Jobs, pay and daily life in Columbus, from official statistics with source and year on every table.
Click any dot to open that city: jobs, pay, rent, commute, county economy and climate. Dot size follows population; colours follow the state flag.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 07/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Columbus is a city in Mississippi with 23,348 residents. The median household earns $42,235 a year and the median rent is $897 a month, which is 25.5% of the median household income. We could not match it to a metropolitan area in the BLS wage tables, so metro pay data is not shown.
How Columbus compares. Among the 60 largest places in Mississippi, Columbus is #18 by population, #52 for homeownership (#1 = highest), #11 for long commutes (#1 = fewest), #43 for household income (#1 = highest). Its county, Lowndes County, is #5 of 82 counties for average pay ($56,640).
Columbus has 23,348 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 0.8% of the population of Mississippi. It covers 25 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 931 people per square mile. The median age is 41.1, 6% older than the state median (41.1 against 38.6).
The median gross rent is $897 a month (rent plus utilities), 6% below the state median ($897 against $954). Over a year that is 25.5% of the median household income. US housing guidance treats housing as affordable when it takes 30% of income or less, so the typical household is under that line. The median home value is $125,700, which is 3.0 times the median household income ($42,235); a ratio under 4 usually means ownership is within reach for many households. 47.8% of households own their home, 32% below the state average (47.8% against 70.0%). A low ownership share points to a rental-heavy market with more apartments and shorter stays.
In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Lowndes County was 3.6%. 52.0% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Lowndes County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 87.8% drive alone, 0.0% use public transit, 1.5% walk, 5.4% work from home. 6.8% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 53% below the state average (6.8% against 14.4%).
26.2% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 4% above the state share (26.2% against 25.1%). 2.6% of residents were born outside the United States, 8% above the state share (2.6% against 2.4%). The poverty rate is 21.3%, 13% above the state rate (21.3% against 18.9%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 82°F (27.6°C), and the coolest is Jan at 42°F (5.7°C). About 1,430 mm (56 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; Feb is the wettest month (149 mm) and Oct the driest (96 mm). These values come from NASA satellite-based climatology on a grid of about 50 km, so they describe the wider area, not a weather station in the city.
Closest cities in this guide: West Point (16 miles, rent 17% lower); Starkville (24 miles, similar rent); Amory (33 miles, rent 7% lower); Northport (50 miles, rent 9% higher). Rent differences are against Columbus; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in Mississippi (241) →State guide: MississippiCountry guideLowndes CountyMississippi rankings
These links go to official sources and open in a new window. The first one is the government's or company's own site as listed in Wikidata (property "official website"); check it before relying on it.
There are 241 federal postings open in Mississippi (USAJOBS, state level; we do not have a city filter for them). Private-sector jobs are not in this feed.
No metropolitan wage table is matched to this city. Employment shares of residents by industry (ACS):
| Industry ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Education and health care | 27.2% |
| Retail trade | 17.3% |
| Manufacturing | 14.4% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 10.4% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 8.4% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 5.1% |
| Public administration | 4.1% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 3.8% |
| Other services | 3.1% |
| Construction | 3.0% |
| Information | 2.0% |
| Wholesale trade | 0.8% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 0.5% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Columbus lies and cover the whole county, not only the city.
