Columbus is a town located in Polk County North Carolina. Columbus has a 2024 population of 1,108. Columbus is currently growing at a rate of 1% annually and its population has increased by 4.23% since the most recent census, which recorded a population of 1,063 in 2020.
The average household income in Columbus is $54,053 with a poverty rate of 16.75%. The median age in Columbus is 49.2 years: 47.8 years for males, and 51.5 years for females.
According to the most recent ACS, the racial composition of Columbus was:
Race | Population | Percentage (of total) |
|---|---|---|
| White | 832 | 76.54% |
| Two or more races | 180 | 16.56% |
| Other race | 34 | 3.13% |
| Black or African American | 22 | 2.02% |
| Native American | 13 | 1.2% |
| Asian | 6 | 0.55% |
| Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander | 0 | 0% |
White
Two or more races
Other race
Black or African American
Native American
Asian
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander
Household Type | Count | Average Size | Owner | Renter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All | 488 | 2.15 | 59.2 | 40.8 |
| Married | 253 | 2.81 | 68.8 | 31.2 |
| Non Family | 193 | 1.07 | 53.4 | 46.6 |
| Female | 30 | 3.7 | 40 | 60 |
| Male | 12 | 2 | 0 | 100 |
2.86
Average Family Size
2.15
Average Household Size
59.2%
Rate of Home Ownership
Married
Male
Female
NonFamily
owner
renter
Male
Female
Education Attained | Count | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| 9th to 12th Grade | 65 | 8.07% |
| Associates Degree | 105 | 13.04% |
| Bachelors Degree | 153 | 19.01% |
| Graduate Degree | 66 | 8.2% |
| High School Graduate | 197 | 24.47% |
| Less Than 9th Grade | 12 | 1.49% |
| Some College | 207 | 25.71% |
Less Than 9th Grade
9th to 12th Grade
High School Graduate
Some College
Associates Degree
Bachelors Degree
Graduate Degree
High School Graduation Rate
Bachelors Rate
Race | Total | High School | Bachelors |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 633 | 609 | 194 |
| Hispanic | 111 | 81 | 15 |
| 2+ Races | 70 | 48 | 4 |
| Other Race | 34 | 20 | 0 |
| Black | 22 | 5 | 0 |
| Asian | 6 | 6 | 6 |
| Native American | 3 | 3 | 0 |
The highest rate of high school graduation is among native american people with a rate of 100%.
The highest rate of bachelors degrees is among asian people with a rate of 100%.
All
Male
Female
Name | Average | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelors Degree | $39,160 | $39,051 | $50,000 |
| Graduate Degree | $0 | $58,750 | $0 |
| High School Graduate | $33,702 | $0 | $29,554 |
| Less Than 9th Grade | $19,219 | $0 | $18,906 |
| Overall | $35,455 | $39,444 | $28,241 |
| Some College | $31,136 | $58,424 | $27,788 |
$35,455
Average Earnings
$39,444
Average Male
$28,241
Average Female
Only English
Spanish
Other Indo-European Languages
Asian and Pacific Island Languages
Other Languages
84.86% of Columbus residents speak only English, while 15.14% speak other languages. The non-English language spoken by the largest group is Spanish, which is spoken by 14.57% of the population.
rate
Name | Total | In Poverty | Poverty Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 755 | 102 | 13.51% |
| Multiple | 180 | 52 | 28.89% |
| Hispanic | 224 | 52 | 23.21% |
| Native | 13 | 13 | 100% |
| Asian | 6 | 6 | 100% |
| Black | 18 | 3 | 16.67% |
16.75%
Overall Poverty Rate
8.72%
Male Poverty Rate
22.68%
Female Poverty Rate
The race most likely to be in poverty in Columbus is Native, with 100% below the poverty level.
The race least likely to be in poverty in Columbus is White, with 13.51% below the poverty level.
The poverty rate among those that worked full-time for the past 12 months was 5.06%. Among those working part-time, it was 12.5%, and for those that did not work, the poverty rate was 22.86%.
rate
Rate | Poverty |
|---|---|
| Less Than 9th Grade | 46.67% |
| Some College | 19.87% |
| High School | 15.9% |
| Bachelors or Greater | 5.48% |
rate
Rate | Poverty |
|---|---|
| Female Employed | 14.68% |
| Male Employed | 1.72% |
| Male Unemployed | 0% |
| Female Unemployed | 0% |
Households
Families
MarriedFamilies
NonFamilies
Name | Median | Mean |
|---|---|---|
| Families | $63,495 | $69,762 |
| Households | $53,333 | $54,053 |
| Married Families | $64,005 | $-999,999,999 |
| Non Families | $19,583 | $30,044 |
mean
median
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
54.1%
Overall Marriage Rate
68.8%
Male Marriage Rate
43.0%
Female Marriage Rate
male
female
The age group where males are most likely to be married is 35-44, while the female age group most likely to be married is 55-64.
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
Second Gulf War
First Gulf War
Vietnam
Korea
World War II
76
Number of Veterans
68
Male Veterans
8
Female Veterans
War | Veterans |
|---|---|
| First Gulf War | 29 |
| Vietnam | 20 |
| Second Gulf War | 6 |
| Korea | 0 |
| World War II | 0 |
count
Age Group | Veterans |
|---|---|
| 55 to 64 | 27 |
| 75+ | 21 |
| 35 to 54 | 19 |
| 65 to 74 | 9 |
| 18 to 34 | 0 |
count
Name | Veterans | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| White | 74 | 10.22% |
| 2+ Races | 2 | 2.02% |
Less Than 9th Grade
High School Graduate
Some College
Bachelors or Greater
0%
Veteran Poverty Rate
17.11%
Veteran Disability Rate
LaborForceParticipation
49.9%
Labor Force Participation
48.3%
Employment Rate
3.2%
Unemployment Rate
LaborForceParticipation
LaborForceParticipation
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.
Europe
Asia
Africa
Oceania
Latin America
North America
49.86%
Born in Columbus
88.78%
Native Born
11.22%
Foreign Born
7.45%
Non Citizen
3.77%
Naturalized
88.78% of Columbus residents were born in the United States, with 49.86% having been born in North Carolina. 7.45% of residents are not US citizens. Of those not born in the United States, the largest percentage are from Latin America.
Year | Population | Growth | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2029 | 1,164 | 11 | 0.95% |
| 2028 | 1,153 | 11 | 0.96% |
| 2027 | 1,142 | 12 | 1.06% |
| 2026 | 1,130 | 11 | 0.98% |
| 2025 | 1,119 | 11 | 0.99% |
| 2024 | 1,108 | 11 | 1% |
| 2023 | 1,097 | 4 | 0.37% |
| 2022 | 1,093 | 11 | 1.02% |
| 2021 | 1,082 | 19 | 1.79% |
| 2020 | 1,063 | 69 | 6.94% |
| 2019 | 994 | 1 | 0.1% |
| 2018 | 993 | 6 | 0.61% |
| 2017 | 987 | 7 | 0.71% |
| 2016 | 980 | -9 | -0.91% |
| 2015 | 989 | 2 | 0.2% |
| 2014 | 987 | -1 | -0.1% |
| 2013 | 988 | 7 | 0.71% |
| 2012 | 981 | -2 | -0.2% |
| 2011 | 983 | -10 | -1.01% |
| 2010 | 993 | 0 | 0% |