Columbus County, North Carolina

NC · FIPS 37047 · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates

Metric Value vs National Rank Percentile
Total Population 50,140 #1,012 / 3,222
69th
Median Household Income $49,442 -34.2% #2,800 / 3,222
13th
Median Age 42.6 years +9.5% #1,328 / 3,222
59th
Median Home Value $146,000 -48.2% #2,313 / 3,222
28th
Median Gross Rent $824 -29.1% #1,929 / 3,222
40th
Poverty Rate 18.2% +44.3% #2,473 / 3,222
23th

Demographics

Columbus County has a population of 50,140, making it the #1,012 most populous county in the US. The median age is 42.6 years, which is 9.5% above the national median.

Population Trend

Rankings →

Year-over-Year Population Growth

Age & Sex Distribution

Race & Ethnicity

Nativity

96.7%
Native Born
3.3%
Foreign Born

Household Type

Economy

The median household income in Columbus County is $49,442, ranking #2,800 out of 3,222 counties — 34.2% below the national median. The poverty rate is 18.2% and unemployment stands at 4.4%.

Median Household Income
$49,442 −34.2% vs nat'l
Rank #2,800 of 3,222
13th percentile
Per Capita Income
$27,773 −32.7% vs nat'l
Rank #2,727 of 3,222
15th percentile
Poverty Rate
18.2% +44.3% vs nat'l
Rank #2,473 of 3,222
23th percentile
Unemployment Rate
4.4% −17.2% vs nat'l
Rank #1,586 of 3,222
51th percentile
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
14.6% −56.7% vs nat'l
Rank #2,869 of 3,222
11th percentile
Mean Commute Time
31.9 min +15.7% vs nat'l
Rank #607 of 3,222
81th percentile

Median Household Income Trend

Rankings →

Poverty Rate Trend

Rankings →

Housing

The median home value in Columbus County is $146,000 (-48.2% vs national). Renters pay a median of $824/mo and the homeownership rate is 71.1%.

Median Home Value
$146,000 −48.2% vs nat'l
Rank #2,313 of 3,222
28th percentile
Median Gross Rent
$824 −29.1% vs nat'l
Rank #1,929 of 3,222
40th percentile
Homeownership Rate
71.1% +10.4% vs nat'l
Rank #2,154 of 3,222
33th percentile
71.1% Homeownership

Median Home Value Trend

Rankings →

Health

87.3% of residents in Columbus County have health insurance coverage, which is 4.8% below the national rate.

87.3% Health Insurance
Health Insurance Coverage
87.3% −4.8% vs nat'l
Rank #2,647 of 3,222
18th percentile

About Columbus County, North Carolina

Columbus County, North Carolina has a total population of 50,140, making it the 1,012th most populous county in the United States. The median age in Columbus County is 42.6 years, which is 9.5% above the national median of 38.9 years.

The median household income in Columbus County is $49,442, which ranks #2,800 of 3,222 counties nationwide. This is 34.2% below the national median of $75,149. The poverty rate is 18.2%, higher than the national rate of 12.6%. The unemployment rate stands at 4.4%.

The median home value in Columbus County is $146,000, 48.2% below the national median. Renters in Columbus County pay a median gross rent of $824 per month. The homeownership rate is 71.1%, compared to the national rate of 64.4%.

In Columbus County, 14.6% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 56.7% below the national average of 33.7%. Health insurance coverage stands at 87.3% of the population. The average commute time for workers is 31.9 min.

Columbus County is a diverse community. The largest racial or ethnic group is White (non-Hispanic) at 58.6% of the population, followed by Black (non-Hispanic) (28.0%) and Hispanic or Latino (5.6%).

All data for Columbus County, North Carolina comes from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates. These figures are estimates based on survey sampling and are subject to margin of error. For the most detailed and up-to-date data, visit the Census Bureau's official data portal.