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 85.3 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 2007 health care and social assistance was the largest of 20 major sectors. It had an average wage per job of $39,341. Per capita income grew by 6.8% between 1996 and 2006 (adjusted for inflation).

People & Income Overview (By Place of Residence)	Value	Rank in U.S.	Industry Overview (2007) (By Place of Work)	Value	Rank in U.S.
Population (2007)	67,985	766	Covered Employment	23,426	798
Growth (%) since 1990	59.5%	202	Avg wage per job	$31,793	1243
Households (2000)	20,925	852	Manufacturing - % all jobs in County	10.0%	1661
Labor Force (persons) (2007)	30,899	821	Avg wage per job	$42,045	959
Unemployment Rate (2007)	3.6	2392	Transportation & Warehousing - % all jobs in County	0.4%	2959
Per Capita Personal Income (2006)	$22,773	2629	Avg wage per job	$43,539	621
Median Household Income (2005)	$33,383	2209	Health Care, Social Assist. - % all jobs in County	16.5%	274
Poverty Rate (2005)	19.0	728	Avg wage per job	$39,341	452
H.S. Diploma or More - % of Adults 25+ (2000)	74.7	2,038	Finance and Insurance - % all jobs in County	3.2%	853
Bachelor's Deg. or More - % of Adults 25+ (2000)	10.9	2,437	Avg wage per job	$48,707	443