City profile · Kansas · Census ACS 2023

Columbus, KS

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Columbus - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

2,902
Residents
$39,936
Median income
$85,800
Median home
$877
Median rent (state)

Columbus - the verdict

Out of every US city with 1,000+ residents, Columbus places in the 8th percentile for household income and the 31st percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

8th
percentile, household income
5th
percentile, home value
2nd
percentile, median rent
31st
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Columbus, KS

2,902 people live in Columbus, Kansas - a small town by U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. The typical household in Columbus brings in $39,936 a year, in the lower quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 8.7%. Columbus's housing stock carries a median value of $85,800, and the median resident age is 41.9 years. About 22.7% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 54.3% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Crime here tracks close to the national norm: the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program logs 2030.8 total incidents per 100,000 residents here, near the national average (agency reporting is voluntary, so this measures reporting activity, not a definitive danger score). NOAA climate normals record an annual average temperature of 57.2°F with 46.0 inches of precipitation per year and 7.2 inches of snowfall.

Living costs in Kansas run below the national norm: the state registers 90.1 on a 100-equals-national-average index (Well Below Average) per BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $877 per month. Monthly utility costs average around $217 across Kansas, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 53.7 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (Low).

Population

2,902 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Kansas

Median Household Income

$39,936 /yr

Poverty 8.7%

Cost of Living Index (state)

90.1 (US=100)

Well Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Kansas average

How does Columbus compare to other US cities?

Here's how Columbus stacks up against the full field of US cities (population 1,000+), computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 8% higher than other cities
Home value 5% pricier than other cities
Median rent 2% pricier than other cities
Safety 31% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

Zoom in to just Kansas and the picture shifts: Columbus ranks #78 of 109 Kansas cities by lowest crime rate, a different read than the national percentile above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Columbus's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in Kansas, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

8thIncome percentile
31stSafety percentile

8th percentile nationally for median household income · 31st percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Columbus's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Columbus's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 45 Avg. percentile National median
Columbus's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Columbus's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$85,800 Among the most affordable more affordable than 95% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). This entry sits in this band. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Above this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Above this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Above this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Columbus $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. 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 ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Columbus, KS Columbus, KS's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Columbus, KS-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Columbus, KS median $39,936/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Columbus, KS's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Columbus, KS. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 22.7%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 8.7%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 54.3%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
2,902
Median Income
$39,936
Median Home Value
$85,800
Median Age
41.9
Poverty Rate
8.7%
Labor force participation
54.3%
Bachelor's Degree+
22.7%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
2030.8
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
245.1
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
1785.7
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Climate

Avg Temperature
57.2°F
Annual Precipitation
46.0"
Annual Snowfall
7.2"

Schools

Total Schools
4
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
2,860 residents2,880 residents2,900 residents2,920 residents 202020212022202320242025 2,915 residents 2,866 residents ▼ -1.7%
Columbus's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
87.9%
Carpool
7.1%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
3.3%
Work from Home
1.7%

Based on 1,302 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Kansas - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$110
avg/month
Natural Gas
$65
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$42
avg/month
Total Utilities
$217
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Kansas state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Kansas state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Columbus sits in

Cost of Living Index
90.1
Well Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$877/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
53.7 / 100
Low
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Kansas

Kechi
2,935 people
Oaklawn-Sunview
2,952 people
Osage City
2,837 people
South Hutchinson
2,826 people
Kingman
3,003 people
St. Marys
2,795 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Columbus's 2,902 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Statham, GA
2,902 people
Goldsby, OK
2,902 people
Stamford, TX
2,902 people
Lula, GA
2,903 people
Soperton, GA
2,901 people
North Seekonk, MA
2,903 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Columbus's $39,936 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Fort Yukon, AK
$39,934 median income
Landfall, MN
$39,938 median income
Beckley, WV
$39,939 median income
Owensburg, IN
$39,940 median income
Gobles, MI
$39,931 median income
Boyle, MS
$39,926 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Columbus, KS Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Columbus, KS - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 81.1% 9.9% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 3.3% White 81.1% Black or African American 3.6% Asian 0.0% American Indian 1.2% Native Hawaiian 0.9% Some other race 3.3% Two or more races 9.9% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Columbus compares to nearby Kansas cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Columbus (this city) 2,902 $39,936
Kechi 2,935 $102,794
Oaklawn-Sunview 2,952 $37,986
Osage City 2,837 $63,393
Census ACS 5-year FIPS KS FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Columbus, KS?

What is the population of Columbus, KS? +

The population of Columbus, KS stands at 2,902 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Columbus, KS? +

In Columbus, the typical household earns $39,936 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Columbus? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Columbus; the closest available measure is the Kansas state average, a cost of living index of 90.1 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Well Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Kansas vary by metro area.

Is Columbus, KS safe? +

Columbus has a total crime rate of 2030.8 per 100,000 residents, which is near the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Columbus, KS? +

Homes in Columbus carry a median value of $85,800, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Columbus? +

Columbus has an average annual temperature of 57.2°F, 46.0 inches of precipitation, and 7.2 inches of snowfall per year. Source: NOAA Climate Normals.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES CCD, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities Editorial

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.