| | Columbia, NC | Richlands, NC | United States |
| Population | 498 | 2,721 | 329,725,481 |
| Female Population | 55.2% | 44.3% | 50.5% |
| Male Population | 44.8% | 55.7% | 49.5% |
| Median Age | 48.6 | 27.7 | 38.4 |
| space3 | | | |
| Population - 2010 | 856 | 1,509 | 309,327,143 |
| Population - 2000 | 819 | 928 | 285,036,114 |
| Population - 1990 | 836 | 996 | 251,960,433 |
| Pop. 2000 to Now | -8.2% | 85.1% | 15.6% |
| Pop. 1990 to Now | -10.1% | 72.5% | 30.8% |
| space4 | | | |
| Population Density | 414.0 | 1,672.4 | 93.4 |
| Land Area | 1.2 | 1.6 | 3,531,905.4 |
| Water Area | 0.0 | 0.0 | 264,836.8 |
| space | | | |
| Est. Total Population By Age | | | |
| | Columbia, NC | Richlands, NC | United States |
| Age 0 to 4 | 3.4% | 7.4% | 5.9% |
| Age 5 to 9 | 6.4% | 9.7% | 6.1% |
| Age 10 to 14 | 11.8% | 15.8% | 6.6% |
| Age 15 to 17 | 3.6% | 2.8% | 3.9% |
| Age 18 to 20 | 0.4% | 1.4% | 4.0% |
| Age 21 to 24 | 4.2% | 4.7% | 5.2% |
| Age 25 to 34 | 8.2% | 18.8% | 13.8% |
| Age 35 to 44 | 10.0% | 18.6% | 12.9% |
| Age 45 to 54 | 10.4% | 7.6% | 12.6% |
| Age 55 to 59 | 3.6% | 3.0% | 6.7% |
| Age 60 to 64 | 2.6% | 1.9% | 6.3% |
| Age 65 to 74 | 23.3% | 4.9% | 9.6% |
| Age 75 to 84 | 6.6% | 2.8% | 4.5% |
| Age 85 and over | 5.2% | 0.7% | 1.9% |
| space1 | | | |
| Race | | | |
| | Columbia, NC | Richlands, NC | United States |
| White | 39.2% | 67.5% | 59.4% |
| Black | 38.2% | 16.4% | 12.2% |
| Asian | 0.0% | 0.9% | 5.6% |
| Native American | 0.0% | 0.1% | 0.6% |
| Hawaiian, Pacific Islander | 0.0% | 0.8% | 0.2% |
| Other | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.4% |
| Two or More Races | 2.4% | 4.7% | 3.2% |
| Hispanic | 20.3% | 9.6% | 18.4% |
| space2 | | | |
| Marriage & Family | | | |
| | Columbia, NC | Richlands, NC | United States |
| Married Population | 50.0% | 55.8% | 49.8% |
| Currently Married | 46.9% | 53.3% | 48.0% |
| Married but Separated | 3.1% | 2.5% | 1.8% |
| Single Population | 50.0% | 44.3% | 50.2% |
| Never Married | 28.5% | 29.1% | 33.8% |
| Divorced | 5.6% | 11.0% | 10.8% |
| Widowed | 15.9% | 4.2% | 5.6% |
| space5 | | | |
| Household Size | 1.95 | 3.30 | 2.60 |
| Households | 253 | 824 | 124,010,992 |
| Family Households | 130 | 527 | 80,755,759 |
| Married couple, w/children | 20.8% | 56.4% | 30.5% |
| Married couple, no children | 34.6% | 23.5% | 42.9% |
| Non Family Households | 123 | 297 | 43,255,233 |
| Single householder, w/children | 40.8% | 13.9% | 15.8% |
| Single householder, no children | 3.8% | 6.3% | 10.8% |