Columbus, GA

Census Place

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2020 Population

195,418

0.164% 1-year decline

US Senator

Jon Ossoff

Democratic Party

US Senator

Raphael Warnock

Democratic Party

2020 Median Age

34.4

1.18% 1-year increase

2020 Poverty Rate

20%

3.01% 1-year decrease

2020 Median Household Income

$47,418

2.18% 1-year growth

2020 Median Property Value

$142,900

1.13% 1-year growth

2020 Employed Population

78,784

1.39% 1-year growth

About

In 2020, Columbus, GA had a population of 195k people with a median age of 34.4 and a median household income of $47,418. Between 2019 and 2020 the population of Columbus, GA declined from 195,739 to 195,418, a −0.164% decrease and its median household income grew from $46,408 to $47,418, a 2.18% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Columbus, GA are Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (45.6%), White (Non-Hispanic) (39.8%), Two+ (Non-Hispanic) (3.72%), White (Hispanic) (2.67%), and Other (Hispanic) (2.67%).

None of the households in Columbus, GA reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

97.7% of the residents in Columbus, GA are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Columbus, GA are Columbus State University (1,924 degrees awarded in 2020), Columbus Technical College (1,703 degrees), and Platt College-Miller-Motte Technical-Columbus (129 degrees).

In 2020, the median property value in Columbus, GA was $142,900, and the homeownership rate was 49.1%.

Most people in Columbus, GA drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 20.3 minutes. The average car ownership in Columbus, GA was 2 cars per household.

About the photo: River Walk, Columbus, GA

Photo by Visit Columbus GA

Population & Diversity

Columbus, GA is home to a population of 195k people, from which 97.7% are citizens. As of 2020, 5.18% of Columbus, GA residents were born outside of the country (10.1k people).

In 2020, there were 1.15 times more Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) residents (89.2k people) in Columbus, GA than any other race or ethnicity. There were 77.8k White (Non-Hispanic) and 7.28k Two+ (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

97.7%

2020 Citizenship

97.7%

2019 Citizenship

As of 2020, 97.7% of Columbus, GA residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.4%. In 2019, the percentage of US citizens in Columbus, GA was 97.7%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Columbus, GA compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Columbus, GA

Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
89.2k ± 699
White (Non-Hispanic)
77.8k ± 399
Two+ (Non-Hispanic)
7.28k ± 900

7.74%

Hispanic Population

15.1k people

7.74% of the people in Columbus, GA are hispanic (15.1k people).

The following chart shows the 7 races represented in Columbus, GA as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the Place level, so we are showing data for Georgia.

Most Common Origin

Mexico
234,298 ± 11,751 people
India
98,606 ± 7,673 people
Jamaica
44,462 ± 5,166 people

In 2020, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Georgia was Mexico, the natal country of 234,298 Georgia residents, followed by India with 98,606 and Jamaica with 44,462.

Foreign-Born Population

5.18%

2020 Foreign-Born Population

10.1k people

5.35%

2019 Foreign-Born Population

10.5k people

As of 2020, 5.18% of Columbus, GA residents (10.1k people) were born outside of the United States, which is lower than the national average of 13.5%. In 2019, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Columbus, GA was 5.35%, meaning that the rate has been decreasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Columbus, GA compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Gulf War (2001-)
6,083 ± 799
Vietnam
5,053 ± 503
Gulf War (1990s)
4,471 ± 570

Columbus, GA has a large population of military personnel who served in Gulf War (2001-), 1.2 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Columbus, GA employs 78.8k people. The largest industries in Columbus, GA are Health Care & Social Assistance (11,361 people), Retail Trade (9,143 people), and Accommodation & Food Services (7,854 people), and the highest paying industries are Wholesale Trade ($56,411), Finance & Insurance ($51,007), and Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($50,024).

Males in Georgia have an average income that is 1.35 times higher than the average income of females, which is $51,276. The income inequality in Georgia (measured using the Gini index) is 0.476, which is lower than than the national average.

Employment

Occupations

78.8k

2020 Value

± 2,484

1.39%

1 Year growth

± 4.17%

From 2019 to 2020, employment in Columbus, GA grew at a rate of 1.39%, from 77.7k employees to 78.8k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Columbus, GA, are Office & Administrative Support Occupations (10,288 people), Sales & Related Occupations (9,231 people), and Management Occupations (6,480 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Columbus, GA.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Georgia.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in Georgia (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

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Industries

Employment by Industries

78.8k

2020 Value

± 2,484

1.39%

1 Year growth

± 4.17%

From 2019 to 2020, employment in Columbus, GA grew at a rate of 1.39%, from 77.7k employees to 78.8k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Columbus, GA, are Health Care & Social Assistance (11,361 people), Retail Trade (9,143 people), and Accommodation & Food Services (7,854 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Columbus, GA, though some of these residents may live in Columbus, GA and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$38,658

Median earning men ± $2,287

$27,317

Median earning women ± $1,045

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2020 are Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($64,543), Information ($60,036), and Wholesale Trade ($57,316).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2020 are Wholesale Trade ($55,313), Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($40,860), and Public Administration ($35,386).

Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Georgia.

Y-Axis

8.45%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between May 2020 and May 2021

As of May 2021, there are 145M people employed in Georgia. This represents a 8.45% increase in employment when compared to May 2020.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in Georgia.

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Domestic Trade

Domestic Production & Consumption

Domestic production and consumption consists of products and services shipped from Georgia to other states, or from other states to Georgia.

Top Domestic Production in Dollars

In 2020, the top outbound Georgia product (by dollars) was Motorized vehicles with $68.9B, followed by Mixed freight ($63.5B) and Electronics ($51.2B).

The following chart shows the share of these products in relation to all outbound Georgia products.

Domestic Trade Growth

Showing data for Georgia.

$626B

2020 Value in Georgia

$1.3T

Projected 2050 Value in Georgia

108% growth

In 2020, total outbound Georgia trade was $626B. This is expected to increase 108% to $1.3T by 2050.

The following chart shows how the domestic outbound Georgia trade is projected to change in comparison to its neighboring states.

Interstate Trade

Interstate trade consists of products and services shipped from Georgia to other states, or from other states to Georgia.

Most Common Trade Partners

Florida
$57.7B
Tennessee
$34B
North Carolina
$30.2B

In 2020, the top outbound Georgia domestic partner for goods and services (by dollars) was Florida with $57.7B, followed by Tennessee with $34B and North Carolina and $30.2B.

The following map shows the amount of trade that Georgia shares with each state (excluding itself).

Civics

Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock are the senators currently representing the state of Georgia. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

Georgia is currently represented by 14 members in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

Senators Elections

US Senators from Georgia

Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for Georgia.

Jon Ossoff

Senator from Georgia

Assumed office on January 20, 2021

Raphael Warnock

Senator from Georgia

Assumed office on January 20, 2021
Elected to the seat to succeed Kelly Loeffler, who had been appointed to the seat following the resignation of Johnny Isakson.

Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock are the senators currently representing Georgia.

In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

The following chart shows elected senators in Georgia over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

US Representatives Elections

US Representatives from Georgia

Georgia is currently represented by 14 members in the U.S. house.

Members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms, and the following chart shows the how the members for Georgia have changed over time starting in 2008.

Education

In 2020, universities in Columbus, GA awarded 3,831 degrees. The student population of Columbus, GA in 2020 is skewed towards women, with 4,077 male students and 7,799 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Columbus, GA are White (1,800 and 47.7%), followed by Black or African American (1,494 and 39.6%), Hispanic or Latino (224 and 5.93%), and Asian (89 and 2.36%).

The largest universities in Columbus, GA by number of degrees awarded are Columbus State University (1,924 and 50.2%), Columbus Technical College (1,703 and 44.5%), and Platt College-Miller-Motte Technical-Columbus (129 and 3.37%).

The most popular majors in Columbus, GA are Registered Nursing (302 and 7.88%), Criminal Justice - Safety Studies (262 and 6.84%), and Other Mechanic & Repair Technologies (257 and 6.71%).

The median tuition cost in Columbus, GA for a public four year colleges is $4,371 for in-state students and $15,425 for out-of-state students.

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

University

Measure

In 2020 in Columbus, GA, the percentage of applicants admitted was 78.3%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 33.2%. The number of students enrolled in 2020 was 11,876 (34.3% men and 65.7% women).

The line chart shows the evolution of the percentage of applicants admitted, admitted who enrolled or the number of students enrolled according to the option selected in the upper button.

Enrollments by Gender and Races

Universities

In 2020 there were 11,876 students enrolled in Columbus, GA, 34.3% men and 65.7% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 5,022 records, of which 60.7% were women and 39.3% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

General Communication
65 degree-majors awarded
Registered Nursing
224 degree-majors awarded
General Health Services
72 degree-majors awarded

In 2020, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Columbus, GA was General Communication with 65 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Bachelors Degree from schools in Columbus, GA according to their major.

Universities

Gender

Race

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

Columbus State University
1,924 degrees awarded
Columbus Technical College
1,703 degrees awarded
Platt College-Miller-Motte Technical-Columbus
129 degrees awarded

In 2020, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Columbus State University with 1,924 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

University

In 2020, 1,385 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Columbus, GA, which is 0.566 times less than the 2,446 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2020 the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 1,800 degrees mean that there were 1.2 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Black or African American, with 1,494 degrees awarded.

Awarded Degrees over Time

The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

Tuition

Average Net Price by Sector

Universities

Public, 4-year or above ($4,371) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2020.

Public, 4-year or above ($1,870) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2020.

Public, 2-year ($1,465) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

The graph shows the average net price by sector and year.

Working Population

Educational Pyramid

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Georgia.

Measure

In 2020, 0.952% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 0.869% of women were in the same situation.

This visualization shows the gender distribution of the population according to the academic level reached.

