Columbus, North Carolina
Columbus is a town of 1,071 people in Polk County, North Carolina.
Why visit Columbus
Townapedia lists 19 museums and landmarks, 4 parks and trails, 17 places to eat, 1 place to stay and 3 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Shunkawauken Falls, Foster Mountain, Bank of Tryon Building and Blackberry Hill.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 86°F; January lows average 32°F.
Weather in Columbus
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Columbus
Columbus is a town and the county seat of Polk County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 1,060 at the 2020 census.
From the Wikipedia article Columbus, North Carolina (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do3
Museums and landmarks19
Bank of Tryon Building
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.3 mi
Building in Tryon, United States of America
Blackberry Hill
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.1 mi
Historic house in North Carolina, United States
Blockhouse Site
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.8 mi
Building in Polk County, North Carolina, United States
Friendly Hills
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.1 mi
Historic house in North Carolina, United States
J. G. Hughes House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.6 mi
Historic house in North Carolina, United States
Lynncote
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.1 mi
Historic house in North Carolina, United States
Mill Farm Inn
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.9 mi
Hotel in Tryon, United States of America
Mills-Screven Plantation
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.1 mi
Historic house in North Carolina, United States
Polk County Courthouse
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.6 mi
Courthouse in North Carolina, United States
Rev. Joshua D. Jones House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.7 mi
Historic house in North Carolina, United States
Seven Hearths
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.1 mi
Historic house in North Carolina, United States
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Stone Hedge
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.2 mi
Historic estate in Polk County, North Carolina, United States
7 more on the map.
Parks, trails and playgrounds4
Restaurants and cafes17
Iron Key Brewing Co.
Bar and pub · 1.0 mi
135 Locust Street, Columbus
Mo 16:00-20:00; Tu off; We 11:30-20:00; Th-Sa 11:30-21:00; Su 11:30-20:00
Mountain View BBQ & Deli
Restaurant · Barbecue, Deli · 0.6 mi
829 West Mills Street, Columbus
Tu-Sa 11:00-20:00
Cocula Mexican Grill
Restaurant · Mexican · 0.4 mi
338 West Mills Street, Columbus
5 more on the map.
History
The Green River Plantation, J. G. Hughes House, and Polk County Courthouse are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
From the History section of Columbus, North Carolina on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay1
Churches and places of worship7
Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses
Place of worship · Jehovahs Witness · 1.5 mi
2971 Skyuka Road, Columbus
Shopping2
Gas and EV charging3
Schools, colleges and libraries8
Healthcare4
Map of Columbus
68 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 50°F | 32°F | 5.3 in | 2.4 in |
| Feb | 54°F | 34°F | 4.5 in | 0.8 in |
| Mar | 61°F | 40°F | 5.5 in | 0.6 in |
| Apr | 70°F | 49°F | 5.3 in | 0.0 in |
| May | 77°F | 57°F | 5.3 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 83°F | 65°F | 5.5 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 86°F | 69°F | 5.5 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 85°F | 67°F | 6.1 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 79°F | 62°F | 5.6 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 70°F | 51°F | 4.9 in | 0.0 in |
| Nov | 60°F | 41°F | 4.8 in | 0.0 in |
| Dec | 52°F | 35°F | 6.0 in | 1.1 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Tryon (4 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Polk County has had 17 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for hurricanes.
- 2026-01-24: Severe Winter Storm (Winter Storm)
- 2025-03-22: Black Cove Fire Complex (Fire)
- 2024-09-28: Tropical Storm Helene (Tropical Storm)
- 2024-09-26: Hurricane Helene (Tropical Storm)
- 2022-10-01: Hurricane Ian (Hurricane)
- 2020-08-02: Hurricane Isaias (Hurricane)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Asheville Regional Airport (AVL) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 23 miles away.
- Barker Heights 14 mi west, about 22 min by car
- Hendersonville 15 mi west, about 24 min by car
- Balfour 17 mi northwest, about 28 min by car
- Boiling Springs 19 mi southeast, about 31 min by car
- Greer 22 mi south, about 36 min by car
- Taylors 24 mi south, about 39 min by car
- Wade Hampton 26 mi south, about 42 min by car
- Black Mountain 26 mi north, about 42 min by car
- Spartanburg 27 mi southeast, about 43 min by car
- Asheville 29 mi northwest, about 47 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Polk-County-Courthouse-SW-nc, Brian Stansberry, CC BY 4.0
- Stearns School, Columbus, NC (30655369018), Warren LeMay from Cullowhee, NC, United States, CC0
- Reverend Joshua D Jones House, Bigskybill, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Seven Hearths, Upstateherd, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Mill Farm Inn, Bigskybill, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Bank of Tryon, Bigskybill, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Modern Stone Hedge in Spring 2015, Rscottlane, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Lynncote, Bigskybill, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Sunnydale, Bigskybill, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Block House Historic Site, Upstateherd, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Tryon Country Club, Upstateherd, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Pine Crest Inn, Bigskybill, CC BY-SA 3.0
- J G Hughes House, Bigskybill, CC BY-SA 3.0
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