Columbus County, North Carolina Income Statistics
Columbus 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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D
Columbus County Well below averageLess wealthy than 89% of counties in North Carolina
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Columbus County | North Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $49,633 | $72,438 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $43,509 | $54,489 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 4.2% | 5.2% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 4.6% | 11.9% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 3.3% | 10.4% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Columbus County is about 31% lower than in North Carolina. Income has been growing slower in Columbus County (4.2%/yr) than in North Carolina (5.2%/yr).
About 5% of adults in Columbus County earn six figures ($100,000 or more) a year, lower than the North Carolina average of 12%.
Median Household Income 2009–2024 Trend
Median Household Income Over Time
Median household income in Columbus County, North Carolina grew by 50.5% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $49,633 in 2024. That's an average of about 4.2% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Columbus County
| Metric | Columbus County | North Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.559 | 0.547 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $48,413 | $63,136 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $45,508 | $52,579 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 6.0% | 16.7% | 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 Columbus County, it is 0.559, higher than North Carolina's 0.547, so income is less evenly distributed here than there, and higher than the US's 0.552, so income is less evenly distributed here than there.
Men's income is about 6% more than women's income in Columbus County, North Carolina. Over a 35-year career, a 6% wage gap accumulates to roughly $101,675 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Columbus County, North Carolina has narrowed from about 25% to 6% in 2024. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $6,131 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Columbus County | North Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 4.4% | 4.6% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 5.4% | 16.3% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 25 | 21 | 22 |
Approximately 909 people are unemployed in Columbus County, North Carolina.
The average commute time in Columbus County is 25 minutes, longer than the 21 minutes in North Carolina.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Columbus County, North Carolina has fallen from 11.6% to 4.4% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 12.6% in 2013.
Columbus County, NC Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Columbus County, NC is the 4th largest of the 6 counties compared here, 50,166 residents against a local median of 116,854. Columbus County, NC's unemployment, at 4.4%, runs 19% below the 5.4% typical of the counties around it. That is the better end of the local range on this measure.
Median household income tells the same story from another angle: $49,633 against a local median of $42,419, 17% above it. Every measure here with a clear better direction points the same way, so Columbus County, NC is not trading one advantage for another, it reads stronger than its neighbours across the board. The counties themselves spread 2.6% on unemployment, so Columbus County, NC sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Columbus County, NC has the lowest unemployment 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbus County, NC | 50,166 | $49,633 #3/6 | 4.2%/yr #3/6 | 4.4% #1/6 | 0.559 #4/6 |
| Bladen County, NC | 29,571 | $41,756 | 4.1%/yr | 5.4% | 0.562 |
| Horry County, SC | 382,931 | $66,773 | 5.1%/yr | 4.9% | 0.531 |
| Brunswick County, NC | 152,554 | $77,075 | 5.8%/yr | 4.6% | 0.512 |
| Robeson County, NC | 116,854 | $42,419 | 3.8%/yr | 5.9% | 0.573 |
| Marion County, SC | 28,664 | $36,420 | 2.4%/yr | 7.2% | 0.552 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Columbus County, North Carolina has an overall wealth index grade of D, making it somewhat worse than North Carolina, and somewhat worse than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Columbus County, North Carolina.
How Rich Is Columbus County, North Carolina?
Columbus County has a wealth index grade of D. The wealth index grades areas from A+ (best) to F- by combining income levels, employment rates, and income inequality; a D grade means residents are somewhat worse off than the U.S. average. The median household income is $49,633, about 31% lower than the North Carolina average of $72,438.
Are incomes growing in Columbus County, North Carolina?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Columbus County, North Carolina rose 51%, from $32,972 to $49,633. Over the same years, income here lagged behind North Carolina as a whole: +51% against +61%.
What was the median household income in Columbus County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Columbus County, North Carolina was $48,469, up 12% from $43,383 in 2022. The North Carolina median that year was $69,937.
What was the median household income in Columbus County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Columbus County, North Carolina was $38,520. By 2024 it had risen 29% to $49,633.
What is the Gini coefficient in Columbus County, North Carolina?
The Gini coefficient in Columbus County is 0.559. It measures income inequality on a scale from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns everything). That is higher than the US average of 0.552, so income is distributed less equally than in the country overall.
How has the income gap between men and women changed in Columbus County, North Carolina?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Columbus County, North Carolina has narrowed from about 25% to 6% in 2024. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $6,131 since 2009.
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