Columbus
North Carolina
51K
Population
$43K
Median Income
$194K
Median Home
R+28
Politics
Economy
Median Household Income$43K
This county
national avg ~$75K
Poverty Rate20.9%
This county
national avg ~11.5%
Unemployment Rate4.2%
This county
national avg ~3.8%
GDP per Capita$37,859
Federal Spending per Capita$350
Median Individual Earnings$35K
This county
national avg $45K
Professional/Management Workers30.9%
Average Adjusted Gross Income$53K
Avg Credit Score641
Work From Home %4.4%
This county
national avg 17.0%
Population Under 1820.6%
This county
national avg 22.0%
Single-Person Households32.5%
This county
national avg 28.0%
Banks & Finance Firms33
Income (20th Percentile)$18K
Income (80th Percentile)$89K
Income (95th Percentile)$170K
Bachelor's Degree or Higher17.6%
This county
national avg 35.0%
Less Than High School14.4%
This county
national avg 11.0%
Knowledge Economy GDP %11.2%
Dependency Ratio1.01
Medicare Spending / Person$4,175
SS Benefits / Person$4,947
Education Wage Premium1.85x
Median Earnings (Bachelor's)$46K
Median Earnings (Graduate)$61K
Median Earnings (HS Diploma)$33K
Public Assistance Recipients2.3%
Average Annual Wage$48K
Professional Services Concentration0.67x national
This county
1.0 = national average share
Housing
Median Home Value$189K
This county
$335K state avg
$303K national
Market Rent (ZORI)$738/mo
This county
$1450/mo state avg
$1400/mo national
Property Tax Rate0.95%
This county
0.70% state avg
1.10% national
Annual tax on median home: $1,133
Affordability & Supply
HUD Fair Market Rent (2BR)$925/mo
Home Price Change (1 yr)+2.2%
Home Value to Income Ratio2.1x income
Severely Cost-Burdened Households12.6%
Homeownership Rate70.8%
This county
national avg ~65%
Market Activity
Listings with Price Cuts— Low — market moving fast
24.8%Active Listings
134New Listings / Month
29Source: Zillow Research · Updated monthly
Days on Market (Redfin)— Slow — buyers have leverage
150 daysMonths of Supply (Redfin)— High inventory — buyers market
7.6 moSold Above List (Redfin)
0.0%Sale-to-List Ratio (Redfin)— Buyers market — homes selling below list
94.6%Source: Redfin · Updated monthly
Health
Life Expectancy70.7 yrs
This county
national avg ~78.5 years
Hospital Rating1.0 / 5
This county
national avg 3.0 stars
Food Insecurity14.5%
This county
national avg ~11%
Food Environment Index7.4 / 10
This county
higher = better access
Primary Care Shortage Score19
This county
national avg 5
Mental Health Shortage Score21
Dental Care Shortage Score19
Healthcare Shortage Score19.7
Healthcare Offices91
Obesity Rate (BRFSS)41.2%
This county
national avg 32.0%
Smoking Rate (BRFSS)19.0%
This county
national avg 14.0%
Poor Health Rate (BRFSS)23.6%
This county
national avg 18.0%
Physical Inactivity (BRFSS)29.5%
This county
national avg 24.0%
High Blood Pressure (BRFSS)39.2%
This county
national avg 32.0%
Active Physicians40
Nursing Home Rating1.7 / 5
This county
national avg ~3 stars
ER Visits per 1,000 Medicare Patients731 / 1,000
Medicare Cost per Beneficiary$13,162
Uninsured (under 65)11.7%
This county
national avg ~10%
Adults with Depression25.5%
Education
Math Test Scores2.98 grade level
Reading Test Scores2.95 grade level
HS Diploma Holders11,509
Bachelor's Degree Holders3,881
HS Completion Rate85.6%
This county
national avg ~85%
Private Schools8
Safety
Violent Crime Rate4.1 / 1,000
This county
national avg ~4.0
Firearm Fatality Rate29.4 / 100K
This county
national avg ~13.6/100K
Homicide Rate18.2 / 100K
This county
national avg ~7.5/100K
Drug Overdose Rate43.7 / 100K
This county
national avg ~21/100K
Traffic Fatalities103
Social Vulnerability (CDC SVI)94th pct
Drug Overdose Deaths (2024)27.9 / 100K
Suicide Rate10.7 / 100K
This county
national avg ~14/100K
Climate & Air Quality
Natural Amenity Scale-0.4
January Sunshine0.86
January Temperature1.12
