Columbus County, North Carolina

14 cities & places have their primary county here.

Population: 50,453
Median household income: $48,184
Median home value: $128,300

Columbus County is a county in North Carolina with a population of 50,453. 14 cities and places have their primary county here. At $48,184, its median household income sits below North Carolina's $69,904.

From 2019 to 2023, Columbus County's population declined 10.0% from 56,068 to 50,453, while its median household income rose 28.1% from $37,628 to $48,184.

15.1% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Owners occupy 72.3% of the area's occupied homes.

Demographics

ACS 2019–2023

Population: 50,453
Median age: 42.4 yrs
Median household income: $48,184
Median home value: $128,300
Median gross rent: $775
Housing units: 23,560
Homeownership rate: 72.3%
Bachelor's degree or higher: 15.1%
Unemployment rate: 4.7%

Trends

ACS 5-year · 2019–2023

Population

56,06850,453

Median household income

$37,628$48,184

Median home value

$88,900$128,300

Median gross rent

$633$775

Year	Population	Median household income	Median home value	Median gross rent
2019	56,068	$37,628	$88,900	$633
2020	55,659	$38,487	$94,800	$642
2021	51,474	$40,562	$102,300	$679
2022	50,827	$43,206	$119,800	$738
2023	50,453	$48,184	$128,300	$775

Each year is a US Census Bureau ACS 5-year estimate ending that year.

Age distribution

Under 55.2%

5 to 1715.5%

18 to 248.5%

25 to 3412.3%

35 to 4411.5%

45 to 5412.7%

55 to 6413.9%

65 to 7412.0%

75 and over8.5%

	Count	Share
Under 5	2,645	5.2%
5 to 17	7,797	15.5%
18 to 24	4,287	8.5%
25 to 34	6,197	12.3%
35 to 44	5,810	11.5%
45 to 54	6,408	12.7%
55 to 64	6,999	13.9%
65 to 74	6,034	12.0%
75 and over	4,276	8.5%

Race & ethnicity

	Count	Share
White (non-Hispanic)	29,764	59.0%
Black or African American	14,429	28.6%
American Indian & Alaska Native	1,493	3.0%
Asian	213	0.4%
Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander	22	0.0%
Some other race	69	0.1%
Two or more races	1,697	3.4%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	2,766	5.5%

Educational attainment (age 25+)

No high school diploma13.5%

High school graduate36.7%

Some college or associate's34.8%

Bachelor's degree10.1%

Graduate or professional degree4.9%

	Count	Share
No high school diploma	4,819	13.5%
High school graduate	13,099	36.7%
Some college or associate's	12,424	34.8%
Bachelor's degree	3,623	10.1%
Graduate or professional degree	1,759	4.9%

Commute to work

Mean travel time to work: 28 min

Drove alone84.9%

Carpooled7.6%

Public transit0.0%

Walked2.1%

Bicycle0.0%

Worked from home4.8%

Other means0.5%

How workers get to work

	Count	Share
Drove alone	16,277	84.9%
Carpooled	1,465	7.6%
Public transit	0	0.0%
Walked	399	2.1%
Bicycle	8	0.0%
Worked from home	928	4.8%
Other means	93	0.5%

Travel time

	Count	Share
Under 15 min	4,555	25.0%
15 to 29 min	5,785	31.7%
30 to 44 min	4,473	24.5%
45 to 59 min	1,616	8.9%
60+ min	1,813	9.9%

Households

Average household size: 2.49
Poverty rate: 18.8% (9,006 of 47,923)

	Count	Share
Family households	12,435	64.7%
Nonfamily households	6,792	35.3%

Housing

Median year structure built: 1981

Occupancy

	Count	Share
Occupied	19,227	81.6%
Vacant	4,333	18.4%

Tenure (of occupied units)

	Count	Share
Owner-occupied	13,893	72.3%
Renter-occupied	5,334	27.7%

1-unit, detached62.8%

1-unit, attached0.5%

2 to 4 units3.5%

5 to 19 units2.1%

20 or more units0.9%

Mobile home & other30.1%

Units in structure

	Count	Share
1-unit, detached	14,795	62.8%
1-unit, attached	123	0.5%
2 to 4 units	835	3.5%
5 to 19 units	501	2.1%
20 or more units	215	0.9%
Mobile home & other	7,091	30.1%

Geography

County GEOID: 37047
State: North Carolina
Land area: 938 sq mi
Water area: 17 sq mi
Center point: 34.2616, -78.6393