Population 6,466 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Columbus
Household size in Columbus
| Period | Columbus | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.19 | 2.53 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.31 | 2.58 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.29 | 2.56 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.22 | 2.52 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.04 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Households in Columbus are small: just 2.22 people on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. That is typical of places where many people live alone or as couples, and fewer have children at home. Household size has crept up from 2.19 in 2006–10, even as the national average fell.
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 | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 52.7 | 37.9 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 51.1 | 38.9 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 53.4 | 40.2 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 55.5 | 40.3 | 40.1 |
| Change | +2.8 | +2.3 | +2.3 |
Columbus skews older: half of its residents are older than 55.5, well above the national median of 40.1. That usually means more empty nesters and retirees, and fewer young families. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 52.7, as it has nationally. Of the 332 North Carolina cities with 5,000+ people, only eight are older.
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 | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.0% | 12.3% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 7.7% | 12.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 5.6% | 11.6% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 6.9% | 11.4% | 11.6% |
| Change | −1.0 pts | −1.0 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 6.9% of households in Columbus, well below the national share of 11.6%. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has edged down 1.0 points, in line with the national trend. Columbus has a lower share of single-parent households than at least four in five North Carolina cities.
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 | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 25.3% | 31.9% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 29.7% | 34.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 32.7% | 34.8% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 25.8% | 33.4% | 34.8% |
| Change | +0.4 pts | +1.4 pts | +1.5 pts |
Most households in Columbus own their homes; 25.8% rent, below the national share of 34.8%. Among homeowners, 47.9% have no mortgage at all, above the national share of 39.8%. Renting is most common in the center and least common in the southeast.
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 | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.2% | 12.8% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 14.6% | 12.8% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 16.8% | 12.5% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 12.9% | 11.4% | 9.6% |
| Change | +0.7 pts | −1.5 pts | −1.8 pts |
More homes sit empty in Columbus than nationally: 12.9%, against 9.6%. The count includes vacation homes and homes between owners or tenants, not just abandoned ones. Vacancy is up 0.7 points from 2006–10, 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 | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1984 | 1983 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1984 | 1985 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1986 | 1986 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1986 | 1990 | 1980 |
| Change | +2 | +7 | +6 |
Homes in Columbus are newer than the national norm: the median home was built in 1986, versus 1980 across the U.S. Even so, homes here are older than in North Carolina as a whole, where the median home dates to 1990.
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 | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $732 | $789 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $732 | $868 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $878 | $981 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,961 | $1,317 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$1,229 | +$528 | +$606 |
Rent in Columbus runs $1,961 a month at the median, utilities included, well above the U.S. median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $1,229 a month since 2006–10, up 168%, faster than rents rose nationally. The typical renter here spends 32.9% of household income on rent, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Rents run highest in the center and lowest in the southeast.
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 | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 31.9% | 27.8% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 29.7% | 29.0% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 28.2% | 32.0% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 35.7% | 36.2% | 35.6% |
| Change | +3.7 pts | +8.4 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are about as common in Columbus as nationally: 35.7% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%. The share with a degree has risen 3.7 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country. College graduates are most concentrated in the northwest and least in the southeast.
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 | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 90.5% | 84.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 88.5% | 86.0% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 88.1% | 88.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 94.4% | 90.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +3.9 pts | +5.7 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Columbus: 94.4% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. The share with a diploma has risen 3.9 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally. Columbus has a higher share of high school graduates than at least four in five North Carolina cities.
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 | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.6% | 8.8% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 12.5% | 10.6% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.8% | 5.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.3% | 4.8% | 5.4% |
| Change | −5.3 pts | −4.0 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Columbus has been low: just 3.3% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. Since 2006–10, unemployment has fallen 5.3 points, in line with the national trend. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current 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 | 2.22 | 55.5 | 6.9% | 25.8% | 12.9% | 1986 | $1,961 | 35.7% | 94.4% | 3.3% |
| Tryon | 2.04 | 57.7 | 4.3% | 25.3% | 12.8% | 1979 | $1,262 | 41.9% | 94.9% | 5.4% |
| Lynn | 2.03 | 61.7 | 6.5% | 21.5% | 8.5% | 1980 | $1,068 | 33.0% | 96.9% | 16.3% |
| Mill Spring | 2.44 | 41.7 | 15.5% | 22.1% | 25.1% | 1992 | $671 | 20.2% | 85.0% | 6.2% |
| Landrum | 2.42 | 49.7 | 6.1% | 13.2% | 13.0% | 1987 | $684 | 38.1% | 90.9% | 1.4% |
| Pea Ridge | 2.29 | 41.9 | 14.3% | 32.4% | 18.2% | 1992 | $608 | 16.3% | 85.9% | 4.0% |
| Campobello | 2.56 | 46.6 | 7.2% | 20.7% | 7.7% | 1993 | $980 | 26.2% | 89.2% | 1.3% |
| Gowensville | 2.61 | 50.8 | 4.3% | 5.9% | 19.7% | 1993 | $700 | 39.7% | 91.8% | 0.6% |
| Sunny View | 2.51 | 45.3 | 6.4% | 19.1% | 32.0% | 1999 | $661 | 20.7% | 92.1% | 8.6% |
| Saluda | 2.23 | 57.0 | 7.5% | 14.1% | 32.4% | 1983 | $1,149 | 42.6% | 95.6% | 7.0% |
| Fingerville | 2.79 | 45.4 | 10.0% | 24.7% | 7.2% | 1995 | $935 | 10.6% | 74.5% | 1.8% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Chapel Hill, TN · Centerville, SC · Central Square, NY · Centralia, MO · Fair Plain, MI · Southwood Acres, CT · Sparks Glencoe, MD · Baxter, TN · White, GA · Sparta, GA
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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