City · Georgia
Columbus, Georgia
Columbus, city, in Muscogee County, Georgia. Columbus had 202,171 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, down 2.3% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 206,922 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 203,711 (controlled total). GEOID 1319000.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
202,171
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 206,922 · ACS 2020-2024: 203,711
Median household income
$58,073
±$1,832 (90% margin)
Georgia: $77,353
Median home value
$193,900
±$5,785 (90% margin)
Georgia: $303,300
Median gross rent
$1,106
±$20 (90% margin)
Georgia: $1,393
Where is Columbus and what county is it in?
Columbus is a city in Muscogee County, Georgia. It covers 216.5 square miles of land, 956 residents per square mile in 2020.
Columbus is in the Columbus, GA-AL metropolitan statistical area, which takes in 7 counties (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Columbus covers the same area as Muscogee County: the city and the county are one area, so the county's figures are Columbus's; the county page lists its census tracts.
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Columbus, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 202,171 people lived in Columbus on July 1, 2025, down 2.3% since 2020, while Georgia grew 5.5%. The 2020 Census counted 206,922 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 203,711.
| Measure | Columbus | Georgia | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 203,711 | 10,940,407 | +7,972 |
| Households | 81,415 ±740 | 4,074,366 | +8,656 |
| Average household size | 2.43 ±0.02 | 2.62 | −0.16 |
| Housing units | 92,031 ±396 | 4,541,835 | +7,308 |
Columbus's population since 2005
From 186,543 in 2005 to 202,171 in 2025: up 8.4%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Columbus as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Columbus?
The median resident of Columbus is 35.4 years old; 24.9% are under 18 and 14.8% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic Black residents at 46.1%, then non-Hispanic white residents at 36.7%. 5.1% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Columbus | Georgia | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 35.4 ±0.2 | 37.6 | +1.4 |
| Under 18 years | 24.9% ±0.1 pts | 23.2% | – |
| 65 years and over | 14.8% ±0.1 pts | 15.0% | – |
| Male | 48.1% ±0.1 pts | 48.8% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 8.5% | 11.0% | +0.9 pts |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 36.7% ±0.3 pts | 49.1% | −3.6 pts |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 46.1% ±0.5 pts | 30.7% | no clear change |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 2.6% ±0.2 pts | 4.5% | no clear change |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.1 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.1% ±0.1 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 5.2% ±0.6 pts | 3.9% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.6% ±0.2 pts | 0.6% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 5.1% ±0.5 pts | 11.2% | no clear change |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 8.3% ±0.6 pts | 15.5% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 14.0% ±0.8 pts | 7.2% | – |
| With a disability | 17.4% ±0.8 pts | 13.1% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 11.1% ±0.9 pts | 12.4% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 89.5% ±0.8 pts | 89.2% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 30.5% ±1.2 pts | 34.9% | +4.7 pts |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 12.3% ±0.8 pts | 13.9% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 83.3% ±1.4 pts | 87.0% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 4.9% ±0.7 pts | 2.7% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Columbus earn?
Half of Columbus's 81,415 households earn less than $58,073 a year (±$1,832), against $58,073 in Muscogee County and $77,353 in Georgia. In 2015-2019 it was $57,114 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 19.0% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Columbus | Georgia | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $58,073 ±$1,832 | $77,353 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $80,998 ±$3,087 | $106,944 | – |
| Per capita income | $33,739 ±$1,355 | $40,924 | +$1,622 |
| People below the poverty line | 19.0% ±1.6 pts | 13.4% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 25.5% ±3.3 pts | 18.3% | no clear change |
| Households receiving SNAP | 16.8% ±1.2 pts | 12.3% | – |
| Households with a computer | 94.2% ±0.8 pts | 95.8% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 89.2% ±1.2 pts | 91.0% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Columbus?
