United States › Columbus MICROPOLITAN AREA · 2020 ACS
Columbus Micro Columbus, NE · 2 counties · 44,878 residents · 1,087 sq mi
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The short version
Columbus is a metro area of 44,878 people. 21% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Getting to work takes 15 minutes on average. Home values have more than doubled since 2000, reaching $143,796. 72% of homes are owner-occupied. Renters pay $730 a month at the median.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $66,278
Mid-age
median age 37.4
US median: 38.8
Less educated
21% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 33%
Less affordable
home values up 27%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $265,253
Section 01
Population & growth from 35.6 in 2000
US average: 38.8
Population, 1990 – 2024
38K 40K 42K 44K 46K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Columbus Age distribution, 2020
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Section 02
Income & economy $61,678
+7%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $38,489 in 2000
US average: $66,278
from $17,341 in 2000
US average: $35,364
Households earning $100K+
from 23.0% in 2009
US average: 43.9%
from 8.5% in 2000
US average: 12.8%
Workforce by industry, 2020
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 8.7%
Education & health services 2.6%
Professional, scientific, technical 2.5%
Transportation & warehousing 2.4%
Arts, entertainment, food 0.7%
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$143,796
+27%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $75,065 in 2000
US average: $265,253
$730
+15%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $424 in 2000
US average: $1,124
from 73.8% in 2000
27.9% rent
from 2.59 people in 2009
US average: 2.61
from 2.0 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.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 87.3%(36,743)
Hispanic / Latino 11.4%(4,804)
2020
White, non-Hispanic 68.2%(30,601)
Hispanic / Latino 27.3%(12,245)
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means White and non-White residents are more separated across neighborhoods.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Hispanic origin
+ 1 more hispanic origin group with data Ancestry
+ 28 more ancestry groups with data from 15.8% in 2000
US average: 32.9%
High school or higher
from 81.6% in 2000
US average: 88.5%
from 4.7% in 2000
US average: 12.7%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 11.3 min in 2000
US average: 26.9
from 81.1% in 2009
US average: 75.1%
from 4.5% in 2009
US average: 8.4%
Section 07
Work & employment from 5.4% in 2011
US average: 5.4%
from 72.6% in 2011
US average: 63.4%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
US average: 73.3%
from 26.3% in 2009
US average: 39.3%
Section 08
People & community from 9.9% in 2009
US average: 13.5%
from 13.6% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Computer in household
US average: 91.9%
Marital status (2024)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 13.6% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Direct-purchase
US average: 13.7%
VA health care
US average: 2.3%
Any private
US average: 68.1%
Any public
US average: 35.2%
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, 2020
Gulf War (2001 or later) 20.1%(404)
Gulf War (1990s) 21.7%(436)
Share of the 2,009 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 What's inside
2 component counties Drill deeper
Metros similar to Columbus Head to head
Compare Columbus side by side COLUMBUS VS
Menomonie
Income $74,824 +21%
Home value $243,200 +69%
Population 46,223 −1%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
COLUMBUS VS
Auburn
Income $74,331 +21%
Home value $194,100 +35%
Population 44,535 −4%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
COLUMBUS VS
Gainesville
Income $73,932 +20%
Home value $240,400 +67%
Population 44,461 −5%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
COLUMBUS VS
Ellensburg
Income $73,804 +20%
Home value $497,400 +246%
Population 48,803 +5%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Columbus, NE? Columbus, NE has about 44,878 residents according to the 2020 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Columbus, NE? The typical household in Columbus, NE earns about $61,678 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 $143,796, and the typical rent is about $730 a month.
How educated are people in Columbus, NE? About 21.4% 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 8.6% 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 5,919 residents, a change of about 15 percent over that period.
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