Columbus County, North Carolina Population 2024

50,167

Columbus County, North Carolina's estimated 2024 population is 50,167 with a growth rate of 0.09% in the past year according to the most recent United States census data. Columbus County, North Carolina is the 51st largest county in North Carolina. The 2010 population was 57,997 and has seen a growth of -13.5% since that time.

Note: data after 2022 is projected based on recent change
Year
Population
Growth
Change
202950,397460.09%
202850,351460.09%
202750,305460.09%
202650,259460.09%
202550,213460.09%
202450,167460.09%
202350,121460.09%
202250,075550.11%
202150,020-476-0.94%
202050,496-4,956-8.94%
201955,452-312-0.56%
201855,764-236-0.42%
201756,000-324-0.58%
201656,324-374-0.66%
201556,698-208-0.37%
201456,906-193-0.34%
201357,099-447-0.78%
201257,546-164-0.28%
201157,710-287-0.49%
201057,99700%
199049,587-1,450-2.84%
198051,0374,1008.74%
197046,937-2,036-4.16%
196048,973-1,648-3.26%
195050,6214,95810.86%
194045,6637,94321.06%
193037,7207,59625.22%
192030,1242,1047.51%
191028,0206,74631.71%
190021,2743,41819.14%
189017,8563,41723.67%
188014,4395,96570.39%
18708,474-123-1.43%
18608,5972,68845.49%
18505,9091,96849.94%
18403,941-200-4.83%
18304,1412295.85%
18203,91289029.45%
18103,022-47,375-94%
2024 Growth Rate
0.09% (46)
County Website
Columbus County
2020 Population
50,496
Area
938 mi²
Density
53 people/mi²
Growth Since 2020
-0.65% (-329)
Founded
1808

Population by Race

Race
Population
Percentage (of total)
White30,85460.7%
Black or African American14,55228.63%
Two or more races1,8993.74%
Native American1,6453.24%
Other race1,5903.13%
Asian2490.49%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander380.07%

White

Black or African American

Two or more races

Native American

Other race

Asian

Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander

Columbus County, North Carolina Population by Race

Columbus County, North Carolina Population Pyramid 2024

Columbus County, North Carolina Median Age

41.8

Total

40.4

Male

44.1

Female

Columbus County, North Carolina Adults

There are 40,336 adults, (10,195 of whom are seniors) in Columbus County, North Carolina.

Columbus County, North Carolina Age Dependency

68.6

Age Dependency Ratio

33.8

Old Age Dependency Ratio

34.8

Child Dependency Ratio

Columbus County, North Carolina Sex Ratio

Female25,55150.27%
Male25,27649.73%

Columbus County, North Carolina Population by Age

Columbus County, North Carolina Renter vs Owner Occupied by Household Type

Household Type
Count
Average Size
Owner
Renter
All19,1852.5170.829.2
Married8,2103.1384.115.9
Non Family7,0141.1764.335.7
Female3,0553.6247.452.6
Male9063.578.721.3

3.21

Average Family Size

2.51

Average Household Size

70.8%

Rate of Home Ownership

Married

Male

Female

NonFamily

owner

renter

Columbus County, North Carolina Households and Families

Male

Female

Education Attained
Count
Percentage
9th to 12th Grade3,3909.45%
Associates Degree3,88110.81%
Bachelors Degree3,4839.7%
Graduate Degree1,7334.83%
High School Graduate13,45837.5%
Less Than 9th Grade1,7714.93%
Some College8,17422.78%

Less Than 9th Grade

9th to 12th Grade

High School Graduate

Some College

Associates Degree

Bachelors Degree

Graduate Degree

Columbus County, North Carolina Educational Attainment by Sex (over 25)

Columbus County, North Carolina Educational Attainment by Race

High School Graduation Rate

Bachelors Rate

Race
Total
High School
Bachelors
White22,24619,9383,885
Black10,0938,540955
Hispanic1,39745721
Native American1,07185374
2+ Races1,067866254
Other Race7342366
Asian24921242
Islander16160

The highest rate of high school graduation is among islander people with a rate of 100%.

The highest rate of bachelors degrees is among 2+ races people with a rate of 23.81%.

Columbus County, North Carolina Educational Attainment by Race

All

Male

Female

Name
Average
Male
Female
Bachelors Degree$45,890$51,656$40,760
Graduate Degree$60,791$65,497$59,500
High School Graduate$32,858$38,001$27,613
Less Than 9th Grade$25,317$25,812$24,492
Overall$34,636$36,982$33,363
Some College$34,721$40,350$32,893

$34,636

Average Earnings

$36,982

Average Male

$33,363

Average Female

Columbus County, North Carolina Earnings by Educational Attainment

Columbus County, North Carolina Language by Age

Only English

Spanish

Other Indo-European Languages

Asian and Pacific Island Languages

Other Languages

Columbus County, North Carolina Language

94.38% of Columbus County, North Carolina residents speak only English, while 5.62% speak other languages. The non-English language spoken by the largest group is Spanish, which is spoken by 5.02% of the population.

