Population 6,264 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Columbus
Household size in Columbus
| Period | Columbus | Madison area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.46 | 2.43 | 2.45 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.47 | 2.41 | 2.47 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.34 | 2.39 | 2.43 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.33 | 2.30 | 2.40 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.13 | −0.13 | −0.06 | −0.03 |
Columbus is a place of small households, averaging 2.33 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. Since 2006–10, household size has dropped from 2.46, a much bigger shift than nationally. Households are largest in the southwest and smallest in the east.
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 | Madison area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 39.3 | 37.0 | 38.8 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 43.1 | 37.9 | 39.9 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 38.0 | 38.3 | 40.9 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 39.5 | 38.9 | 41.4 | 40.1 |
| Change | +0.2 | +1.9 | +2.6 | +2.3 |
At 39.5, the median age in Columbus is close to the national median of 40.1, so its age mix looks much like the country's. Residents skew youngest in the east and oldest in the southwest. Columbus is younger than at least four in five Wisconsin cities.
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 | Madison area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.8% | 8.7% | 10.4% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 5.9% | 8.8% | 10.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 9.7% | 8.0% | 10.0% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 12.8% | 8.2% | 9.8% | 11.6% |
| Change | +2.1 pts | −0.5 pts | −0.6 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are a bit more common in Columbus than nationally: 12.8%, against 11.6%. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has risen 2.1 points, even as the national share fell. Only nine of the 200 Wisconsin cities with 5,000+ people have a higher share of single-parent households.
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 | Madison area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 33.9% | 35.1% | 30.5% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 26.6% | 38.3% | 32.3% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 29.6% | 38.9% | 33.0% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 30.3% | 39.7% | 32.2% | 34.8% |
| Change | −3.6 pts | +4.5 pts | +1.6 pts | +1.5 pts |
About three in ten households in Columbus rent their homes (30.3%), a little below the national share of 34.8%; the rest own. Among homeowners, 26.4% have no mortgage at all, well below the national share of 39.8%. The renter share is down 3.6 points from 2006–10, even as the national share rose.
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 | Madison area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.9% | 8.9% | 10.5% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 11.3% | 6.3% | 10.6% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 7.4% | 5.7% | 10.1% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 3.7% | 5.5% | 9.2% | 9.6% |
| Change | −3.1 pts | −3.4 pts | −1.3 pts | −1.8 pts |
Only 3.7% of homes in Columbus are vacant, far below the national rate of 9.6%, which usually means strong demand for housing. Vacancy has fallen 3.1 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Columbus has a lower vacancy rate than at least four in five Wisconsin cities.
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 | Madison area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1957 | 1976 | 1970 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1961 | 1978 | 1971 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1956 | 1979 | 1972 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1967 | 1983 | 1974 | 1980 |
| Change | +9 | +7 | +5 | +6 |
The housing in Columbus is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1967, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates. The median year built has moved up from 1957 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the south, while the east 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 | Madison area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $747 | $868 | $758 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $764 | $950 | $821 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $838 | $1,072 | $904 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $835 | $1,366 | $1,139 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$88 | +$498 | +$380 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Columbus costs $835 a month with utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $88 a month since 2006–10, up 12%, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 24.3% of the typical renter's income, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Renters on a budget will find the lowest rents in the center; the highest are in the southwest.
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 | Madison area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 22.5% | 41.3% | 26.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 28.4% | 43.6% | 28.0% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 28.2% | 46.9% | 30.4% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 28.0% | 50.6% | 33.6% | 35.6% |
| Change | +5.5 pts | +9.3 pts | +7.0 pts | +7.2 pts |
Nearly three in ten adults 25 and older in Columbus (28.0%) have a bachelor's degree or higher, below the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree has risen 5.5 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country.
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 | Madison area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 90.0% | 93.8% | 89.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 93.3% | 94.4% | 90.7% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 93.3% | 95.2% | 92.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 96.1% | 95.1% | 93.3% | 89.3% |
| Change | +6.1 pts | +1.3 pts | +3.8 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Columbus: 96.1% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. That is in line with the rest of the Madison area. The share with a diploma has risen 6.1 points since 2006–10, as it has 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 | Madison area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 4.1% | 5.0% | 6.7% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 7.6% | 5.5% | 7.3% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 1.5% | 2.6% | 3.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.4% | 2.6% | 3.3% | 5.4% |
| Change | −0.7 pts | −2.4 pts | −3.4 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Columbus runs below the national rate: 3.4% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% nationally. Still, the rate is higher than in the Madison area as a whole (2.6%). Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's 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 | 2.33 | 39.5 | 12.8% | 30.3% | 3.7% | 1967 | $835 | 28.0% | 96.1% | 3.4% |
| East Bristol | 2.23 | 48.4 | 5.8% | 37.6% | 2.9% | 1971 | $934 | 28.2% | 96.8% | 7.6% |
| Danville | 2.70 | 43.7 | 3.6% | 9.7% | 14.5% | 1969 | $1,155 | 28.4% | 92.2% | 1.9% |
| Fall River | 2.65 | 39.1 | 17.2% | 25.8% | 5.7% | 1983 | $1,174 | 25.0% | 91.5% | 2.9% |
| Astico | 2.68 | 44.2 | 3.3% | 10.6% | 13.5% | 1971 | $1,132 | 27.8% | 91.9% | 1.7% |
| York Center | 3.19 | 39.9 | 5.6% | 7.8% | 4.6% | 1982 | $1,405 | 33.2% | 95.8% | 0.7% |
| Reeseville | 2.57 | 41.0 | 8.0% | 20.8% | 7.0% | 1960 | $1,016 | 17.4% | 90.1% | 6.8% |
| Doylestown | 2.32 | 49.6 | 2.8% | 8.5% | 3.7% | 1967 | $1,212 | 21.9% | 94.1% | 1.0% |
| Portland | 2.52 | 46.1 | 5.0% | 10.3% | 14.2% | 1959 | $1,097 | 23.0% | 94.9% | 2.9% |
| North Bristol | 2.72 | 43.7 | 8.6% | 13.4% | 5.7% | 1979 | $1,545 | 42.1% | 96.1% | 1.2% |
| Leipsig | 2.47 | 49.2 | 2.7% | 11.9% | 8.0% | 1972 | $863 | 23.0% | 94.1% | 2.5% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Whitwell, TN · Buna, TX · Blountsville, AL · Warren, AR · Fennville, MI · Weare, NH · Bellville, OH · Wellsboro, PA · Barrington, NJ · Bailey, NC
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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