Population 50,140 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Columbus County
Household size in Columbus County
| Period | Columbus County | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.54 | 2.53 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.47 | 2.58 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.46 | 2.56 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.47 | 2.52 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.07 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
The average household in Columbus County has 2.47 people, under the U.S. average of 2.65. Since 2006–10, household size has edged down from 2.54, mirroring the country. The biggest households, usually families with children, are concentrated in the east.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Columbus County
| Period | Columbus County | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 40.2 | 37.9 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 40.8 | 38.9 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 43.5 | 40.2 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 43.1 | 40.3 | 40.1 |
| Change | +2.9 | +2.3 | +2.3 |
Columbus County skews older than the country: its median age is 43.1, against 40.1 nationally. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 40.2, mirroring the country.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Columbus County
| Period | Columbus County | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 14.9% | 12.3% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 14.2% | 12.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 15.4% | 11.6% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 11.4% | 11.4% | 11.6% |
| Change | −3.5 pts | −1.0 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are about as common in Columbus County as they are nationally: 11.4%, against 11.6%. The single-parent share is down 3.5 points from 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Columbus County
Renters in Columbus County
| Period | Columbus County | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 28.0% | 31.9% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 31.0% | 34.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 27.5% | 34.8% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 28.9% | 33.4% | 34.8% |
| Change | +0.9 pts | +1.4 pts | +1.5 pts |
Most households in Columbus County own their homes; 28.9% rent, a little below the national share of 34.8%. Nearly six in ten owners (57.6%) have paid off their mortgages, well above the national share of 39.8%. Renting is most common in the west and least common in the northeast. The renter share has edged up 0.9 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Columbus County
| Period | Columbus County | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 16.0% | 12.8% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 15.1% | 12.8% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 17.9% | 12.5% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 14.9% | 11.4% | 9.6% |
| Change | −1.1 pts | −1.5 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is high in Columbus County: 14.9% of homes are empty, far above the national rate of 9.6%. In resort and lake areas that usually means seasonal and vacation homes; elsewhere it can point to weak demand. Vacancy is down 1.1 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Columbus County
| Period | Columbus County | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1977 | 1983 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1978 | 1985 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1980 | 1986 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1981 | 1990 | 1980 |
| Change | +4 | +7 | +6 |
The typical home in Columbus County was built around 1981, about the same vintage as the country's housing overall (1980). Homes here are older than in North Carolina overall, where the median home dates to 1990. The median year built has moved up from 1977 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the northeast, while the southwest has the oldest housing.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Columbus County
| Period | Columbus County | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $573 | $789 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $640 | $868 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $659 | $981 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $846 | $1,317 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$273 | +$528 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Columbus County costs $846 a month with utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $273 a month from 2006–10, a 48% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 29.8% of the typical renter's income, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. The priciest rents are in the east; the most affordable are in the west.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Columbus County
Bachelor's degrees in Columbus County
| Period | Columbus County | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.1% | 27.8% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 12.7% | 29.0% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 13.8% | 32.0% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 15.1% | 36.2% | 35.6% |
| Change | +3.0 pts | +8.4 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are relatively uncommon in Columbus County: 15.1% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's or higher, well below the national share of 35.6%. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 3.0 points, in line with the national trend. Only six of North Carolina's 100 counties have a lower share of college graduates.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Columbus County
| Period | Columbus County | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 77.8% | 84.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 79.7% | 86.0% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 83.1% | 88.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 86.7% | 90.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +8.9 pts | +5.7 pts | +4.3 pts |
Just over one in eight adults in Columbus County never finished high school, a bit more than nationally: 86.7% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% across the U.S. The share with a diploma has risen 8.9 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Columbus County
| Period | Columbus County | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.3% | 8.8% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 10.8% | 10.6% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.5% | 5.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.7% | 4.8% | 5.4% |
| Change | −5.6 pts | −4.0 pts | −2.7 pts |
At 4.7%, unemployment in Columbus County is close to the national rate of 5.4%. Unemployment is down 5.6 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Columbus County compared with nearby counties
| County | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbus County | 2.47 | 43.1 | 11.4% | 28.9% | 14.9% | 1981 | $846 | 15.1% | 86.7% | 4.7% |
| Marion County | 2.40 | 43.0 | 18.7% | 37.4% | 16.6% | 1981 | $685 | 14.9% | 85.9% | 7.4% |
| Dillon County | 2.61 | 39.6 | 20.2% | 35.3% | 16.2% | 1984 | $714 | 13.9% | 81.5% | 9.2% |
| New Hanover County | 2.25 | 41.6 | 8.0% | 38.6% | 10.9% | 1991 | $1,541 | 45.0% | 94.0% | 4.5% |
| Florence County | 2.61 | 39.7 | 14.0% | 35.5% | 15.5% | 1986 | $986 | 24.4% | 87.6% | 5.7% |
| Darlington County | 2.43 | 41.5 | 15.9% | 29.1% | 13.8% | 1983 | $946 | 20.4% | 87.2% | 6.3% |
| Lee County | 2.40 | 43.6 | 14.0% | 29.5% | 16.4% | 1983 | $865 | 11.8% | 80.1% | 7.2% |
| Kershaw County | 2.55 | 42.2 | 11.0% | 18.0% | 10.4% | 1991 | $1,045 | 24.6% | 89.3% | 4.8% |
| Fairfield County | 2.24 | 48.0 | 12.6% | 25.4% | 16.7% | 1985 | $1,092 | 15.3% | 85.1% | 6.7% |
| Newberry County | 2.47 | 41.5 | 13.8% | 26.9% | 17.1% | 1978 | $912 | 22.8% | 84.9% | 5.2% |
| Greenwood County | 2.44 | 39.9 | 14.2% | 33.0% | 12.3% | 1976 | $941 | 24.3% | 88.7% | 5.9% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Colquitt County, GA · Dearborn County, IN · Davie County, NC · Darke County, OH · Vega Baja Municipio, PR · Dale County, AL · Curry County, NM · Culpeper County, VA · Crittenden County, AR · Venango County, PA
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Columbus County. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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