Columbia County, Georgia Income Statistics
Columbia County Wealth Score
The wealth index reflects the overall economic prosperity and financial well-being of a county's residents based on income levels, employment rates, and income inequality metrics.
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B
Columbia County Around average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Columbia County | Georgia Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $95,509 | $77,523 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $67,905 | $55,999 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 3.6% | 5.3% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 16.3% | 12.4% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 15.7% | 11.9% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Columbia County is about 23% higher than in Georgia. Income has been growing slower in Columbia County (3.6%/yr) than in Georgia (5.3%/yr).
About 16% of adults in Columbia County earn six figures ($100,000 or more) a year, higher than the Georgia average of 12%.
Median Household Income 2009–2024 Trend
Median Household Income Over Time
Median household income in Columbia County, Georgia grew by 42.9% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $95,509 in 2024. That's an average of about 3.6% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Columbia County
| Metric | Columbia County | Georgia Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.549 | 0.561 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $79,828 | $65,087 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $62,648 | $53,213 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 21.5% | 18.2% | 18.4% |
The Gini coefficient measures how evenly income is shared between richer and poorer households, from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns nearly everything). The lower the number, the more equally income is distributed. In Columbia County, it is 0.549, lower than Georgia's 0.561, so income is more evenly distributed here than there, and about the same as the US's 0.552, so income here is about as evenly distributed as there.
Men's income is about 27% more than women's income in Columbia County, Georgia. Over a 35-year career, a 27% wage gap accumulates to roughly $601,300 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Columbia County, Georgia has narrowed from about 33% to 22% in 2024. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $1,361 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Columbia County | Georgia Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 4.6% | 5.1% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 11.0% | 15.9% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 23 | 23 | 22 |
Approximately 3,769 people are unemployed in Columbia County, Georgia.
The average commute time in Columbia County is 23 minutes, about the same as in Georgia.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Columbia County, Georgia has fallen from 6.2% to 4.6% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 7.6% in 2013 and fell as low as 4.3% in 2019.
Columbia County, GA Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Columbia County, GA is the 2nd largest of the 6 counties compared here, 162,330 residents against a local median of 21,716. The measure that sets Columbia County, GA apart most is median household income: $95,509, 67% above the local median of $57,022. That is the better end of the local range on this measure.
Income growth tells the same story from another angle: 3.6%/yr against a local median of 5.3%/yr, 32% below it. The picture is mixed rather than uniform: median household income runs ahead of the neighbourhood while income growth runs behind it, so Columbia County, GA is trading one against the other rather than simply out-performing what surrounds it. The counties themselves sit within $15,824 of each other on median household income, a tighter band than the gap between any of them and Columbia County, GA, which makes it a genuine outlier here rather than one end of a wide local spread. Columbia County, GA has the highest median household income of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Income growthAverage yearly change in median household income since 2016. Each year is measured in its own dollars, so this is growth before inflation. | Unemployment | Income inequalityGini coefficient: 0 would mean every household earns the same, 1 that a single household earns everything. The lower the number, the more equally income is shared here. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbia County, GA | 162,330 | $95,509 #1/6 | 3.6%/yr #6/6 | 4.6% #4/6 | 0.549 #3/6 |
| McDuffie County, GA | 21,716 | $57,549 | 5.7%/yr | 1.9% | 0.565 |
| Richmond County, GA | 206,056 | $56,121 | 4.8%/yr | 8.0% | 0.557 |
| Lincoln County, GA | 7,854 | $57,022 | 6.6%/yr | 2.8% | 0.545 |
| McCormick County, SC | 9,759 | $56,387 | 4.2%/yr | 4.4% | 0.545 |
| Edgefield County, SC | 27,456 | $71,945 | 5.3%/yr | 4.8% | 0.588 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Columbia County, Georgia has an overall wealth index grade of B, making it somewhat better than Georgia, and somewhat better than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Columbia County, Georgia.
How Rich Is Columbia County, Georgia?
Columbia County has a wealth index grade of B. The wealth index grades areas from A+ (best) to F- by combining income levels, employment rates, and income inequality; a B grade means residents are quite well off compared to the U.S. average. The median household income is $95,509, about 23% higher than the Georgia average of $77,523.
How has median household income changed in Columbia County, Georgia?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Columbia County, Georgia rose 43%, from $66,814 to $95,509. Over the same years, income here lagged behind Georgia as a whole: +43% against +57%.
What was the median household income in Columbia County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Columbia County, Georgia was $96,370, up 4% from $93,070 in 2022. The Georgia median that year was $74,682.
What was the median household income in Columbia County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Columbia County, Georgia was $83,526. By 2024 it had risen 14% to $95,509.
Do many residents of Columbia County, Georgia earn over $100,000?
Yes. 16% of adults in Columbia County, Georgia earn $100,000 or more a year (about 1 in 6), against 12% (about 1 in 8) in Georgia. 16% of households have a combined income of $200,000 or more, compared with 12% in Georgia.
What is the Gini coefficient in Columbia County, Georgia?
The Gini coefficient in Columbia County is 0.549. It measures income inequality on a scale from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns everything). That is almost the same as the US average of 0.552, so income is distributed about as equally as in the country overall.
How has the income gap between men and women changed in Columbia County, Georgia?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Columbia County, Georgia has narrowed from about 33% to 22% in 2024. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $1,361 since 2009.
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