The Town FilesColumbus AFB, Mississippi
Community in Lowndes County · population 1,604 (2020 Census)
- Household income
- $69,539
- Jan low / Jul high
- 36° / 94°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 32
- Median age
- 25.3
Columbus AFB is a community of 1,604 people in Lowndes County, Mississippi. It ranks better for young professionals than 98% of Mississippi towns, more upscale than 96% of Mississippi towns, more of a college town than 93% of Mississippi towns.
How Columbus AFB ranks
Percentile among Mississippi towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Mississippi towns.
Homes and cost of living
Median rent is $1,500 a month. 0.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Columbus AFB | Typical Mississippi town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | — | $124,700 |
| Median rent | $1,500 | $820 |
| Median household income | $69,539 | $45,965 |
| Home value ÷ income | —× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 0.0% | 65.3% |
| Median year built | 1988 | 1979 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Columbus AFB
| People | Columbus AFB | Typical Mississippi town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 25.3 | 37.3 |
| Age 65 and over | 0.0% | 16.6% |
| Under 18 | 24.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 72.3% | 19.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 6.3% | 22.9% |
| Veterans | 29.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 9.4% | — |
| Work from home | 5.3% | 4.0% |
| Average commute | 12.0 min | 23.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 98.4% | 83.3% |
Weather in Columbus AFB
July highs average 93.8°F and January lows 35.8°F. About 56.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.2 inches of snow (typical Mississippi town: 0.5 in). Expect about 83 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 50 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
32 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Columbus AFB since 1950, compared with 31 for the typical Mississippi town. 15 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF3, struck on February 23, 2019 about 9.1 miles from the town center and killed 2. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 4 deaths and 69 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on March 31, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 71 times; the largest was 4.60 inches on June 16, 2023.
Severe weather in Lowndes County since 1996
Lowndes County has been included in 23 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| February 6, 2026 | Winter Storm | DR-4899: Severe Winter Storm |
| January 24, 2026 | Winter Storm | EM-3640: Severe Winter Storm |
| October 22, 2021 | Hurricane | DR-4626: Hurricane Ida |
| August 28, 2021 | Hurricane | EM-3569: Hurricane Ida |
| April 5, 2020 | Biological | DR-4528: Covid-19 Pandemic |
Jobs and pay in Lowndes County
Lowndes County had 25,486 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $56,640 a year. Unemployment was 3.3% in 2023; in Columbus AFB itself the ACS puts it at 1.9%.
Towns near Columbus AFB
- Caledonia, MS7.9 mi · 1,135 people · home $203,300
- New Hamilton, MS8.3 mi · 533 people · home —
- Columbus, MS8.5 mi · 24,084 people · home $125,700
- West Point, MS12.3 mi · 10,105 people · home $153,900
- New Hope, MS13.2 mi · 3,161 people · home $238,200
- Aberdeen, MS15.2 mi · 4,961 people · home $87,600
- Vernon, AL21.1 mi · 1,921 people · home $103,800
- Millport, AL21.5 mi · 1,010 people · home $104,400
Columbus AFB questions
Is Columbus AFB, Mississippi a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Columbus AFB scores better for retirees than 5% of Mississippi towns and quieter than 4%. 0.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 25.3).
What is the weather like in Columbus AFB?
July highs average 93.8°F and January lows 35.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 56.6 inches of precipitation a year and 0.2 inches of snow.
Does Columbus AFB get tornadoes?
32 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Columbus AFB since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF3 on February 23, 2019. The typical Mississippi town has had 31.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)