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Living in
Columbus.
About
Life in Columbus
Columbus is a community of 23,616 people in Mississippi. The median household income is $42,235, median rent runs about $897 per month, and median home values are around $125,700. Unemployment is low at 4.4%, suggesting a relatively healthy local job market.
Columbus at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
41.1 yrs
Poverty Rate
21.3%
Foreign-Born
2.6%
Broadband Internet
82.4%
of households
Population Growth
-5.3%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics2.6% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Columbus: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Columbus, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (20.9%), and 2.0% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
18.1%
of residents
65 and Older
20.5%
of residents
Households with Kids
21.2%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
43.7%
of households
Married Couples
24.8%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.20
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 6% below MS average
Rent, home values, and income in Columbus
In Columbus, rent runs 6% below the MS average, and home values are 26% below the MS average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
43.6%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
22.5%
spending 50%+
Median Property Tax
$1,199
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
47.8%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1974
median year built
Vacant Homes
15.6%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $178,333 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.6 pts above MS average
Unemployment in Columbus
Unemployment in Columbus is 0.6 percentage points higher than the MS average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Columbus Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute19 min avg
How Columbus residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Columbus, most residents drive alone to work (88%), and 84% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 10 mi
Golden Triangle Regional Airport (GTR)
Regional airport · few flights59k passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 43% above national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Columbus runs 43% above the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
470.4
per 100,000 residents
Above average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,668.5
per 100,000 residents
Above average (1,552 national, 2025)
Columbus Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 16 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Low
80.9 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Lowndes County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Lowndes County, which includes Columbus, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 16 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 16 | Thunderstorm Wind | $626,000 |
| 2024 | 12 | Thunderstorm Wind | $555,000 |
| 2023 | 15 | Thunderstorm Wind | $3.7M |
| 2022 | 12 | Thunderstorm Wind | $1.1M |
| 2021 | 20 | Thunderstorm Wind | $314,000 |
| 2020 | 13 | Thunderstorm Wind | $778,000 |
| 2019 | 15 | Thunderstorm Wind | $2.3M |
| 2018 | 11 | Thunderstorm Wind | $139,000 |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
0 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Lowndes County, county-wide
Air Quality48 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2023)
Data not yet available
Climate93°F summers, 38°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Columbus has hot summers (avg high 93°F) and mild winters (avg low 38°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
77°/54°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
93°/71°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
78°/54°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
58°/38°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
56.6"
Annual Snowfall
0.4"
Hot Days/Year
83
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
50
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
100
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 56°F | 36°F | 5.45" |
| Feb | 61°F | 39°F | 5.69" |
| Mar | 70°F | 46°F | 5.32" |
| Apr | 78°F | 53°F | 5.81" |
| May | 85°F | 62°F | 4.02" |
| Jun | 91°F | 69°F | 4.40" |
| Jul | 94°F | 73°F | 4.68" |
| Aug | 93°F | 72°F | 4.50" |
| Sep | 88°F | 66°F | 3.20" |
| Oct | 78°F | 54°F | 3.63" |
| Nov | 67°F | 43°F | 4.35" |
| Dec | 58°F | 38°F | 5.59" |
Healthcare1 hospital, avg 3.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Columbus
Columbus has 1 hospital, averaging 3.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
11.0%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
3.0 / 5
Bmh-golden Triangle
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education13.9:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Columbus
Columbus's student/teacher ratio is 13.9:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 26.2% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
11
within city limits
Private Schools
2
within city limits
College Degree Rate
26.2%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
13.9:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges & Universities in Columbus
Mississippi University for Women
Public · 4-year · 1,605 students · in-state tuition $8,747 · 66% graduate · median earnings $52,685 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Natchez Trace Parkway, 40 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Columbus
Columbus has 5 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Natchez Trace Parkway (40 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Natchez Trace Parkway
Parkway
40 mi awayTupelo National Battlefield
National Battlefield
55 mi awayNatchez Trace National Scenic Trail
National Scenic Trail
59 mi awayBrices Cross Roads National Battlefield Site
National Battlefield Site
71 mi awayBirmingham Civil Rights National Monument
National Monument
92 mi awayPublic Libraries in Columbus
Columbus Public Library
314 North 7th Street, Columbus
Cities Near Columbus
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Columbus?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Columbus FAQ
Is Columbus, Mississippi affordable?⌄
Columbus's median rent is $897/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $42,235/year. Median home value is $125,700.
Is Columbus, Mississippi safe?⌄
Columbus's violent crime rate was 470 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is above the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1669 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Columbus, Mississippi?⌄
Columbus has an unemployment rate of 4.4%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Columbus, Mississippi?⌄
The cost of living in Columbus is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $897/month and median household income is $42,235/year. The median home value is $125,700. About 44% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Columbus, Mississippi?⌄
The average commute in Columbus is 19 minutes, which is shorter than average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from