Columbus is a town in Polk County, North Carolina, home to about 1,071 people across 3.8 square miles. It has no ZIP code of its own: it’s part of 28722 and 28756.
Homes sold for a median of $278 per square foot across 2 ZIP codes in the three months ending August 2026, and 0 of 2 were seller’s markets.
Each card is that ZIP code’s whole market, including any part outside Columbus. Seller’s market: under 4 months of supply; buyer’s market: over 6. Methodology
We’re writing up Columbus’s story and what everyday life there is like, for people thinking about moving in.
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| Nearest major airport | Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT)71 miles away |
|---|---|
| Closer regional airport | Asheville Regional Airport (AVL)23 miles away |
| Nearest city of 250,000+ | Charlotte, NC77 miles away |
| Nearest city of 1 million+ | Philadelphia, PA506 miles away |
Straight-line distances from the center of Columbus; driving is longer.
Source: Airports from OurAirports (scheduled passenger service); city centers and populations from the U.S. Census Bureau.
Source: Members of Congress from the congress-legislators project; districts from the Census Bureau’s relationship files; governor and mayor from Wikidata.
Columbus had 1,060 residents in the 2020 census, up 7% since 2000.
It’s the 443rd largest of 771 towns in North Carolina by population.
Polk County grew from 7,004 residents in 1900 to 19,328 in 2020.
Polk County, 1900–2020
Source: U.S. Census Bureau decennial censuses (counties 1900–1990 from the Bureau’s historical county file).
Average highs peak around 86°F in summer, and winter lows average 32°F. About 64.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year, with about 5 inches of snow.
Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Tryon, NC weather station (5 miles away).
4,151 jobs at 504 businesses in Polk County. The biggest industries by employees:
Source: U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns 2023 (private employers; jobs counted where people work).
119 doctors and other health care providers list an office in Columbus’s ZIP codes.
Nearest hospitals
Providers with an office here
| Primary care doctors | 10 |
|---|---|
| Specialist doctors | 11 |
| Dentists | 5 |
| Nurse practitioners and physician assistants | 29 |
| Mental health providers | 27 |
| Physical and occupational therapists | 29 |
| Optometrists | 1 |
| Chiropractors | 7 |
| Pharmacies | 4 |
Source: Hospitals from CMS Hospital General Information (ratings are CMS overall star ratings); straight-line distances; providers from the CMS National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES), by practice address and primary specialty.
Parks (3 nearby)
Grocery stores (1 nearby)
Pharmacies (1 nearby)
Libraries
Museums (2 nearby)
Theaters and performance venues
Counts are within about 1.5 miles of the center of town.
Source: Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors (openstreetmap.org/copyright), as mapped by volunteers; it can miss places or include closed ones.
Public schools here are run by Polk County Schools. Check each district’s attendance zones for a specific address.
| School | Grades | Students | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Polk Central Elementary SchoolMill Spring | Pre-K–5 | 379 | Public | 4.1 mi |
| Sunny View Elementary SchoolMill Spring | Pre-K–5 | 120 | Public | 7.6 mi |
| Polk County Middle SchoolMill Spring | 6–8 | 454 | Public | 2.7 mi |
| Polk County Early CollegeColumbus | 9–12 | 52 | Public | 0.5 mi |
| Polk County High SchoolColumbus | 9–12 | 596 | Public | 0.5 mi |
Source: U.S. Department of Education, NCES: Common Core of Data (2024-2025) for public schools. Listed by address; we don’t rate schools.
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Town boundaries don’t always match ZIP codes: a ZIP code can cross into neighboring towns, and a town can share a ZIP code with its neighbors. Facts describe the town itself; market figures describe whole ZIP codes.