Columbus, Mississippi

Columbus, Mississippi
Montage of significant city locations
Montage of significant city locations
Flag of Columbus, Mississippi
Official seal of Columbus, Mississippi
Nickname: 
Possum Town
Motto: 
The Friendly City
Location of Columbus, Mississippi
Location of Columbus, Mississippi
Columbus, Mississippi is located in the United States
Columbus, Mississippi
Columbus, Mississippi
Location in the United States
Coordinates: 33°30′6″N 88°24′54″W / 33.50167°N 88.41500°W / 33.50167; -88.41500
CountryUnited States
StateMississippi
CountyLowndes
Founded1821
Government
 • MayorKeith Gaskin (I)
Area
 • Total25.88 sq mi (67.02 km2)
 • Land25.05 sq mi (64.88 km2)
 • Water0.83 sq mi (2.14 km2)
Elevation
217 ft (66 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total24,084
 • Density961.48/sq mi (371.23/km2)
Time zoneUTC−6 (CST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
ZIP codes
39701-39705
Area code662
FIPS code28-15380
GNIS feature ID0668721
WebsiteOfficial website

Columbus is a city in and the county seat of Lowndes County, on the eastern border of Mississippi, United States,[2] located primarily east, but also north and northeast of the Tombigbee River, which is also part of the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway. It is approximately 146 miles (235 km) northeast of Jackson, 92 miles (148 km) north of Meridian, 63 miles (101 km) south of Tupelo, 60 miles (97 km) northwest of Tuscaloosa, Alabama, and 120 miles (193 km) west of Birmingham, Alabama.[3]

The population was 25,944 at the 2000 census and 23,640 in 2010.[4] The population in 2019 was estimated to be 23,573.[5] Columbus is the principal city of the Columbus Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is part of the larger Columbus-West Point Combined Statistical Area. Columbus is also part of the area of Mississippi called The Golden Triangle, consisting of Columbus, West Point and Starkville, in the counties of Lowndes, Clay and Oktibbeha. Schools include Mississippi University for Women and Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science.

  1. ^ "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 24, 2022.
  2. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  3. ^ Columbus Convention and Visitors Bureau Archived April 27, 2009, at the Wayback Machine
  4. ^ "Columbus (city) QuickFacts from the US Census Bureau". Quickfacts.census.gov. Archived from the original on July 10, 2014. Retrieved July 14, 2014.
  5. ^ "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". Archived from the original on August 14, 2020. Retrieved May 21, 2020.