Columbus County, North Carolina Language

Columbus County, North Carolina Poverty by Race

rate

Name
Total
In Poverty
Poverty Rate
White29,0424,80916.56%
Black13,1603,92429.82%
Hispanic2,79679728.51%
Multiple1,69757033.59%
Native1,49621314.24%
Islander382257.89%
Other1,53920.13%

21.09%

Overall Poverty Rate

19.8%

Male Poverty Rate

22.26%

Female Poverty Rate

Poverty in Columbus County, North Carolina

The race most likely to be in poverty in Columbus County, North Carolina is Islander, with 57.89% below the poverty level.

The race least likely to be in poverty in Columbus County, North Carolina is Other, with 0.13% below the poverty level.

The poverty rate among those that worked full-time for the past 12 months was 4.96%. Among those working part-time, it was 16.69%, and for those that did not work, the poverty rate was 31.82%.

Columbus County, North Carolina Poverty

rate

Rate
Poverty
Less Than 9th Grade29.37%
High School23.65%
Some College13.67%
Bachelors or Greater6.7%

Columbus County, North Carolina Poverty Rate by Education

rate

Rate
Poverty
Female Unemployed47.57%
Male Unemployed38.49%
Female Employed7.28%
Male Employed6.46%

Columbus County, North Carolina Poverty Rate by Employment Status and Sex

Columbus County, North Carolina Income by Household Type

Households

Families

MarriedFamilies

NonFamilies

Name
Median
Mean
Families$55,941$72,393
Households$43,206$60,288
Married Families$71,149$89,486
Non Families$24,800$37,628

mean

median

Income by Household Type

Columbus County, North Carolina Marital Status

Married

Widowed

Divorced

Separated

NeverMarried

Marriage Rates

41.3%

Overall Marriage Rate

42.5%

Male Marriage Rate

40.1%

Female Marriage Rate

Columbus County, North Carolina Married by Age and Sex

male

female

Columbus County, North Carolina Marriage

The age group where males are most likely to be married is Over 65, while the female age group most likely to be married is 55-64.

Columbus County, North Carolina Marital Status by Race

Married

Widowed

Divorced

Separated

NeverMarried

Columbus County, North Carolina Marital Status

Second Gulf War

First Gulf War

Vietnam

Korea

World War II

2,782

Number of Veterans

2,461

Male Veterans

321

Female Veterans

War
Veterans
Vietnam980
Second Gulf War648
First Gulf War526
Korea201
World War II6

Columbus County, North Carolina Veterans by War

count

Age Group
Veterans
35 to 54769
65 to 74743
75+615
55 to 64500
18 to 34155

Columbus County, North Carolina Veterans by Age

count

Name
Veterans
% of Total
White1,6486.57%
Black7846.79%
2+ Races20916.69%
Native American1189.27%
Hispanic553.12%
Islander1648.48%
Asian72.81%

Columbus County, North Carolina Veterans by Race

Columbus County, North Carolina Veterans by Education

Less Than 9th Grade

High School Graduate

Some College

Bachelors or Greater

11.76%

Veteran Poverty Rate

41.1%

Veteran Disability Rate

Columbus County, North Carolina Veterans by Education

LaborForceParticipation

48.1%

Labor Force Participation

45.2%

Employment Rate

5.8%

Unemployment Rate

Columbus County, North Carolina Employment by Age

LaborForceParticipation

Columbus County, North Carolina Employment by Race

LaborForceParticipation

Columbus County, North Carolina Employment by Education

Origin of Non-Citizens

Europe

Asia

Africa

Oceania

Latin America

North America

Non citizens include legal permanent residents (green card holders), international students, temporary workers, humanitarian migrants, and illegal immigrants.

Origin of Naturalized Citizens

Europe

Asia

Africa

Oceania

Latin America

North America

76.81%

Born in Columbus County, North Carolina

97.57%

Native Born

2.43%

Foreign Born

1.63%

Non Citizen

0.79%

Naturalized

Place of Birth

97.57% of Columbus County, North Carolina residents were born in the United States, with 76.81% having been born in North Carolina. 1.63% of residents are not US citizens. Of those not born in the United States, the largest percentage are from Latin America.

Columbus County, North Carolina Place of Birth

Sources