Columbus, MS

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Population

24,409

1.71% decline

Median Age

37.5


Median Household Income

$34,977

5.76% growth

Poverty Rate

25.6%


Number of Employees

9,346

2.26% decline

Median Property Value

$108,400

6.27% growth

About

Economy

Health

Diversity

Education

Housing & Living

About

In 2017, Columbus, MS had a population of 24.4k people with a median age of 37.5 and a median household income of $34,977. Between 2016 and 2017 the population of Columbus, MS declined from 24,833 to 24,409, a -1.71% decrease and its median household income grew from $33,072 to $34,977, a 5.76% increase.

The population of Columbus, MS is 62.6% Black or African American Alone, 33.8% White Alone, and 1.44% Hispanic or Latino. N/A% of the people in Columbus, MS speak a non-English language, and 99.2% are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Columbus, MS are Mississippi University for Women (887 degrees awarded in 2017).

The median property value in Columbus, MS is $108,400, and the homeownership rate is 50.2%. Most people in Columbus, MS commute by Drove Alone, and the average commute time is 19.5 minutes. The average car ownership in Columbus, MS is 2 cars per household.

About the photo: Somewhere a few miles southeast of Golden Triangle Regional Airport near Columbus, Mississippi.

Photo by Roger Smith

United StatesMississippiLowndes County, MSColumbus, MSStarkville, Columbus & West Point Cities PUMA, MS

Economy

The economy of Columbus, MS employs 9.35k people. The largest industries in Columbus, MS are Retail Trade (1,702 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (1,280 people), and Manufacturing (1,264 people), and the highest paying industries are Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services ($51,563), Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting, & Mining ($44,821), and Transportation & Warehousing ($40,663).

Median household income in Columbus, MS is $34,977. Males in Columbus, MS have an average income that is 1.43 times higher than the average income of females, which is $36,636. The income inequality in Columbus, MS (measured using the Gini index) is 0.442, which is lower than than the national average.

Wages

Median Household Income

$34,977

2017 value

± $2,678

5.76%

1 Year Growth

± 10.8%

Households in Columbus, MS have a median annual income of $34,977, which is less than the median annual income of $61,937 across the entire United States. This is in comparison to a median income of $33,072 in 2016, which represents a 5.76% annual growth.

Look at the chart to see how the median household income in Columbus, MS compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

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Wage by Gender in Common Jobs

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

$52,323

Average Male Salary

± $1,698

$36,636

Average Female Salary

± $1,074

In 2017, full-time male employees in Mississippi made 1.43 times more than female employees.

This chart shows the gender-based wage disparity in the 5 most common occupations in Mississippi by number of full-time employees.

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Wage by Race and Ethnicity in Common Jobs

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

Highest Average Salaries by Race & Ethnicity

  1. White

    $45,496 ± $1,341

  2. Asian

    $44,270 ± $11,739

  3. American Indian and Alaska Native tribes specified; or American Indian or Alaska Native, not specified and no other races

    $38,514 ± $48,157

In 2017 the highest paid race/ethnicity of Mississippi workers was White. These workers were paid 1.03 times more than Asian workers, who made the second highest salary of any race/ethnicity.

This chart shows the race- and ethnicity-based wage disparities in the 5 most common occupations in Mississippi by number of full-time employees.

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Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Columbus, MS is from Mississippi.

0.442

2017 Wage GINI

0.446

2016 Wage GINI

In 2017, the income inequality in Mississippi was 0.442 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.919% decline from 2016 to 2017, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even.

The 2017 the GINI for Mississippi was lower than than the national average of 0.479. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in Mississippi in comparison to the national average.

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

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Income by Location

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Highest Median Household Income (Total)

  1. Census Tract 3

  2. Census Tract 10

  3. Census Tract 4.01

In 2017, the place with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Columbus, MS was Census Tract 3 with a value of $67,547, followed by Census Tract 10 and Census Tract 4.01, with respective values of $56,500 and $50,655.

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

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Poverty by Age and Gender

Females 25 - 34

Largest Demographic Living in Poverty

25.6% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Columbus, MS (5.88k out of 22.9k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 13.1%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 25 - 34, followed by Females 45 - 54 and then Females 18 - 24.

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.

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Poverty by Race and Ethnicity

Largest Race or Ethnicity Living in Poverty

  1. Black

    5,037 ± 511

  2. White

    735 ± 182

  3. Two Or More

    104 ± 148

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Columbus, MS is Black, followed by White and Two Or More.

