Population 28,574 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Columbus
Household size in Columbus
| Period | Columbus | Nebraska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.55 | 2.52 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.50 | 2.53 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.54 | 2.51 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.57 | 2.51 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.02 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
At 2.57 people per household, Columbus sits close to the national average of 2.65. Households are largest in the center and smallest in the southwest.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Columbus
| Period | Columbus | Nebraska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 39.6 | 37.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 39.1 | 37.9 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 40.0 | 38.3 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 37.7 | 38.3 | 40.1 |
| Change | −1.8 | +0.9 | +2.3 |
Columbus is a little younger than the country as a whole: its median age is 37.7, against 40.1 nationally. Since 2006–10, the median age has dropped from 39.6, even as the national median rose. Residents skew youngest in the south and oldest in the north.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Columbus
| Period | Columbus | Nebraska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.9% | 10.1% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 10.8% | 10.6% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 8.7% | 10.1% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 13.5% | 10.4% | 11.6% |
| Change | +2.6 pts | +0.3 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head nearly one in seven households in Columbus (13.5%), a bit above the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share is up 2.6 points from 2006–10, even as the national share fell.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Columbus
Renters in Columbus
| Period | Columbus | Nebraska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 27.8% | 31.4% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 30.0% | 33.5% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 30.0% | 33.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 31.1% | 33.5% | 34.8% |
| Change | +3.3 pts | +2.0 pts | +1.5 pts |
Most households in Columbus own their homes; 31.1% rent, a little below the national share of 34.8%. About half of owners (48.9%) have paid off their mortgages, above the national share of 39.8%. Rentals cluster in the west; owners are most common in the southeast. Since 2006–10, the renter share has risen 3.3 points, mirroring the country.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Columbus
| Period | Columbus | Nebraska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.5% | 10.0% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 7.0% | 9.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 7.8% | 9.4% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 5.5% | 7.8% | 9.6% |
| Change | −2.9 pts | −2.2 pts | −1.8 pts |
Empty homes are scarce in Columbus: just 5.5% sit vacant, compared with 9.6% nationally, a sign of a tight housing market. Vacancy has fallen 2.9 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Columbus
| Period | Columbus | Nebraska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1967 | 1969 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1968 | 1970 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1969 | 1972 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1972 | 1975 | 1980 |
| Change | +4 | +6 | +6 |
Homes in Columbus run older than the national norm, with a median build year of 1972 against 1980. The median year built has moved up from 1967 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the northwest, while the center has the oldest housing.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Columbus
| Period | Columbus | Nebraska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $615 | $730 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $706 | $805 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $801 | $911 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,016 | $1,159 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$400 | +$429 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Columbus costs $1,016 a month with utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $400 a month from 2006–10, a 65% jump, roughly in step with the nation. Rent takes 27.5% of the typical renter's income, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. The priciest rents are in the northwest; the most affordable are in the center.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Columbus
Bachelor's degrees in Columbus
| Period | Columbus | Nebraska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 21.0% | 29.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 21.6% | 30.4% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 22.2% | 32.4% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 23.2% | 34.9% | 35.6% |
| Change | +2.1 pts | +5.5 pts | +7.2 pts |
Fewer adults in Columbus have a four-year degree than in the country as a whole: 23.2%, against 35.6% nationally. The share with a degree has risen 2.1 points since 2006–10, a smaller shift than nationally. College graduates are most concentrated in the northwest and least in the south.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Columbus
| Period | Columbus | Nebraska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 89.1% | 90.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 87.5% | 90.6% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 87.9% | 91.3% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 90.1% | 91.8% | 89.3% |
| Change | +1.0 pts | +1.6 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Columbus is close to the national rate: 90.1% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%. The rate is lower than in Nebraska overall (91.8%). The share with a diploma is up 1.0 points from 2006–10, a smaller shift than nationally.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Columbus
| Period | Columbus | Nebraska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 4.9% | 5.1% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 5.3% | 5.5% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.2% | 3.4% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 2.1% | 3.1% | 5.4% |
| Change | −2.8 pts | −2.1 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Columbus has been low: just 2.1% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. Since 2006–10, unemployment has fallen 2.8 points, as it has nationally. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Columbus compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbus | 2.57 | 37.7 | 13.5% | 31.1% | 5.5% | 1972 | $1,016 | 23.2% | 90.1% | 2.1% |
| Wagners Lake | 2.64 | 43.7 | 6.4% | 13.8% | 17.0% | 1985 | $1,065 | 24.9% | 90.9% | 1.9% |
| Richland | 2.49 | 39.0 | 10.6% | 38.7% | 6.6% | 1980 | $1,016 | 14.9% | 82.0% | 0.6% |
| Monroe | 2.55 | 46.6 | 4.6% | 7.9% | 4.2% | 1971 | $1,070 | 27.3% | 97.6% | 0.3% |
| Duncan | 2.64 | 41.1 | 2.2% | 8.1% | 12.0% | 1984 | $1,099 | 23.5% | 96.7% | 0.5% |
| Platte Center | 2.77 | 40.2 | 7.9% | 20.9% | 5.1% | 1959 | $1,404 | 25.6% | 94.3% | 1.1% |
| Bellwood | 2.49 | 43.8 | 7.6% | 10.9% | 19.4% | 1979 | $913 | 14.2% | 86.8% | 2.3% |
| Tarnov | 2.49 | 35.8 | 4.0% | 15.6% | 8.9% | 1948 | $875 | 22.6% | 97.8% | 0.7% |
| Schuyler | 3.63 | 32.4 | 29.4% | 27.3% | 2.6% | 1971 | $1,035 | 13.0% | 62.1% | 2.9% |
| Octavia | 3.16 | 38.1 | 14.4% | 19.7% | 11.5% | 1967 | $1,023 | 17.4% | 76.7% | 1.2% |
| Rising City | 2.33 | 44.7 | 0.8% | 6.6% | 11.2% | 1957 | $987 | 22.9% | 96.3% | 4.4% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Fremont, NE · Danvers, MA · Vernon Hills, IL · Tujunga, CA · Edwardsville, IL · El Macero, CA · Eldersburg, MD · Elk River, MN · Ellensburg, WA · Feasterville-Trevose, PA
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Columbus. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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