Average Temp63°F
Avg High Temp75°F
Avg Low Temp52°F
Annual Precipitation49.1 in/yr
Avg Storm Events8.2 storms/yr
Avg Annual Storm Damage$110K
Drought Index (2022)-0.52
Heating Degree Days2,608 HDD/yr
This county
national avg ~4,500 HDD/yr
Cooling Degree Days1,979 CDD/yr
This county
national avg ~1,200 CDD/yr
Heating Degree Days (1901–2000 Baseline)2,772 HDD/yr
Cooling Degree Days (1901–2000 Baseline)1,740 CDD/yr
Avg Tornadoes / Year1.2
Avg Flood Events / Year2.4
Avg Hail Events / Year0.4
Avg Hurricane Events / Year0.00
Avg Wildfire Events / Year0.0
Avg Winter Storms / Year0.0
Avg Heat Events / Year0.0
Natural Hazard Risk (FEMA)91 / 100
Community Resilience (FEMA)23 / 100
Federal Disaster Declarations29 since 1953
Fine Particulate Pollution (PM2.5)6.5 µg/m³
This county
EPA standard 9 µg/m³
Outdoor & Recreation
Historic Places (NRHP)7 properties
FAA-Registered Airports5 total
Airports (excl. heliports)4 airports
Internet & Remote Work
Download Speed280 Mbps
This county
national avg ~120 Mbps
Upload Speed120 Mbps
Fixed Internet (Q1 2026)358 Mbps
Mobile Internet (Q1 2026)144 Mbps
Mobile Upload (Q1 2026)22 Mbps
Mobile Latency (Q1 2026)32 ms
Households with 100Mbps+90.5%
This county
national avg 75.0%
Cellular-Only Internet20.3%
This county
national avg 8.0%
Fixed Upload Speed (Q1 2026)244 Mbps
EV Infrastructure
EV Charging Stations4 stations
DC Fast Chargers14 chargers
Level 2 EV Chargers4
Commute & Transit
Remote Workers808 workers
Public Transit Commuters0 workers
Walk to Work167 workers
Extreme Commutes (90+ min)520 workers
Avg Commute Time27.1 min
This county
national avg ~27 min
Bike Commuters0.2%
Walk to Work0.9%
Families & Childcare
Childcare Cost Burden34.5%
This county
national median ~27% of household income
Childcare Centers10.0 per 10K residents
Childcare Facilities15
Civic & Community
Voter Turnout61.6%
This county
national avg ~55%
Volunteering Rate1.0%
Income Inequality (Gini)4.935
Nonprofit Organizations233
Veterans Share6.9%
This county
national avg 7.0%
Married Adults44.8%
Never-Married Adults33.7%
Divorced Adults12.1%
Religious Organizations45
Asian Population0.5%
Native American Population3.2%
Membership Associations10.4 per 10K residents
Lifestyle & Services
Full-Service Restaurants0.53 per 1K residents
Colleges & Universities1
Nursing & Care Facilities26
Grocery Stores18
Hotels & Lodging8
Recreation Businesses12
Professional Services Firms61
Veterinary Practices5
Real Estate Firms31
Debt Burden
Avg Mortgage Balance$45K
Avg Student Loan Balance$10K
Avg Credit Card Balance$3K
Loan Delinquency Rate61.3%
This county
national avg 4.0%
Innovation
Inventor Rate0.11%
Politics
R+28
2024 Presidential · North Carolina was R+3 statewide
vs North Carolina State
Income tax
4.5%Same (state law)
Property tax
0.95%0.7% state avg
Politics
R+28R+3
COL Index
County data94 (state)
Population & Migration
Net Domestic Migration 2023
↑ +280
More people arriving than leaving
IRS Wealth Migration
Lower-income migration pattern (IRS: 0.77x avg income)
Economic Mobility
36%
chance a low-income child reaches the middle class
Source: Opportunity Insights
Real Estate
Find Homes in Columbus County
Median home value: $194K
Opens in a new tab
Explore Other North Carolina Counties
Alamance County, North CarolinaAlexander County, North CarolinaAlleghany County, North CarolinaAnson County, North CarolinaAshe County, North CarolinaAvery County, North CarolinaBeaufort County, North CarolinaBertie County, North CarolinaBladen County, North CarolinaBrunswick County, North CarolinaBuncombe County, North CarolinaBurke County, North CarolinaAll North Carolina counties →
Full North Carolina profile
Taxes, cost of living, crime, schools, gun laws and more.
Data: Census ACS, BLS, Zillow, USDA Natural Amenities, OpenElections 2024, CMS, NCES. Vintage 2022–2025. News via Google News.