Columbia County is one of about 3,141 counties and county equivalents in the United States. It has 797.0 sq. miles in land area and a population density of 86.7 per square mile. In the last three decades of the 1900s its population grew by 123.8%. On the 2000 census form, 98.6% of the population reported only one race, with 17.0% of these reporting African-American. The population of this county is 2.7% Hispanic (of any race). The average household size is 2.56 persons compared to an average family size of 3.02 persons. In 2008 health care and social assistance was the largest of 20 major sectors. It had an average wage per job of $40,518. Per capita income grew by 7.3% between 1997 and 2007 (adjusted for inflation).

People & Income Overview (By Place of Residence)	Value	Rank in U.S.	Industry Overview (2008) (By Place of Work)	Value	Rank in U.S.
Population (2008)	69,092	757	Covered Employment	22,801	813
Growth (%) since 1990	62.1%	202	Avg wage per job	$32,072	1436
Households (2000)	20,925	852	Manufacturing - % all jobs in County	9.0%	1728
Labor Force (persons) (2008)	31,997	787	Avg wage per job	$39,676	1285
Unemployment Rate (2008)	5.4	1641	Transportation & Warehousing - % all jobs in County	0.4%	2959
Per Capita Personal Income (2007)	$23,916	2618	Avg wage per job	$42,810	806
Median Household Income (2007)	$40,422	1637	Health Care, Social Assist. - % all jobs in County	17.8%	205
Poverty Rate (2007)	13.9	1603	Avg wage per job	$40,518	476
H.S. Diploma or More - % of Adults 25+ (2000)	74.7	2,038	Finance and Insurance - % all jobs in County	3.6%	618
Bachelor's Deg. or More - % of Adults 25+ (2000)	10.9	2,437	Avg wage per job	$47,985	501