Columbus, NC town hall & government
Columbus spent $819,000 in the year to June 30, 2022, about $813 per resident.
Where the money goes, where it comes from, property taxes, and how to reach Columbus's government.
Where Columbus's money goes
Where the money comes from
- Utility sales 100%
Who works for Columbus
Staff on the town's payroll in March 2022. Pay is March payroll times twelve, so it's approximate.
Polk County Schools
Columbus's K–12 school district, shared with Tryon and Saluda. It is its own government, with a budget separate from the town's.
Where the district's money comes from North Carolina districts overall: 26% local, 57% state, 17% federal
- Local 25%
- State 57%
- Federal 18%
Of the $16,033 per pupil, $9,708 goes to classroom instruction (teachers, aides, supplies); the rest to support services such as buses, buildings, counselors and administration. Building projects and debt payments aren't in the per-pupil figure.
Which schools Columbus kids attend, test scores and graduation rate →
What homeowners in Columbus pay
The median yearly bill homeowners report, covering every local property tax on the home (town, schools, county). The effective rate is that bill divided by the median home value, so it's a rough guide, not the official tax rate. In a town this small the survey estimate has a wide margin.
Contact Columbus's government
Who represents Columbus
Columbus is represented in Congress by Senators Thom Tillis and Ted Budd and Representatives Tim Moore and Chuck Edwards. Josh Stein is governor.
Budget: U.S. Census Bureau, 2022 Census of Governments: Finance (every city and town government's revenue, spending and debt, grouped into plain categories). Property tax: Census American Community Survey, 5-year estimates.