Columbus County, North Carolina
Located in North Carolina, Columbus County has a population of 50,140 residents and a median age of 42.6 years, making it the #1,012 most populous county out of 3,222 nationwide. In terms of economic indicators, the county has a poverty rate of 18.2%. The median home value is $146,000, and the median household income is $49,442, which is 34% below the national median.
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
Geographic Mobility (Past Year)
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 Trend
Rankings →Income Distribution
Industry of Employment
Occupation
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 Trend
Rankings →Household Type
Education
In Columbus County, 14.6% of adults age 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher, which is 56.7% below the national average, ranking #2,869 out of 3,222 counties.
Bachelor's Degree or Higher Trend
Rankings →Health & Wellbeing
Life expectancy in Columbus County is 69.7 years. 24.1% of adults report poor or fair health and 13.7% lack health insurance. Data from County Health Rankings (2025).
Life Expectancy Trend
Substance Use
21.6% of adults in Columbus County smoke , 39.2% are obese , and 17.6% report excessive drinking. The drug overdose death rate is 54.9 per 100,000.
Adult Smoking Trend
Safety
The homicide rate in Columbus County is 19.0 per 100,000 and the suicide rate is 11.6 per 100,000. Motor vehicle deaths occur at a rate of 36.2 per 100,000.
Homicide Rate Trend
Families & Children
30.2% of children in Columbus County live in poverty and the infant mortality rate is 8.6 per 1,000 live births. The teen birth rate is 35.2 per 1,000 females age 15–19.
Infant Mortality Trend
Civic & Transportation
Voter turnout in Columbus County is 61.6%. The mean commute time is 31.9 min, which is 15.7% above the national average.
Voter Turnout Trend
Mean Commute Time Trend
Rankings →Elections
In the 2024 presidential election, Columbus County voted Republican with a margin of 33.9%. The vote was 32.8% Dem / 66.7% Rep. Compared to 2020, the margin shifted 6.0 toward Republicans .
Vote Share Over Time
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.