How many people live in Columbus County, NC?
Updated Apr. 6, 2026Refreshed annually
In 2024, there were about 50,100 people living in Columbus County, NC. That makes Columbus County the 52nd-most populous county in North Carolina. It is home to 0.45% of people living in the state.
50.1K
population of Columbus County, NC (2024)
0.45%
County share of the North Carolina population (2024)
About 50,100 people lived in Columbus County, NC in 2024.
Population estimates, 2000–2024
What are Columbus County, NC’s age demographics?
About 10,700 Columbus County residents are aged 65 and older in 2024. That represents 21.4% of its population. For comparison, the age group represents 18% of North Carolina’s population and 18% in the US overall.
Another 10,300 Columbus County residents, or 20.5% of the population, were children under 18. For comparison, the age group represents 21.6% of North Carolina’s population and 21.6% in the US overall.
A higher share of Columbus County, NC's population is aged 65 or older than the US as a whole.
Population estimates by age group, (2024)
What are Columbus County, NC’s racial and ethnic demographics?
Non-Hispanic white residents make up 59% of the Columbus County, NC population, higher than the national share of 57.5%. Columbus County, NC also has a larger share of people identifying as non-Hispanic Black or African American (29.3%) than the US overall (12.6%).
In contrast, Columbus County’s Hispanic population accounts for 5.9%, below the 20% nationwide, and the non-Hispanic Asian population makes up 0.5% of the county, compared with 6.5% nationally.
Racial and ethnic make up differ based on location. These figures reflect how people identified their race alone (not in combination with other races), and separate out Hispanic or Latino ethnicity, following Census reporting standards.
Columbus County, NC has a higher share of a non-Hispanic Black or African American population than North Carolina as a whole.
Population estimates by race and ethnicity, (2024)
The largest city or town in Columbus County, NC is Whiteville with about 4,700 residents in 2024.
Cities and towns in Columbus County, NC ranked by population
Population (2024), includes only portions within county
| City or town | Population | |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Whiteville | 4,688 |
| 2. | Tabor City | 3,831 |
| 3. | Chadbourn | 1,528 |
| 4. | Lake Waccamaw | 1,227 |
| 5. | Brunswick | 959 |
| 6. | Fair Bluff | 728 |
| 7. | Sandyfield | 439 |
| 8. | Bolton | 383 |
| 9. | Boardman | 161 |
| 10. | Cerro Gordo | 143 |
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Methodology
USAFacts standardizes data, in areas such as time and demographics, to make it easier to understand and compare.
The analysis was generated with the help of AI and reviewed by USAFacts for accuracy.
Page sources
USAFacts endeavors to share the most up-to-date information available. We sourced the data on this page directly from government agencies; however, the intervals at which agencies publish updated data vary.
