Columbia, NC

This town of 584 residents needs 25 more housing units over the next five years.

Housing snapshot

Population
584 (2026)
Households
334
Median household income
$28,817 (2026)
Typical home value
$173,714
Owner-occupied
33%
Five-year housing need
25 units

Comparison to other North Carolina municipalities

Columbia: $28,817 Median income (2026 estimate)
<$18K >$156K
Columbia: None jobs to household ratio
<0.04 >3.14
Columbia: No permit data
<0.2% >30.6%
On this page

How affordable is this community?

At $173,714, homes in Columbia, NC cost well below the North Carolina average of $264,457. At a median household income of $28,817 in Columbia, NC, affordability is stretched, with households needing roughly $15,773 more to comfortably afford the typical home.

This chart tracks whether housing prices are keeping pace with local incomes. The gap between what homes cost and what households can afford reveals affordability trends over time.

How has employment changed over time?

Jobs by industry sector since 2012. Switch between local jobs — counted where the jobs are located — and resident jobs, counted where the workers live. On the local view the most recent year is a nowcast: it grows the latest local LODES job mix forward using recent county employment growth from QCEW and the BLS local employment series, so the newest point tracks today's economy instead of data that is roughly two years old.

How are households changing by income?

Columbia, NC has roughly 334 households, though population has been declining at 2.3% per year.

Understanding how households at different income levels are growing or declining helps identify which groups face the greatest housing pressure and where new housing is most needed.

Who lives here today?

In Columbia, NC, detached single-family accounts for 64% of the housing stock. In Columbia, NC, renters make up the majority, with only 33% of units owner-occupied.

Households may have different structure type preferences depending on characteristics such as household size, income, employment, presence of children, age of individuals, and lifestyle choices. Understanding the housing stock in corresponding terms helps assess how well existing units align with existing households' ideals.

What does the housing stock look like?

The mix of housing types and ownership patterns shapes a community's character. This chart breaks down housing units by structure type and whether they're owner-occupied or rented.

How does this place compare to similar communities?