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.

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Occupations

Employment by Occupations

9.35k

2017 Value

± 745

-2.26%

1 Year decline

± 11.6%

From 2016 to 2017, employment in Columbus, MS declined at a rate of -2.26%, from 9.56k employees to 9.35k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Columbus, MS, are Sales & Related Occupations (1,405 people), Office & Administrative Support Occupations (1,139 people), and Production Occupations (859 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Columbus, MS.

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Most Common

The most common jobs held by residents of Columbus, MS, by number of employees, are Sales & Related Occupations (1,405 people), Office & Administrative Support Occupations (1,139 people), and Production Occupations (859 people).

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Most Specialized

Compared to other places, Columbus, MS has an unusually high number of residents working as Material Moving Occupations (2.39 times higher than expected), Production Occupations (1.59 times), and Transportation Occupations (1.53 times).

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Highest Paid

The highest paid jobs held by residents of Columbus, MS, by median earnings, are Legal Occupations ($102,222), Architecture & Engineering Occupations ($84,722), and Computer, Engineering, & Science Occupations ($53,299).

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Industries

Employment by Industries

9.35k

2017 Value

± 745

-2.26%

1 Year decline

± 11.6%

From 2016 to 2017, employment in Columbus, MS declined at a rate of -2.26%, from 9.56k employees to 9.35k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Columbus, MS, are Retail Trade (1,702 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (1,280 people), and Manufacturing (1,264 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Columbus, MS, though some of these residents may live in Columbus, MS and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

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Most Common

The most common industries in Columbus, MS, by number of employees, are Retail Trade (1,702 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (1,280 people), and Manufacturing (1,264 people).

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Most Specialized

Compared to other places, Columbus, MS has an unusually high number of Retail Trade (1.59 times higher than expected), Manufacturing (1.34 times), and Educational Services (1.23 times) industries.

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Highest Paying

The highest paying industries in Columbus, MS, by median earnings, are Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services ($51,563), Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting, & Mining ($44,821), and Transportation & Warehousing ($40,663).

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Domestic Trade

Domestic Production & Consumption

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

Top Domestic Production in Dollars

  1. Coal-n.e.c.

    $46.3B

  2. Textiles/leather

    $23.9B

  3. Mixed freight

    $14.2B

In 2015, the top outbound Mississippi product (by dollars) was Coal-n.e.c. with $46.3B, followed by Textiles/leather ($23.9B) and Mixed freight ($14.2B).

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

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Domestic Trade Growth

Showing data for Mississippi state.

$206B

2020 Value

$277B

Projected 2045 Value

34.7% growth

In 2020, total outbound Mississippi trade was $206B. This is expected to increase 34.7% to $277B by 2045.

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

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Interstate Trade

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

Most Common Trade Partners

  1. Alabama

    $37.6B

  2. Tennessee

    $18B

  3. Louisiana

    $17.5B

In 2015, the top outbound Mississippi domestic partner for goods and services (by dollars) was Alabama with $37.6B, followed by Tennessee with $18B and Louisiana and $17.5B.

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

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Health

82.5% of the population of Columbus, MS has health coverage, with 33% on employee plans, 23% on Medicaid, 10.2% on Medicare, 13.3% on non-group plans, and 3.08% on military or VA plans.

Per capita personal health care spending in the place of Columbus, MS was $7,646 in 2014. This is a 3.86% increase from the previous year ($7,362).

Primary care physicians in Columbus, MS see 1926 patients per year on average, which represents a 9.7% decrease from the previous year (2133 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1806 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 745 patients per year.

Comparing across all counties in the state, Humphreys County has the highest prevalence of diabetes (18.1%). Additionally, Jefferson County has the highest prevalence of adult obesity (46.4%)

Patient to Clinician Ratios

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Lowndes County, MS.

1,926 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio

Primary care physicians in Lowndes County, MS see an average of 1,926 patients per year. This represents a 9.7% decrease from the previous year (2,133 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Lowndes County, MS in comparison to neighboring states.

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Behavioral Health Conditions

Data only available at the state level.

State with the Highest Prevalence

  1. West Virginia

    8.26% of the population affected

  2. Arkansas

    8.13% of the population affected

  3. New Hampshire

    7.98% of the population affected

In 2016, West Virginia had the highest prevalence of adults with major depressive episode, with 8.26% of the population affected. The second highest is Arkansas (8.13%), followed by New Hampshire (7.98%).

