssince 2009
from 15.5% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
0.0%
−0.2 ptssince 2009
from 0.2% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
5.4%
+3.1 ptssince 2009
from 2.4% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
1.5%
+0.3 ptssince 2009
from 1.2% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
Biked to work
0.3%
+0.1 ptssince 2009
from 0.3% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
No vehicle available
5.5%
−3.9 ptssince 2009
from 9.4% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
4.4%
−7.2 ptssince 2011
from 11.6% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
50.6%
−2.8 ptssince 2011
from 53.4% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Self-employed
13.5%
+0.1 ptssince 2009
from 13.4% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
32.8%
−25.2 ptssince 2009
from 58.1% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
49.1%
+1.3 ptssince 2009
from 47.8% in 2009
Female
50.9%
−1.3 ptssince 2009
from 52.2% in 2009
Foreign born
3.3%
+1.4 ptssince 2009
from 1.9% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
6.7%
−40.3 ptssince 2009
from 47.0% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
17.5%
−3.3 ptssince 2012
from 20.8% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
12.7%
−66.5 ptssince 2013
from 79.2% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
83.1%
+25.5 ptssince 2017
from 57.6% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
English only at home
94.1%
−0.4 ptssince 2016
from 94.5% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
5.0%
+0.3 ptssince 2016
from 4.7% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married35.4%(7,330)
Married48%(9,937)
Widowed4.3%(885)
Divorced12.3%(2,537)
Women 15+
Never married26.5%(5,553)
Married46.5%(9,752)
Widowed15.4%(3,233)
Divorced11.6%(2,429)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Drill deeper

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Head to head

Compare Columbus County to nearby counties

COLUMBUS COUNTY VS
Bladen County
Income$42,422−14%
Home value$135,100−7%
Population30,007−41%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
COLUMBUS COUNTY VS
Brunswick County
Income$77,024+56%
Home value$349,800+140%
Population174,702+246%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
COLUMBUS COUNTY VS
Horry County
Income$66,880+35%
Home value$287,700+97%
Population427,551+747%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
COLUMBUS COUNTY VS
Robeson County
Income$41,978−15%
Home value$94,500−35%
Population119,941+138%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Columbus County, North Carolina?

Columbus County, North Carolina has about 50,140 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Columbus County, North Carolina?

The typical household in Columbus County, North Carolina earns about $49,442 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Columbus County, North Carolina expensive?

In Columbus County, North Carolina, the median home is worth about $146,000, and the typical rent is about $824 a month.

How educated are people in Columbus County, North Carolina?

About 14.6% of adults age 25 and over in Columbus County, North Carolina hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Columbus County, North Carolina?

About 18.2% of people in Columbus County, North Carolina live below the federal poverty line.

Has Columbus County, North Carolina grown since 1990?

Yes, Columbus County, North Carolina has grown since 1990. The population has added about 553 residents, a change of about 1 percent over that period.

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Explore from here

15 census tracts
Census Tract 9312.01Census Tract 9310Census Tract 9301Census Tract 9309Census Tract 9305Census Tract 9308Census Tract 9304Census Tract 9307Census Tract 9311Census Tract 9306Census Tract 9313.02Census Tract 9303Census Tract 9302Census Tract 9313.01Census Tract 9312.02
14 ZIP codes
ZIP 28472ZIP 28463ZIP 28431ZIP 28456ZIP 28423ZIP 28450ZIP 28436ZIP 28442ZIP 28432ZIP 28455ZIP 28438ZIP 28430ZIP 28439ZIP 28424
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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

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