Educational Attainment

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Georgia.

Race

The most common educational levels obtained by the working population in 2020 were High School or Equivalent (2.28M), Some college (1.79M), and Bachelors Degree (1.47M).

This visualization illustrates the percentage distribution of the population according to the highest educational level reached. You can filter the data by race by using the selector above.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Columbus, GA was $142,900 in 2020, which is 0.622 times smaller than the national average of $229,800. Between 2019 and 2020 the median property value increased from $141,300 to $142,900, a 1.13% increase. The homeownership rate in Columbus, GA is 49.1%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 64.4%.

People in Columbus, GA have an average commute time of 20.3 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Columbus, GA is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Median household income in Columbus, GA is $47,418. In 2020, the place with the highest median household income in Columbus, GA was Census Tract 103.01 with a value of $159,076, followed by Census Tract 11 and Census Tract 108.01, with respective values of $86,083 and $75,000.

Housing

Property

$142,900

Median Property Value 2020

±$5,275

$36,142

Median Property Taxes

±$1,474

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Columbus, GA the largest share of households pay taxes in the < $800 range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Columbus, GA compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

Rent vs Own

49.1%

Homeownership

2020

67.2%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2020

In 2020, 49.1% of the housing units in Columbus, GA were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 48%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Columbus, GA compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Equity

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.

Race/Ethnicity

Highest Median Household Income (Total)

Census Tract 103.01
Census Tract 11
Census Tract 108.01

In 2020, the place with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Columbus, GA was Census Tract 103.01 with a value of $159,076, followed by Census Tract 11 and Census Tract 108.01, with respective values of $86,083 and $75,000.

The following map shows all of the places in Columbus, GA colored by their Median Household Income (Total).

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$47,418

Median Household Income

± $1,891

73.6k

Number of Households

± 2,159

In 2020, the median household income of the 73.6k households in Columbus, GA grew to $47,418 from the previous year's value of $46,408.

The following chart displays the households in Columbus, GA distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $75k - $100k range.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Columbus, GA is from Georgia.

0.476

2020 Wage GINI in Georgia

0.477

2019 Wage GINI in Georgia

In 2020, the income inequality in Georgia was 0.476 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.302% decline from 2019 to 2020, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for Georgia was lower than than the national average of 0.478. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in Georgia in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in Georgia across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2020

Drove Alone (79.7%)
Carpooled (8.53%)
Worked At Home (6.51%)

In 2020, 79.7% of workers in Columbus, GA drove alone to work, followed by those who carpooled to work (8.53%) and those who worked at home (6.51%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

Commute Time

20.3 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Columbus, GA have a shorter commute time (20.3 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.9 minutes). Additionally, 2.15% of the workforce in Columbus, GA have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Columbus, GA compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Columbus, GA distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Columbus, GA have 2 cars.

Poverty

Poverty & Diversity

20% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Columbus, GA (37.8k out of 188k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.8%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 25 - 34, followed by Females 18 - 24 and then Males 6 - 11.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Columbus, GA is Black, followed by White and Hispanic.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals
Florida
4,915 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798. New York has the second highest (5,087), followed by Florida (4,915).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

Health

88% of the population of Columbus, GA has health coverage, with 36% on employee plans, 17.3% on Medicaid, 7.83% on Medicare, 18% on non-group plans, and 8.95% on military or VA plans.

Per capita personal health care spending in Georgia was $6,587 in 2014. This is a 5.41% increase from the previous year ($6,249).

Primary care physicians in Muscogee County, GA see 938 patients per year on average, which represents a 4.29% decrease from the previous year (980 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1748 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 319 patients per year.

COVID-19

Daily New Cases by Date

Showing data at the state level for Georgia. Hospitalization data for some states may be delayed or not reported.

Y-Axis

This chart shows the number of COVID-19 daily new cases by date in Georgia, as a 7-day rolling average, compared with the four states with the most similar number of confirmed cases.

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Patient to Clinician Ratios

Data is only available at the country level. Showing data for Muscogee County, GA.

938 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Muscogee County, GA

Primary care physicians in Muscogee County, GA see an average of 938 patients per year. This represents a 4.29% decrease from the previous year (980 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Muscogee County, GA in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

Community Mobility

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Georgia.

This chart presents movement trends over time in the state of Georgia across different categories of places such as retail and recreation, groceries and pharmacies, parks, transit stations, workplaces, and residential.

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Coverage

Health Care Diversity

In 2020, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 27.2% under 18 years, 22.8% between 18 and 34 years, 36.3% between 35 and 64 years, and 13.7% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 46.2% were men and 53.8% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

Uninsured People

12%

Uninsured

36%

Employer Coverage

17.3%

Medicaid

7.83%

Medicare

18%

Non-Group

8.95%

Military or VA

Between 2019 and 2020, the percent of uninsured citizens in Columbus, GA grew by 3.91% from 11.5% to 12%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Columbus, GA changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.