City profile · Texas · Census ACS 2023

Columbus, TX

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.

3,718
Residents
$57,214
Median income
$219,300
Median home
$1,147
Median rent (state)

Columbus - the verdict

Measured against every US city with at least 1,000 residents, Columbus lands in the 31st percentile for household income and the 63rd percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

31st
percentile, household income
48th
percentile, home value
32nd
percentile, median rent
63rd
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, TX

3,718 people live in Columbus, Texas - a small town by U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. The typical household in Columbus brings in $57,214 a year, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 15.8%. Columbus's housing stock carries a median value of $219,300, and the median resident age is 42.8 years. Educational attainment runs 27.7% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 44.9% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

In 2024, 8 residential building permits were authorized in Columbus (Growing), up 14% from five years earlier, per Census BPS data. Columbus reports a comparatively low crime rate: FBI UCR reporting places total crime at 1022.3 incidents per 100,000 residents, below the national average (voluntary agency reporting, reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score). NOAA climate normals record an annual average temperature of 68.8°F with 45.0 inches of precipitation per year.

Texas tracks close to the national cost-of-living baseline: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts Texas at 97.1 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Near Average). Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $1,147 monthly. Monthly utility costs average around $223 across Texas, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 62.2 out of 100 (Moderate).

Population

3,718 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Texas

Median Household Income

$57,214 /yr

Poverty 15.8%

Cost of Living Index (state)

97.1 (US=100)

Near Average - BEA RPP 2024, Texas average

How does Columbus compare to other US cities?

Columbus measured against every US city with 1,000+ residents, computed live from the same Census and FBI data shown throughout this page.

Household income 31% higher than other cities
Home value 48% pricier than other cities
Median rent 32% pricier than other cities
Safety 63% safer than other cities

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

A national percentile can hide a lot of local variation: narrowed to Texas alone, Columbus ranks #237 of 624 Texas cities by lowest crime rate - a different, more locally useful comparison than stacking it against the entire country.

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 Texas, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

31stIncome percentile
63rdSafety percentile

31st percentile nationally for median household income · 63rd 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 51 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+)

$219,300 Among the most affordable more affordable than 52% 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%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). This entry sits in this band. $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, TX Columbus, TX's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Columbus, TX-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, TX median $57,214/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, TX'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, TX. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 27.7%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 15.8%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 44.9%

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

Population
3,718
Median Income
$57,214
Median Home Value
$219,300
Median Age
42.8
Poverty Rate
15.8%
Labor force participation
44.9%
Bachelor's Degree+
27.7%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
1022.3
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
157.3
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
865.0
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
68.8°F
Annual Precipitation
45.0"
Annual Snowfall
0.0"

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 →
3,650 residents3,700 residents3,750 residents3,800 residents3,850 residents 202020212022202320242025 3,688 residents 3,821 residents ▲ +3.6%
Columbus's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

🏗️ Growing
Total Permits (2024)
8
housing units authorized
Single-Family
8
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
2.2
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 7
2020 9
2021 7
2022 8
2023 10
2024 8

Permit volume increased 14% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
81.7%
Carpool
4.1%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
5.8%
Work from Home
5.2%
Other
3.2%

Based on 1,234 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

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

Electricity
$130
avg/month
Natural Gas
$45
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$48
avg/month
Total Utilities
$223
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Texas 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 Texas 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
97.1
Near Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,147/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
62.2 / 100
Moderate
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Texas

Anthony
3,727 people
Elm Creek
3,730 people
Cockrell Hill
3,736 people
Cotulla
3,690 people
Edgecliff
3,752 people
Taylor Lake
3,678 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Columbus's 3,718 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Bunk Foss, WA
3,718 people
Winchester, CA
3,716 people
Forestdale, MA
3,716 people
Dunean, SC
3,716 people
Arcadia, WI
3,720 people
Angels, CA
3,721 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Columbus's $57,214 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Newport, OR
$57,213 median income
Absarokee, MT
$57,212 median income
Hamburg, PA
$57,212 median income
Linden, TN
$57,212 median income
Edna, KS
$57,222 median income
Stanton, ND
$57,222 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Columbus, TX 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, TX - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 58.7% 18.9% 15.1% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 27.8% White 58.7% Black or African American 18.9% Asian 1.6% American Indian 0.2% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 15.1% Two or more races 5.4% 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 Texas 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) 3,718 $57,214
Anthony 3,727 $51,735
Elm Creek 3,730 $62,331
Cockrell Hill 3,736 $53,788
Census ACS 5-year FIPS TX FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Columbus, TX?

What is the population of Columbus, TX? +

3,718 people live in Columbus, TX according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

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

Median annual household income in Columbus runs $57,214, 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 Texas state average, a cost of living index of 97.1 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Near Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Texas vary by metro area.

Is Columbus, TX safe? +

Columbus has a total crime rate of 1022.3 per 100,000 residents, which is below 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, TX? +

Columbus's median home value sits at $219,300, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Columbus? +

Columbus has an average annual temperature of 68.8°F, 45.0 inches of precipitation. Source: NOAA Climate Normals.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, 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.