Population 45,720 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Columbus
Household size in Columbus
| Period | Columbus | Mississippi | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.47 | 2.66 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.48 | 2.67 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.54 | 2.64 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.46 | 2.57 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.01 | −0.09 | −0.03 |
The average household in Columbus has 2.46 people, under the U.S. average of 2.65. The biggest households, usually families with children, are concentrated in the southeast.
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
| Period | Columbus | Mississippi | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 36.2 | 36.7 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 38.0 | 37.5 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 39.3 | 38.8 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 40.5 | 39.4 | 40.1 |
| Change | +4.3 | +2.6 | +2.3 |
Half of the people in Columbus are younger than 40.5 and half are older, close to the national median of 40.1. The median age has climbed from 36.2 in 2006–10, as it has nationally.
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
| Period | Columbus | Mississippi | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 17.5% | 15.8% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 16.6% | 15.8% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 17.0% | 14.7% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 17.4% | 14.6% | 11.6% |
| Change | −0.1 pts | −1.1 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head just over one in six households in Columbus (17.4%), well above the national share of 11.6%. Compared with other Mississippi cities, Columbus has a higher share of single-parent households than most.
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
Renters in Columbus
| Period | Columbus | Mississippi | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 35.0% | 29.2% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 40.1% | 31.1% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 38.7% | 31.8% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 40.4% | 30.0% | 34.8% |
| Change | +5.4 pts | +0.8 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting is a bit more common in Columbus than nationally: 40.4% of households rent their homes, against 34.8% for the U.S. Among homeowners, 50.0% have no mortgage at all, well above the national share of 39.8%. Rentals cluster in the center; owners are most common in the northeast. The renter share has risen 5.4 points since 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
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
| Period | Columbus | Mississippi | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.6% | 13.6% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 12.4% | 14.6% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 18.8% | 16.1% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 14.5% | 14.1% | 9.6% |
| Change | +2.8 pts | +0.5 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is high in Columbus: 14.5% 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. Since 2006–10, vacancy has risen 2.8 points, even as the national rate fell.
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
| Period | Columbus | Mississippi | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1977 | 1981 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1979 | 1983 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1978 | 1984 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1979 | 1987 | 1980 |
| Change | +3 | +5 | +6 |
Homes in Columbus are about the same age as the nation's housing: the median home was built in 1979, versus 1980 nationally. Homes here are older than in Mississippi overall, where the median home dates to 1987. Newer construction is concentrated in the northwest, while the center 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
| Period | Columbus | Mississippi | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $620 | $703 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $761 | $758 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $771 | $819 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $921 | $1,018 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$301 | +$315 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Columbus costs $921 a month with utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $301 a month since 2006–10, up 49%, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 31.5% of the typical renter's income, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Rents run highest in the north and lowest in the center.
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
Bachelor's degrees in Columbus
| Period | Columbus | Mississippi | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 21.2% | 20.8% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 20.8% | 21.4% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 22.0% | 22.8% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 27.0% | 25.8% | 35.6% |
| Change | +5.8 pts | +5.0 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are less common in Columbus than nationally: 27.0% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 5.8 points, mirroring the country. College graduates are most concentrated in the northwest and least in the east.
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
| Period | Columbus | Mississippi | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 81.0% | 80.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 83.3% | 82.5% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 85.2% | 84.8% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 89.6% | 87.3% | 89.3% |
| Change | +8.6 pts | +6.9 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Columbus is close to the national rate: 89.6% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%. The rate is higher than in Mississippi overall (87.3%). The share with a diploma has risen 8.6 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally.
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
| Period | Columbus | Mississippi | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 13.5% | 9.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 14.6% | 11.0% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 9.7% | 7.6% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 7.2% | 5.8% | 5.4% |
| Change | −6.3 pts | −3.6 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been harder to find in Columbus than nationally: unemployment was 7.2%, against 5.4%. Since 2006–10, unemployment has fallen 6.3 points, in line with the national trend. 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 compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbus | 2.46 | 40.5 | 17.4% | 40.4% | 14.5% | 1979 | $921 | 27.0% | 89.6% | 7.2% |
| Steens | 2.65 | 37.0 | 23.1% | 26.3% | 12.9% | 1988 | $1,117 | 29.0% | 93.1% | 2.1% |
| Forest | 2.45 | 49.8 | 5.7% | 12.1% | 17.2% | 1978 | $661 | 17.7% | 88.7% | 7.9% |
| Columbus AFB | 2.49 | 27.7 | 7.9% | 91.4% | 25.0% | 1989 | $1,341 | 54.8% | 94.2% | 1.4% |
| Kolola Springs | 3.03 | 37.4 | 17.4% | 11.5% | 18.4% | 1998 | $811 | 30.8% | 80.1% | 17.4% |
| Ethelsville | 2.36 | 49.3 | 6.7% | 10.3% | 17.8% | 1979 | $680 | 15.4% | 80.3% | 7.3% |
| Caledonia | 2.99 | 34.9 | 9.2% | 16.7% | 11.9% | 1990 | $845 | 30.3% | 89.0% | 4.1% |
| Tibbee | 2.67 | 46.5 | 5.8% | 22.9% | 34.7% | 1995 | $872 | 34.0% | 97.3% | 5.3% |
| Mayhew | 2.28 | 47.2 | 9.5% | 24.5% | 17.0% | 1996 | $804 | 38.1% | 90.4% | 0.9% |
| Artesia | 2.30 | 50.5 | 10.6% | 21.8% | 17.8% | 1994 | $760 | 37.7% | 92.0% | 0.1% |
| Millport | 2.77 | 45.4 | 9.2% | 18.6% | 29.7% | 1976 | $671 | 9.5% | 90.5% | 3.2% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Whitney, NV · Prairieville, LA · Freeport, NY · Eagle Pass, TX · Duncanville, TX · University, FL · Coppell, TX · Cocoa, FL · West Seneca, NY · Cape Girardeau, MO
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. 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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