City safety & data profile

ColumbusNE

Columbus, NE is a 23K-resident city in Platte County with a median household income of $64,626.

Platte County, Nebraska. Federal health, economic, and safety indicators for Columbus, drawn from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey, CDC PLACES, and CMS Hospital Compare. Columbus has a population larger than 51% of the 4,640 U.S. cities Areazine tracks, a median home value of $213,600, and 1 hospital serving the surrounding area.

Data updated 2026-07-20

23K
Population
Top 49%
By size
$64,626
Median income
$213,600
Median home
11.3%
Poverty rate

The read on Columbus

Columbus posts a median household income higher than 29% of U.S. cities Areazine tracks, where 1 hospital serves the Columbus area.

Top 71%
by median income, US cities
1
hospital in & near Columbus

Where Columbus income ranks nationally

Median household income vs. every place Areazine profiles (place-level ACS)

$64,626 Bottom 29% higher than 29% of 3,889 places Areazine profiles

$0–$20,000: 0 places Areazine profiles (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 71 places Areazine profiles (2%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 788 places Areazine profiles (20%). Below this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 1,055 places Areazine profiles (27%). This entry sits in this band. $80,000–$100,000: 768 places Areazine profiles (20%). Above this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 515 places Areazine profiles (13%). Above this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 308 places Areazine profiles (8%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 171 places Areazine profiles (4%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 92 places Areazine profiles (2%). Above this entry. $180,000–$200,000: 47 places Areazine profiles (1%). Above this entry. $200,000–$220,000: 28 places Areazine profiles (1%). Above this entry. $220,000–$240,000: 18 places Areazine profiles (0%). Above this entry. $240,000–$260,000: 28 places Areazine profiles (1%). Above this entry. NE $0 $260,000 every profiled place, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more places Areazine profiles. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (place-level) · 2024 ACS 5-year

The quick read

Reading Columbus, NE beyond the headline numbers

Columbus sits inside Platte County, Nebraska, at roughly 41.43°N, -97.37°W. Population 22,797, $64,626 median household income. Median home value $213,600, median rent $892. Poverty rate 11.3%, read against that income figure since two cities on the same median can differ underneath it.

CDC PLACES: Columbus's highest-prevalence health measure is obesity at 42.5%, then high blood pressure at 34.7%. 1 hospital in/around Columbus, 3/5 avg rating, 1 with an ER.

Sources: U.S. Census ACS, CDC PLACES, CMS Hospital Compare, plus live alerts for Columbus from FEMA, NOAA, FDA, and CPSC. Comparison bars benchmark each metric against the national reference.

Population
22,797
Columbus
Median Income
$64,626
-5% vs avg
Median Home Value
$213,600
-6% vs avg
Median Age
37.4
years

10-Year Trends 2013–2024

County-level trend (Platte County) - Columbus's own historical series isn't separately published by the Census Bureau, so these year-over-year figures track the surrounding county, not the city alone.

20132024
Population
35K+7%
Median Income
$71,552+40%
Median Home Value
$223,900+94%
Poverty Rate
9.8%-8%
Unemployment
2%-62%

Economics

Economics indicators for Columbus, NE
IndicatorValue
Median Rent
$892/mo
Poverty Rate
11.3% -20% vs avg
Unemployment 2.4%
Bachelor's Degree+ 21.8%
Work From Home 4.4%
Public Transit 0%

Population

White 70.7%
African American 0.8%
Asian 0.1%
Two or More Ethnicities 0.2%

Health Profile 15 measures

Health Indicators

Obesity
42.5%
High Blood Pressure
34.7%
Short Sleep Duration
28.9%
Physical Inactivity
28.4%
Binge Drinking
18.8%
Current Smoking
14.3%
Frequent Mental Distress
13.9%
Lack of Health Insurance
13.4%
Frequent Physical Distress
12.8%
Diabetes
11.9%