The following map shows the percent of individuals with major depressive episode by state over multiple years.

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Access and Quality

Data only available at state level.

Most prevalent states

  1. Mississippi

    19.2% of adults

  2. Texas

    17.9% of adults

  3. Louisiana

    17.6% of adults

In 2016, Mississippi had the highest prevalence of adults who haven't seen a doctor in the past 12 months due to cost, at 19.2%. It is followed by Texas (17.9%) and Louisiana (17.6%).

The following map shows the prevalence of adults who haven't seen a doctor in the past 12 months due to cost by state over multiple years.

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Health Care Spending

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

$7,646

Total Per Capita Spending on Personal Health Care 

$4,045

Per Enrollee Private Health Insurance Spending on Personal Health Care

$6,690

Per Enrollee Medicaid Spending on Personal Health Care

$11,021

Per Enrollee Medicare Spending on Personal Health Care

Between 2013 and 2014, all personal health care spending per capita in Mississippi (including private, Medicare, and Medicaid) grew 3.86%, from $7,362 to $7,646.

The following chart shows how this spending changed over time in comparison to Medicaid, Medicare, and private insurance spending, per enrollee.

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Health Care Coverage

17.5%

Uninsured

33%

Employer Coverage

23%

Medicaid

10.2%

Medicare

13.3%

Non-Group

3.08%

Military or VA

Between 2016 and 2017, the percent of uninsured citizens in Columbus, MS declined by 2.58% from 17.9% to 17.5%.

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

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Health Risks

Data available at the county level.

Most at risk counties

  1. Humphreys County

    18.1% prevalence

  2. Jasper County

    17.8% prevalence

  3. Noxubee County

    17.7% prevalence

Humphreys County has the highest prevalence of diabetes in Mississippi, at 18.1%.

The following map shows the prevalence of diabetes in Mississippi by county over multiple years.

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Diversity

Columbus, MS is home to a population of 24.4k people, from which 99.2% are citizens. As of 2017, 2.7% of Columbus, MS residents were born outside of the country (658 people).

The ethnic composition of the population of Columbus, MS is composed of 15.3k Black or African American Alone residents (62.6%), 8.24k White Alone residents (33.8%), 351 Hispanic or Latino residents (1.44%), 264 Asian Alone residents (1.08%), 211 Two or More Races residents (0.864%), 41 American Indian & Alaska Native Alone residents (0.168%), 16 Some Other Race Alone residents (0.0655%), and 10 Native Hawaiian & Other Pacific Islander Alone residents (0.041%).

Age

Age by Nativity

38

Median Native-Born Age

± 1.7

37

Median Foreign-Born Age

± 10.3

In 2017, the median age of all people in Columbus, MS was 37.5. Native-born citizens, with a median age of 38, were generally older than than foreign-born citizens, with a median age of 37. But people in Columbus, MS are getting getting younger. In 2016, the average age of all Columbus, MS residents was 38.

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Heritage

Foreign-Born Population

2.7%

2017 Foreign-Born Population

658 people

2.74%

2016 Foreign-Born Population

680 people

As of 2017, 2.7% of Columbus, MS residents (658 people) were born outside of the United States, which is lower than the national average of 13.7%. In 2016, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Columbus, MS was 2.74%, meaning that the rate has been decreasing.

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

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Global Diversity

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

Most Common Origin

  1. Mexico

    22,332 ± 3,655 people

  2. Vietnam

    4,461 ± 1,639 people

  3. India

    4,072 ± 1,566 people

In 2017, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Mississippi was Mexico, the natal country of 22,332 Mississippi residents, followed by Vietnam with 4,461 and India with 4,072.

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Citizenship

99.2%

2017 Citizenship

99%

2016 Citizenship

As of 2017, 99.2% of Columbus, MS residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.2%. In 2016, the percentage of US citizens in Columbus, MS was 99%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been increasing.

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

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Race and Ethnicity

Most Common

  1. Black or African American Alone

    15.3k ± 532

  2. White Alone

    8.24k ± 518

  3. Hispanic or Latino

    351 ± 192

In 2017, there were 1.85 times more Black or African American Alone residents (15.3k people) in Columbus, MS than any other race or ethnicity. There were 8.24k White Alone and 351 Hispanic or Latino residents, the second and third most common racial or ethnic groups.

The following bar chart shows the 8 races and ethnicities represented in Columbus, MS as a share of the total population.

