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Living in
Columbus.
About
Life in Columbus
Columbus is a community of 24,188 people in Nebraska. The median household income is $64,626, median rent runs about $892 per month, and median home values are around $213,600. Unemployment is low at 2.8%, suggesting a relatively healthy local job market.
Columbus at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
37.4 yrs
Poverty Rate
11.3%
Foreign-Born
14.3%
Broadband Internet
88.4%
of households
Population Growth
+5.0%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics14.3% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Columbus: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Columbus, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (37.9%), and 22.6% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
26.5%
of residents
65 and Older
17.7%
of residents
Households with Kids
30.6%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
33.0%
of households
Married Couples
44.9%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.45
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 17% below NE average
Rent, home values, and income in Columbus
In Columbus, rent runs 17% below the NE average, and home values are 10% below the NE average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
41.7%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
22.4%
spending 50%+
Median Property Tax
$2,990
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
66.1%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1972
median year built
Vacant Homes
4.4%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $269,930 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment about average for NE
Unemployment in Columbus
Unemployment in Columbus is close to the NE average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Columbus Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute15.1 min avg
How Columbus residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Columbus, most residents drive alone to work (80%), and 88% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 51 mi
Lincoln Airport (LNK)
Regional airport · few flights135k passengers boarded in 2025
- 76 mi
Eppley Airfield (OMA)
Medium hub2.6M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 74% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Columbus runs 74% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
86.6
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
771.9
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Columbus Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 28 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Low
70.6 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Platte County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Platte County, which includes Columbus, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 28 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 28 | High Wind | $2,000 |
| 2024 | 22 | Tornado | $65,000 |
| 2023 | 16 | Hail | Not estimated |
| 2022 | 12 | Hail | None reported |
| 2021 | 10 | Thunderstorm Wind | Not estimated |
| 2020 | 10 | Thunderstorm Wind | Not estimated |
| 2019 | 10 | Flood | $440,000 |
| 2018 | 14 | Thunderstorm Wind | $2,000 |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
0 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Platte County, county-wide
Air Quality34 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2023)
Data not yet available
Climate85°F summers, 16°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Columbus has warm summers (avg high 85°F) and very cold winters (avg low 16°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
61°/39°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
85°/64°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
63°/41°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
35°/16°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
28.7"
Annual Snowfall
25.6"
Hot Days/Year
32
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
141
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
89
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 32°F | 14°F | 0.65" |
| Feb | 37°F | 18°F | 0.73" |
| Mar | 50°F | 28°F | 1.39" |
| Apr | 62°F | 39°F | 2.93" |
| May | 73°F | 51°F | 4.57" |
| Jun | 83°F | 62°F | 4.69" |
| Jul | 87°F | 66°F | 3.46" |
| Aug | 84°F | 64°F | 3.27" |
| Sep | 77°F | 55°F | 2.48" |
| Oct | 63°F | 41°F | 2.35" |
| Nov | 48°F | 28°F | 1.22" |
| Dec | 36°F | 18°F | 0.93" |
Healthcare1 hospital, avg 3.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Columbus
Columbus has 1 hospital, averaging 3.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
7.8%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
3.0 / 5
Columbus Community Hospital, Inc.
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education16.3:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Columbus
Columbus's student/teacher ratio is 16.3:1, close to the national average of 16:1, and 21.8% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
11
within city limits
Private Schools
5
within city limits
College Degree Rate
21.8%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
16.3:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Parks & Recreationclosest: Lewis & Clark National Historic Trail, 75 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Columbus
Columbus has 3 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Lewis & Clark National Historic Trail (75 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Lewis & Clark National Historic Trail
National Historic Trail
75 mi awayHomestead National Historical Park
National Historical Park
84 mi awayMissouri National Recreational River
National Recreational River
94 mi awayPublic Libraries in Columbus
Columbus Public Library
2500 14th Street, Suite 2, Columbus
Cities Near Columbus
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Columbus?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Columbus FAQ
Is Columbus, Nebraska affordable?⌄
Columbus's median rent is $892/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $64,626/year. Median home value is $213,600.
Is Columbus, Nebraska safe?⌄
Columbus's violent crime rate was 87 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is well below the national average — one of the safer cities in the country of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 772 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Columbus, Nebraska?⌄
Columbus has an unemployment rate of 2.8%, which is solid, slightly below the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Columbus, Nebraska?⌄
The cost of living in Columbus is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $892/month and median household income is $64,626/year. The median home value is $213,600. About 42% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Columbus, Nebraska?⌄
The average commute in Columbus is 15 minutes, which is shorter than average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from