Preventive Care

Dental Visit 61.2%
Annual Checkup 76.2%

Other Measures

Current Asthma
8.8%
Coronary Heart Disease
6.7%
Stroke
3.5%

Hospitals 1 total

Rating Distribution
★★★★★
0
★★★★
0
★★★
1
★★
0
★
0
Average Rating
3/5
Total Hospitals
1
With ER
1
COLUMBUS COMMUNITY HOSPITAL, INC
COLUMBUS · Acute Care Hospitals · ER
★★★☆☆

Frequently Asked Questions 6

What is the population of Columbus, NE? ▼
Columbus, NE has a population of 22,797 people, located in Platte County, Nebraska.
What is the median household income in Columbus? ▼
The median household income in Columbus, NE is $64,626 per year, per the U.S. Census ACS. The poverty rate is 11.3%.
What is the median home value in Columbus? ▼
The median home value in Columbus, NE is $213,600. Median rent is $892/month.
What are the top health concerns in Columbus? ▼
The top health indicators in Columbus include Obesity (42.5%), High Blood Pressure (34.7%), Short Sleep Duration (28.9%). Data from CDC PLACES.
How many hospitals are in Columbus? ▼
Columbus has 1 hospital with an average rating of 3/5 stars. 1 have emergency departments.
What is the median age in Columbus? ▼
The median age in Columbus, NE is 37.4 years. 21.8% of residents have a bachelor's degree or higher.

Safety Context

Columbus, NE is located in Platte County, Nebraska. With a population of 23K and a $64,626 median household income, the community faces health challenges including obesity and high blood pressure. Residents have access to 1 hospital with an average rating of 3/5 stars. Safety alerts for the Columbus area are monitored from federal and state agencies including FEMA, NOAA, FDA, and CPSC.

Safety Guides

How Product Recalls Work

CPSC, FDA & NHTSA recall process explained

Understanding Weather Alerts

Watch vs warning vs advisory explained

Earthquake Magnitude Explained

What the numbers mean & when to act
All safety guides →

Primary source data

EPA Outdoor Air Quality Data

Federal monitoring network, every measurement we report

AirNow - Nebraska

Real-time AQI for every monitored Nebraska location

National Weather Service

NOAA active watches, warnings, advisories

CDC Air Quality & Health

Health-impact reference for every AQI category

EPA NAAQS standards

National Ambient Air Quality Standards, the regulatory thresholds

Nearby Cities 8

Norfolk, NE 24K Fremont, NE 26K Lincoln, NE 295K Grand Island, NE 51K Chalco, NE 11K Beatrice, NE 12K Hastings, NE 25K Papillion, NE 20K
All cities in Nebraska → Compare Columbus vs Norfolk → All comparisons → Browse all cities

Using Columbus's profile

Use this as a starting research checklist, not a verdict on whether to live here.

  • Check live recalls, weather and hazard alerts scoped to the Columbus area before relying on national headlines. Check your area
  • Read the poverty rate alongside the income figure, two places with the same median can have very different realities.
  • Compare Columbus against Nebraska peers on any ranking lens. Explore Nebraska

Population and economics (income, home value, poverty, education) are place-level U.S. Census ACS; health is CDC PLACES; hospital counts reflect facilities in and around the city.

Data Sources

All data on this page comes from official U.S. government sources. Population and economic data from the Census Bureau American Community Survey (2024 5-year estimates, place geography). Health data from the CDC PLACES program (2023). Hospital ratings from CMS Hospital Compare (2024). Climate data from NOAA. Education data from NCES. Cost of living from Bureau of Economic Analysis. Crime statistics, where referenced on Areazine, originate from the FBI Crime Data Explorer. Housing market figures referenced on Areazine come from HUD Fair Market Rents. Census economics and population are at place geography; some health and hospital indicators are reported at the county level (Platte County) where that is the smallest published unit.

Every figure on Areazine is published directly from official U.S. government sources, no number is typed in by an editor. City demographic and health figures are compiled directly from U.S. Census, CDC, and CMS releases, updated quarterly within 30 days of upstream release. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of 2026.