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MICROPOLITAN AREA · 2000 CENSUS

Columbus Micro

Columbus, NE · 2 counties · 42,103 residents · 1,087 sq mi
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The short version

Columbus is a metro area of 42,103 people. 16% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Home values have risen by half since 1990, reaching $75,065. 74% of homes are owner-occupied. Getting to work takes 11 minutes on average. Renters pay $424 a month at the median.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $42,589
Mid-age
median age 35.6
US median: 35.2
Less educated
16% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 24%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $120,530
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
42,103
+8%since 1990
from 38,959 in 1990
1990 – 2025
Population density
39 / sq mi
+8%since 1990
from 36 / sq mi in 1990
Median age
35.6
+8%since 1990
from 32.8 in 1990
US average: 35.2
Land area
1,087 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
38K40K42K44K46K19902000201020202024Columbus
202445K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2000
Under 57.2%(3,044)
US avg: 6.8%
5 to 97.9%(3,313)
US avg: 7.3%
10 to 148.4%(3,531)
US avg: 7.3%
15 to 198.4%(3,517)
US avg: 7.2%
20 to 245.4%(2,255)
US avg: 6.7%
25 to 3412%(5,049)
US avg: 14.2%
35 to 4415.6%(6,570)
US avg: 16%
45 to 5412.6%(5,305)
US avg: 13.4%
55 to 648.2%(3,468)
US avg: 8.6%
65 to 747%(2,955)
US avg: 6.5%
75 to 845.3%(2,230)
US avg: 4.4%
85 and over2.1%(866)
US avg: 1.5%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$38,489
+16%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $25,189 in 1990
US average: $42,589
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$17,341
+54%since 1990
from $11,241 in 1990
US average: $21,522
Poverty rate
8.5%
−0.7 ptssince 1990
from 9.2% in 1990
US average: 12.4%
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$75,065
+20%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $47,337 in 1990
US average: $120,530
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$424
+7%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $302 in 1990
US average: $602
Owner-occupied
73.8%
−0.2 ptssince 1990
from 74.0% in 1990
26.2% rent
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

1990
White, non-Hispanic98.7%(38,441)
Black0.3%(99)
Hispanic / Latino1.4%(542)
Asian0.3%(100)
2000
White, non-Hispanic87.3%(36,743)
Black0.2%(98)
Hispanic / Latino11.4%(4,804)
Asian0.3%(141)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Detailed origin tables are available for 2024; showing 2024 data.

Hispanic origin
Mexican17.2%(7,780)
Central American8.6%(3,897)
Guatemalan4.9%(2,232)
Honduran2.9%(1,022)
Cuban2%(889)
Nicaraguan1%(344)
Salvadoran0.7%(299)
Puerto Rican0.5%(214)
Peruvian0.3%(92)
Colombian0.1%(27)
Spaniard0.2%(26)
+ 3 more hispanic origin groups with data
Chilean0.1%(23)
Dominican0.2%(22)
Uruguayan0%(10)
Asian origin
Korean0.2%(66)
Filipino0%(22)
Chinese0%(2)
Laotian0%(1)
Pacific Islander origin
Ancestry
German31.1%(14,109)
Irish7.7%(3,474)
Polish6.6%(2,971)
Czech6.1%(2,746)
English5.8%(2,610)
American2.5%(1,148)
Swedish2.5%(1,145)
Danish1.7%(750)
Norwegian1.4%(623)
French1.2%(534)
Italian0.8%(361)
+ 29 more ancestry groups with data
Swiss0.7%(337)
Scottish0.6%(284)
Dutch0.6%(279)
Welsh0.4%(177)
British0.4%(126)
Russian0.2%(101)
Ukrainian0.3%(88)
Austrian0.2%(87)
West Indian0.2%(62)
Greek0.2%(59)
Jamaican0.1%(39)
Ethiopian0.1%(33)
Lithuanian0.1%(31)
Arab0.1%(26)
Scotch-Irish0.1%(26)
Somali0.2%(21)
Slovak0.1%(20)
Jordanian0.1%(19)
Belgian0%(15)
Latvian0%(10)
Syrian0%(5)
Finnish0%(3)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
15.8%
+4.0 ptssince 1990
from 11.8% in 1990
US average: 24.4%
High school or higher
81.6%
+4.2 ptssince 1990
from 77.3% in 1990
US average: 80.3%
Graduate degree
4.7%
+1.1 ptssince 1990
from 3.5% in 1990
US average: 8.8%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
11.3 min
−44%since 1990
from 20.0 min in 1990
US average: 17.6
Section 07

Work & employment

No data for the years selected.

Section 08

People & community

No data for the years selected.

Marital status
Men 15+
Never married27%(4,308)
Married64.4%(10,283)
Widowed2.2%(354)
Divorced6.4%(1,021)
Women 15+
Never married19.6%(3,174)
Married61.9%(10,047)
Widowed12.1%(1,965)
Divorced6.4%(1,036)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2000
Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

Uninsured
8.4%
−5.1 ptssince 2013
from 13.6% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Employer-based
56.7%
−3.1 ptssince 2020
from 59.9% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
15.5%
−1.9 ptssince 2020
from 17.4% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
Medicare
17.1%
+0.1 ptssince 2020
from 17.0% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
17.6%
+4.6 ptssince 2020
from 13.0% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
1.6%
−0.2 ptssince 2020
from 1.8% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
70.2%
−4.9 ptssince 2020
from 75.1% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
32.6%
+4.9 ptssince 2020
from 27.6% 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)25.6%(452)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)30.8%(544)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era38.1%(672)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War9.6%(170)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0.3%(5)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 1,766 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.

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In this metro

Largest cities

ColumbusCENTRAL25,248Schuyler6,800Humphrey875Clarkson630Howells573Leigh462Lakeview447Duncan388Platte Center339Lindsay331Monroe291Creston174Rogers84Richland83Tarnov47Cornlea34
What's inside

2 component counties

Platte CountyCENTRAL35,649Colfax County10,934
Drill deeper

Metros similar to Columbus

Menomonie
Pop 46,223
Auburn
Pop 44,535
Gainesville
Pop 44,461
Ellensburg
Pop 48,803
Places similar to Columbus
Head to head

Compare Columbus side by side

COLUMBUS VS
Menomonie
Income$74,824+94%
Home value$243,200+224%
Population46,223−1%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
COLUMBUS VS
Auburn
Income$74,331+93%
Home value$194,100+159%
Population44,535−4%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
COLUMBUS VS
Gainesville
Income$73,932+92%
Home value$240,400+220%
Population44,461−5%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
COLUMBUS VS
Ellensburg
Income$73,804+92%
Home value$497,400+563%
Population48,803+5%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Columbus, NE?

Columbus, NE has about 42,103 residents according to the 2000 Census.

What is the median household income in Columbus, NE?

The typical household in Columbus, NE earns about $38,489 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Columbus, NE expensive?

In Columbus, NE, the median home is worth about $75,065, and the typical rent is about $424 a month.

How educated are people in Columbus, NE?

About 15.8% of adults age 25 and over in Columbus, NE hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Columbus, NE?

About 8.5% of people in Columbus, NE live below the federal poverty line.

Has Columbus, NE grown since 1990?

Yes, Columbus, NE has grown since 1990. The population has added about 3,144 residents, a change of about 8 percent over that period.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · METRO ROLLUP OF COMPONENT COUNTIES · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →