Columbia County, Arkansas Demographics 2026

Demographic data: ACS 2020–2024 five-year estimates. Sources and methodology

Columbia County, Arkansas has a population of 22,349, the 28th most populous county in Arkansas. The median household income is $55,334 and the median home value is $152,100. The poverty rate is 21.1%.

Columbia County Quick Facts

Population 22,349

Median Household Income $55,33490% MOE ±$6,938

Median Home Value $152,10090% MOE ±$20,215

Poverty Rate 21.1%90% MOE ±2.8 pts

Unemployment Rate 3.2%90% MOE ±1.4 pts

Median Age 34.2 years90% MOE ±0.7 years

Homeownership Rate 70.7%90% MOE ±2.4 pts

Affordability Ratio 2.7x

Bachelor's Degree+ 21.9%90% MOE ±2.9 pts

Adults 25+ with high school education or higher 88.7%

Cities/Places 5

Population 22,349 28th of 75

Median Income $55,334 9% lower than state

Poverty Rate 21.1%

Unemployment 3.2%

How Columbia County Changed

Change from the non-overlapping 2015–2019 ACS period to 2020–2024. Earlier dollar figures are adjusted to 2024 dollars; changes marked “no clear change” are within the combined 90% margins of error.

Metric	2015–2019	2020–2024	Change
Population	23,776	22,349	-6.0%
Median household income	$44,543	$55,334	+24.2%
Median home value¹	$100,795	$152,100	+50.9%
Median gross rent	$817	$649	-20.6%

¹ The Census Bureau changed its home-value inflation adjustment beginning with the 2022 ACS; interpret that comparison with additional caution.

Median Household Income

Columbia

$55,334

$60,773

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Columbia

$152,100

$188,000

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 27.4%

$25K-$50K 20.7%

$50K-$100K 28.7%

$100K+ 23.2%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

9.5%

$10K-$15K

6.3%

$15K-$20K

6.5%

$20K-$25K

5.1%

$25K-$30K

3.2%

$30K-$35K

5.3%

$35K-$40K

5.0%

$40K-$45K

3.8%

$45K-$50K

3.4%

$50K-$60K

8.8%

$60K-$75K

8.3%

$75K-$100K

11.7%

$100K-$125K

9.6%

$125K-$150K

3.8%

$150K-$200K

5.0%

$200K+

4.8%

Employment

3.2% Unemployment Rate State: 4.9%|National: 5.2%

55.6% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 70.7%

Renter 29.3%

Affordability Index Very Affordable

2.7x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $649/mo 14.1% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

21.5%

18-34

29.1%

35-54

20.3%

55-74

21.5%

75+

7.6%

Race & Ethnicity

Diversity Index

Moderate Diversity

Moderate diversity with one or two groups making up the majority.

State average: 51 | National average: 61

Education

Educational Attainment (Adults 25+)

Cities & Places in Columbia County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Magnolia	10,894	$56,127	22.7%	$169,300
Waldo	1,144	$40,500	23.7%	$61,800
Taylor	593	$64,659	8.1%	$106,700
McNeil	419	$37,895	27.5%	$72,800
Emerson	239	$55,938	34.7%	$101,800

Explore Arkansas Rankings

Cities by Population All cities ranked by size Richest Cities Ranked by median income Most Educated By bachelor's degree rate Most Affordable By housing affordability

Population Overview

Columbia County is located in Arkansas with a total population of 22,349. It is the 28th most populous county out of 75 in Arkansas. The county encompasses 5 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Columbia County is 34.2 years. This is 11% lower than the state median of 38.5 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Columbia County is $55,334. This is 9% lower than the state median of $60,773. It is also 31% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 21.1%. This is 32% higher than the state poverty rate of 16.0%. With more than one in five residents living below the poverty line, economic hardship is a significant challenge for the community. The unemployment rate is 3.2%. This is 35% lower than the state rate of 4.9%. The median home value is $152,100. Housing costs are 19% lower than the state median of $188,000. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.7x, Columbia County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 70.7% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 7% higher than the state average of 66.4%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Columbia County is White (non-Hispanic), making up 58.1% of the population. Black or African American residents account for 34.4%. The Black or African American population is significantly higher than the state average (34.4% vs 14.6%). The Hispanic or Latino population (3.5%) is well below the state average of 9.0%. The Asian population (0.4%) is well below the state average of 1.6%.

Education

21.9% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 15% lower than the state rate of 25.7%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 88.7%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Columbia County come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates, with comparisons drawn against Arkansas and national averages from the same dataset. See our methodology page for how each metric is defined, or data.census.gov for official tables with margins of error.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the population of Columbia County, Arkansas?

Columbia County has a population of 22,349, making it the 28th most populous county in Arkansas.

What is the median income in Columbia County?

The median household income in Columbia County is $55,334 with a poverty rate of 21.1%.

How many cities are in Columbia County, Arkansas?

Columbia County contains 5 Census-designated places.