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Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

  1. Vietnam

    560 ± 161

  2. Gulf War (1990s)

    533 ± 172

  3. Gulf War (2001-)

    444 ± 173

Columbus, MS has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.05 times greater than any other conflict.

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Education

In 2017, universities in Columbus, MS awarded 887 degrees. The student population of Columbus, MS is skewed towards women, with 548 male students and 2,241 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Columbus, MS are White (588 and 66.8%), followed by Black or African American (284 and 32.3%), Hispanic or Latino (3 and 0.341%), and American Indian or Alaska Native (2 and 0.227%).

The largest universities in Columbus, MS by number of degrees awarded are Mississippi University for Women (887 and 100%).

The most popular majors in Columbus, MS are Registered Nursing (475 and 53.6%), General Business Administration & Management (81 and 9.13%), and Public Health Education & Promotion (45 and 5.07%).

The median tuition costs in Columbus, MS are $N/A for private four year colleges, and $6,514 and $18,055 respectively, for public four year colleges for in-state students and out-of-state students.

Concentrations

Most Common

  1. General Business Administration & Management

    70 degrees awarded

  2. Public Health Education & Promotion

    45 degrees awarded

  3. Registered Nursing

    399 degrees awarded

In 2015, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Columbus, MS was General Business Administration & Management with 70 degrees awarded.

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

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Universities

Mississippi University for Women

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

887 degrees awarded

$6,514

Median In-State Public

$N/A

Median Private

In 2017, the Columbus, MS institution with the largest number of graduating students was Mississippi University for Women with 887 degrees awarded.

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Student Gender for Common Institutions

120

Degrees Awarded to Men

767

Degrees Awarded to Women

In 2017, 120 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Columbus, MS, which is 0.156 times less than the 767 female students who received degrees in the same year.

This chart displays the gender disparity between the institutions in Columbus, MS by degrees awarded.

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Student Race and Ethnicity

Most Common Student Race or Ethnicity

  1. White

    588 degrees awarded

  2. Black or African American

    284 degrees awarded

  3. Hispanic or Latino

    3 degrees awarded

In 2017 the majority of degrees awarded at institutions in Columbus, MS were to White students. These 588 degrees mean that there were 2.07 times more White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Black or African American, with 284 degrees awarded.

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Housing & Living

The median property value in Columbus, MS was $108,400 in 2017, which is 0.472 times smaller than the national average of $229,700. Between 2016 and 2017 the median property value increased from $102,000 to $108,400, a 6.27% increase. The homeownership rate in Columbus, MS is 50.2%, which is lower than the national average of 63.9%. People in Columbus, MS have an average commute time of 19.5 minutes, and they commute by Drove Alone. Car ownership in Columbus, MS is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Housing

Property Value

$108,400

2017 Median

± $9,777

$102,000

2016 Median

± $9,487

In 2017, the median property value in Columbus, MS grew to to $108,400 from the previous year's value of $102,000.

The following charts display, first, the property values in Columbus, MS compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies and, second, owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property value buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Columbus, MS the largest share of households have a property value in the $100k - $125k range.

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Household Income

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

$34,977

Median Household Income

± $2,678

9.66k

Number of Households

± 696

In 2017, the median household income of the 9.66k households in Columbus, MS grew to $34,977 from the previous year's value of $33,072.

The following chart displays the households in Columbus, MS 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 < $10k range.

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Property Taxes

< $800

Average Range

This chart shows the households in Columbus, MS distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Columbus, MS the largest share of households pay taxes in the < $800 range.

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Rent vs Own

50.2%

2017 Homeownership

49.9%

2016 Homeownership

In 2017, 50.2% of the housing units in Columbus, MS were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 49.9%.

This percentage of owner-occupation is lower than the national average of 63.9%. This chart shows the ownership percentage in Columbus, MS compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

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Commute Time

19.5 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Columbus, MS have a shorter commute time (19.5 minutes) than the normal US worker (25.1 minutes). Additionally, 3.89% of the workforce in Columbus, MS have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

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

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Commuter Transportation

Most Common Method of Travel

  1. Drove Alone

    87.2%

  2. Carpooled

    8.04%

  3. Worked At Home

    2.42%

In 2017, the most common method of travel for workers in Columbus, MS was Drove Alone (87.2%), followed by those who Carpooled (8.04%) and those who Worked At Home (2.42%).

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.

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Transportation

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Columbus, MS distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Columbus, MS have 2 cars, followed by 1 car.

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