United States › Kansas › Columbus CITY
Columbus Kansas · 2,866 residents (2025 est.) · 2.43 sq mi
Time machine
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The short version
With 2,881 people, Columbus is a city in Kansas. That trails the Kansas median by roughly 49%. Home values have more than doubled since 2000, reaching $94,100. 1% of residents were born outside the United States. 24% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Households take in $37,961 at the median, 54% less than the US figure.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Mid-age
median age 38.5
US median: 38.9
Less educated
24% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 3,396 in 2000
2,866 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1,184 / sq mi
−10%since 2009
from 1,320 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 37.7 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
3K 3K 3K 3K 3K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Columbus Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $37,961
−24%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $27,530 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $14,937 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 9.4% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 16.2% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.492 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Professional, scientific, technical 8.2%
Transportation & warehousing 3.4%
Arts, entertainment, food 2.7%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 1.9%
Education & health services 1.8%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
$94,100
+15%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $45,100 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$774
+24%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $343 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 69.5% in 2000
33.0% rent
from 16.8% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
2.06 people
−10%since 2009
from 2.30 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 21.4% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 39.5% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 1.7 in 2009
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 93.6%(3,177)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 81.6%(2,350)
Hispanic / Latino 2.5%(73)
from 24 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry from 14.1% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 80.3% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 6.0% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 15.6 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 80.8% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 10.5% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 2.8% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 6.0% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 8.1% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 6.1% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 60.5% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 55.1% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 19.1% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 17.3% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 0.2% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 11.6% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 18.7% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 15.1% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 67.9% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 86.0% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 92.8% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 95.2% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 3.9% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 15.1% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 46.7% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 16.9% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 25.7% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 30.9% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 4.8% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 61.2% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 48.6% in 2020
US average: 36.7%
Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.
Section 09 · Service history
Veterans Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later) 3.2%(4)
Share of the 126 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
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Frequently asked
How many people live in Columbus, Kansas? Columbus, Kansas has about 2,881 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Columbus, Kansas? The typical household in Columbus, Kansas earns about $37,961 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Columbus, Kansas expensive? In Columbus, Kansas, the median home is worth about $94,100, and the typical rent is about $774 a month.
How educated are people in Columbus, Kansas? About 24.2% of adults age 25 and over in Columbus, Kansas hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Columbus, Kansas? About 21.3% of people in Columbus, Kansas live below the federal poverty line.
Has Columbus, Kansas grown since 1990? Yes, Columbus, Kansas has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 387 residents, a change of about -12 percent over that period.
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