Owners occupy 50.8% of Columbus's occupied homes and renters 49.2%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $193,900 by its owner (±$5,785). The median renter pays $1,106 a month including utilities, and 41.6% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Columbus | Georgia | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $193,900 ±$5,785 | $303,300 | +$20,003 |
| Median gross rent | $1,106 ±$20 | $1,393 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 41.6% ±2.5 pts | 43.4% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,489 ±$41 | $1,783 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 50.8% ±1.4 pts | 65.7% | +2.8 pts |
| Renter-occupied homes | 49.2% ±1.4 pts | 34.3% | – |
| Housing units | 92,031 ±396 | 4,541,835 | +7,308 |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 1.5% ±0.5 pts | 1.1% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 4.1% ±0.8 pts | 6.8% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 65.7% ±1.2 pts | 66.3% | – |
| Mobile homes | 1.6% ±0.4 pts | 7.8% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 1.0% ±0.3 pts | 2.7% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 8.3% ±0.9 pts | 11.6% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 6.3% ±0.7 pts | 3.9% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 10.9% ±1.0 pts | 5.9% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How many new homes is Columbus building?
Builders took permits for 260 new housing units in Columbus in 2025 (230 in single-family houses), 1.3 per 1,000 residents against 5.4 across Georgia.
Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in Columbus work and get to work?
73.1% of Columbus's workers drive alone and 12.1% work from home. The average trip to work takes 20.9 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 6.3%.
| Measure | Columbus | Georgia | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 60.8% ±0.9 pts | 63.8% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 6.3% ±0.7 pts | 5.1% | −2.9 pts |
| Drove alone to work | 73.1% ±1.9 pts | 70.9% | – |
| Carpooled | 10.0% ±1.2 pts | 8.9% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.9% ±0.3 pts | 1.1% | – |
| Walked | 1.7% ±0.8 pts | 1.3% | – |
| Worked from home | 12.1% ±1.3 pts | 15.9% | +6.8 pts |
| Mean travel time to work | 20.9 min ±0.7 | 28.3 min | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Columbus?
59 census tracts lie mostly in Columbus (2020 census blocks). Their median household incomes run from $17,098 (Tract 14) to $201,813 (Tract 103.01).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 101.11Muscogee County | 7,489 | $100,642 |
| Tract 102.04Muscogee County | 7,233 | $69,551 |
| Tract 107.01Muscogee County | 7,076 | $51,144 |
| Tract 104.01Muscogee County | 6,466 | $69,340 |
| Tract 108.02Muscogee County | 6,000 | $76,583 |
| Tract 105.01Muscogee County | 5,873 | $72,632 |
| Tract 101.06Muscogee County | 5,785 | $57,817 |
| Tract 102.08Muscogee County | 5,661 | $91,088 |
| Tract 101.08Muscogee County | 5,389 | $60,093 |
| Tract 107.02Muscogee County | 5,366 | $53,293 |
| Tract 102.09Muscogee County | 5,061 | $94,614 |
| Tract 106.02Muscogee County | 5,054 | $50,819 |
Every census tract in Columbus: the tract table of Muscogee County
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Columbus) · Census block assignment files
How does Columbus compare with other places in Georgia?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Columbus is the 124th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 2nd-most populous of 537 in Georgia.
Columbus ranks 189th of 348 places in Georgia with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 2nd | 537 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 257th | 297 |
| Residents per square mile | 160th | 360 |
| Median household income | 189th | 348 |
| Per capita income | 126th | 357 |
| Median home value | 210th | 346 |
| Median gross rent | 160th | 337 |
| Poverty rate | 141st | 302 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 108th | 343 |
| Median age | 225th | 360 |
| Owner-occupied share | 254th | 354 |
| Work from home | 107th | 198 |
| Travel time to work | 292nd | 359 |
Columbus's figures with every place in Georgia (CSV)
Every place in Georgia, sortable · Compare Columbus with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Columbus?
2 of the 57 figures for Columbus on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Columbus are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' public schools in Columbus.