| County ⇅ | Population ⇅ | GDP (2024) ⇅ | GDP per resident ⇅ | Jobs (QCEW 2024) ⇅ | Employer sites ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Job change vs 2023 ⇅ | Unemployment rate ⇅ | Labour force ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lowndes County | 57,838 | $3,920 million | $67,769 | 25,486 | 1,558 | $56,640 | +2.1% | 3.6% | 25,213 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 4,259 | 20.0% | $87,997 | 2.03 |
| Health care and social assistance | 3,755 | 17.7% | $65,041 | 1.03 |
| Retail trade | 3,142 | 14.8% | $30,214 | 1.23 |
| Accommodation and food services | 2,560 | 12.0% | $19,561 | 1.10 |
| Construction | 1,909 | 9.0% | $77,203 | 1.43 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 1,295 | 6.1% | $64,876 | 1.20 |
| Administrative and waste services | 1,057 | 5.0% | $41,882 | 0.70 |
| Wholesale trade | 809 | 3.8% | $67,981 | 0.81 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 513 | 2.4% | $44,594 | 0.67 |
| Professional and technical services | 443 | 2.1% | $70,668 | 0.25 |
| Finance and insurance | 421 | 2.0% | $65,144 | 0.41 |
| Utilities | 260 | 1.2% | $93,089 | 2.68 |
| Real estate and rental | 236 | 1.1% | $46,003 | 0.60 |
| Information | 219 | 1.0% | $51,168 | 0.46 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 179 | 0.8% | $13,446 | 0.42 |
| Educational services | 156 | 0.7% | $36,441 | 0.30 |
| Management of companies | 44 | 0.2% | $67,677 | 0.10 |
QCEW counts jobs covered by unemployment insurance; sectors with too few employers are withheld by BLS. Latest-month unemployment is preliminary.
| How residents get to work ⇅ | Share ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 87.8% |
| Public transit | 0.0% |
| Walk | 1.5% |
| Work from home | 5.4% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 6.8% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $42,235 |
| Income per person | $28,243 |
| Median gross rent per month | $897 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 25.5% |
| Median home value | $125,700 |
| Homeowners | 47.8% |
| Poverty rate | 21.3% |
| Price level of the metro area (US = 100) | n/a |
| Metro median pay, all occupations | n/a |
Estimate for a wage earner: 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction (IRS), Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500, Medicare 1.45% (+0.9% above $200,000 single / $250,000 married), and a state rate you set. It ignores credits, pre-tax deductions, local taxes and benefits. Sources: IRS: tax year 2026 inflation adjustments · SSA wage base per Federal Register notice 2025-19763.
State tax: Flat 4.00%.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 41.1 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 88.5% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 26.2% |
| Born abroad | 2.6% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 52.0% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 5.7 | 42 | 123 |
| Feb | 8.0 | 46 | 149 |
| Mar | 12.6 | 55 | 130 |
| Apr | 17.1 | 63 | 139 |
| May | 21.5 | 71 | 114 |
| Jun | 25.8 | 78 | 111 |
| Jul | 27.6 | 82 | 116 |
| Aug | 27.4 | 81 | 109 |
| Sep | 24.3 | 76 | 99 |
| Oct | 18.2 | 65 | 96 |
| Nov | 11.7 | 53 | 100 |
| Dec | 7.5 | 46 | 144 |
Satellite-reanalysis climatology on a grid of roughly 50 km, so it smooths local effects (hills, coast, city heat). It is not a weather-station record.
| City ⇅ | State ⇅ | Distance (straight line) ⇅ | Population ⇅ | Median household income ⇅ | Median rent ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Point | MS | 16 mi | 9,900 | $38,064 | $746 |
| Starkville | MS | 24 mi | 25,721 | $42,125 | $916 |
| Amory | MS | 33 mi | 6,500 | $52,901 | $834 |
| Northport | AL | 50 mi | 31,218 | $80,913 | $982 |
| Tuscaloosa | AL | 54 mi | 111,038 | $51,464 | $1,055 |
| Tupelo | MS | 56 mi | 37,791 | $66,257 | $976 |
| Philadelphia | MS | 65 mi | 6,996 | $50,788 | $791 |
| Jasper | AL | 70 mi | 14,442 | $66,238 | $721 |
| Kosciusko | MS | 75 mi | 6,933 | $40,085 | $814 |
| New Albany | MS | 77 mi | 7,663 | $51,332 | $973 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
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23,348 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$897 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 25.5% of the median household income.
$42,235 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
3.6% (BLS county, Lowndes County (latest month 2026M09)).
Mississippi. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.