City · Mississippi
Columbia, Mississippi
Columbia, city, in Marion County, Mississippi. Columbia had 6,525 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, down 3.9% from the Bureau's April 2020 estimates base of 6,788; the 2020 Census counted 5,864 on the place as it was defined then and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 6,632 (±39). GEOID 2815340.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
6,525
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 5,864 · ACS 2020-2024: 6,632 ±39
Median household income
$38,507
±$5,127 (90% margin)
Mississippi: $56,447
Median home value
$131,700
±$24,889 (90% margin)
Mississippi: $169,800
Median gross rent
$806
±$160 (90% margin)
Mississippi: $954
Where is Columbia and what county is it in?
Columbia is a city in Marion County, Mississippi. It covers 11.2 square miles of land, 525 residents per square mile in 2020.
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Columbia, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 6,525 people lived in Columbia on July 1, 2025, down 3.9% since 2020, a steeper fall than Mississippi's (−0.2%). The Census Bureau's yearly estimates start from its own April 2020 base for Columbia, 6,788, which differs from the 2020 Census count of 5,864: the estimates follow the place as the estimates program defines it today (its present boundaries, and for a consolidated city-county the area the program assigns it), so the change since 2020 is measured from that base. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 6,632 (±39).
| Measure | Columbia | Marion County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 6,632 ±39 | 24,193 | +640 |
| Households | 2,445 ±207 | 9,122 | +365 |
| Average household size | 2.44 ±0.20 | 2.58 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 3,018 ±254 | 11,163 | no clear change |
Columbia's population since 2000
From 6,603 in 2000 to 6,525 in 2025: down 1.2%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Columbia 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 Columbia?
The median resident of Columbia is 41.4 years old; 26.3% are under 18 and 20.7% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 59.6%, then non-Hispanic Black residents at 35.8%.
| Measure | Columbia | Marion County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 41.4 ±2.6 | 40.8 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 26.3% ±4.1 pts | 23.4% | – |
| 65 years and over | 20.7% ±3.5 pts | 18.8% | – |
| Male | 46.0% ±3.7 pts | 48.4% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 1.7% ±1.5 pts | 1.9% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 59.6% ±6.1 pts | 63.4% | +11.6 pts |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 35.8% ±6.1 pts | 31.2% | −12.9 pts |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.7 pts | 0.3% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.4% ±0.5 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.2% ±0.4 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 1.9% ±1.4 pts | 2.3% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.4% ±0.8 pts | 0.6% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 0.2% ±0.3 pts | 1.4% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 1.0% ±0.8 pts | 2.0% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 5.8% ±2.3 pts | 5.9% | – |
| With a disability | 24.6% ±5.5 pts | 23.0% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 11.4% ±4.4 pts | 13.5% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 82.4% ±4.7 pts | 83.2% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 14.8% ±3.9 pts | 13.7% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 7.9% ±2.8 pts | 6.0% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 90.3% ±4.0 pts | 92.6% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 1.5% ±1.4 pts | 1.7% | – |
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 Columbia earn?
Half of Columbia's 2,445 households earn less than $38,507 a year (±$5,127), against $45,110 in Marion County and $56,447 in Mississippi. In 2015-2019 it was $33,054 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 24.5% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Columbia | Marion County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $38,507 ±$5,127 | $45,110 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $47,984 ±$7,028 | $65,099 | – |
| Per capita income | $19,592 ±$2,693 | $25,415 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 24.5% ±6.6 pts | 19.7% | −11.4 pts |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 33.1% ±14.3 pts | 31.1% | no clear change |
| Households receiving SNAP | 16.2% ±5.8 pts | 13.0% | – |
| Households with a computer | 92.6% ±4.9 pts | 93.5% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 83.8% ±6.1 pts | 83.5% | – |
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 Columbia?
Owners occupy 63.4% of Columbia's occupied homes and renters 36.6%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $131,700 by its owner (±$24,889). The median renter pays $806 a month including utilities, and 25.6% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Columbia | Marion County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $131,700 ±$24,889 | $122,800 | +$28,445 |
| Median gross rent | $806 ±$160 | $818 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 25.6% ±11.1 pts | 24.2% | −21.6 pts |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,081 ±$152 | $1,187 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 63.4% ±8.6 pts | 77.2% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 36.6% ±8.6 pts | 22.8% | – |
| Housing units | 3,018 ±254 | 11,163 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 1.9% ±2.9 pts | 0.8% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 0.0% ±4.8 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 76.2% ±6.8 pts | 69.7% | – |
| Mobile homes | 2.4% ±1.8 pts | 23.2% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.4% ±0.7 pts | 1.4% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 2.4% ±2.0 pts | 5.9% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 8.2% ±3.9 pts | 5.5% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 13.9% ±6.3 pts | 5.5% | – |
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 Columbia building?
Builders took permits for 2 new housing units in Columbia in 2025 (2 in single-family houses), 0.3 per 1,000 residents against 2.8 across Mississippi.
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 Columbia work and get to work?
83.7% of Columbia's workers drive alone. The average trip to work takes 20.3 minutes.
| Measure | Columbia | Marion County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 44.7% ±4.9 pts | 54.1% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 8.3% ±6.5 pts | 7.5% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 83.7% ±8.4 pts | 84.6% | – |
| Carpooled | 4.5% ±3.0 pts | 8.6% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±2.2 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Walked | 3.1% ±3.1 pts | 1.2% | – |
| Worked from home | 8.6% ±7.6 pts | 5.2% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 20.3 min ±4.6 | 34.3 min | −9.1 min |
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 Columbia?
2 census tracts lie mostly in Columbia, and 2 more reach into it (2020 census blocks). Their median household incomes run from $37,614 (Tract 9503) to $40,633 (Tract 9504).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 9504Marion County | 3,872 | $40,633 |
| Tract 9503Marion County | 2,833 | $37,614 |
| Tract 9505Marion County | 4,377 | $60,156 |
| Tract 9501Marion County | 5,574 | $52,371 |
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 Columbia) · Census block assignment files
How does Columbia compare with other places in Mississippi?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Columbia is the 4,232nd-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 54th-most populous of 299 in Mississippi.
Columbia ranks 129th of 172 places in Mississippi with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 54th | 299 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 90th | 148 |
| Residents per square mile | 107th | 187 |
| Median household income | 129th | 172 |
| Per capita income | 151st | 183 |
| Median home value | 92nd | 178 |
| Median gross rent | 95th | 161 |
| Poverty rate | 78th | 160 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 131st | 171 |
| Median age | 49th | 186 |
| Owner-occupied share | 88th | 182 |
| Travel time to work | 135th | 185 |
Columbia's figures with every place in Mississippi (CSV)
Every place in Mississippi, sortable · Compare Columbia 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 Columbia?
19 of the 57 figures for Columbia 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 Columbia 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 Columbia.