Columbus County, North Carolina Employment Sector Statistics (2024)
Workforce distribution by employment sector for Columbus County, North Carolina
Employment Indicators for Columbus County, North Carolina (2024)
Total Employed
19,791
Civilian 16+
Private For-Profit
70.4 %
Largest Sector
Self-Employed
6.4%
Entrepreneurship
Government
16.0%
Public Sector
Columbus County, North Carolina Workforce by Sector & Gender

Columbus County, North Carolina Employment Sector Breakdown
| Sector | Total Workers | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Private For-Profit | 13,929 | 70.4% |
| Government | 3,174 | 16.0% |
| Self-Employed | 1,264 | 6.4% |
| Private Non-Profit | 1,328 | 6.7% |
Columbus County, North Carolina Gender Ratio Analysis by Employment Sector (2024)
| Sector | Male:Female Ratio |
|---|---|
| Private For-Profit | 1.15:1 |
| Government | 0.70:1 |
| Self-Employed | 2.75:1 |
Columbus County, North Carolina Employment Trends (2010–2024)

Columbus County, North Carolina Historical Employment Sector Trends
| Year | Private | Gov | Self-Emp | Non-Profit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 70.4% | 16.0% | 6.4% | 6.7% |
| 2023 | 72.6% | 14.6% | 6.2% | 6.4% |
| 2022 | 74.5% | 14.5% | 5.1% | 5.7% |
| 2021 | 73.7% | 15.7% | 5.3% | 5.1% |
| 2020 | 75.2% | 15.5% | 4.7% | 4.4% |
| 2019 | 75.1% | 15.9% | 4.5% | 4.4% |
| 2018 | 72.9% | 17.7% | 5.1% | 4.2% |
| 2017 | 72.9% | 17.1% | 5.5% | 4.4% |
| 2016 | 72.2% | 18.4% | 4.8% | 4.3% |
| 2015 | 70.7% | 18.6% | 6.2% | 4.2% |
| 2014 | 70.6% | 19.4% | 5.6% | 4.1% |
| 2013 | 69.1% | 20.3% | 6.1% | 4.3% |
| 2012 | 67.6% | 19.7% | 7.4% | 5.2% |
| 2011 | 70.2% | 17.1% | 7.4% | 5.3% |
| 2010 | 70.7% | 16.8% | 7.2% | 5.1% |
Employment Sector FAQs for Columbus County, North Carolina
The largest employment sector in Columbus County, North Carolina is Private For-Profit, which employs 70.4% of the local workforce.
There are approximately 19,791 civilian workers aged 16 and over currently employed in Columbus County, North Carolina.
In the private for-profit sector, the male-to-female ratio is 1.15:1. This metric helps highlight gender participation across the most prominent industry classes.
Since 2010, the total number of workers in Columbus County, North Carolina has shown a decrease, moving from 22,083 to 19,791 according to Census Bureau records.