Columbus is the second largest city in and the county seat of Cherokee County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 2,929. It is located approximately 15 miles south-southwest of Pittsburg.

Official town website ↗

From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)

How Columbus ranks

All →

#4Highest graduation rate in KS #8Lowest property tax in KS #13Most affordable in KS All KS rankings →

Town numbers

ZIP code66725

Area code620

Living in Columbus

Housing in Columbus

$138K▲ 5.6% in a year Typical home value · Zillow

The typical Columbus home is worth about $138,000, up 5.6% in a year, 45% below the Kansas typical home.

Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data CenterHousing market →

Safety in Columbus

Safety Grade C

Columbus reports more crime per resident than most U.S. towns we grade: about 67% report less.

Violent crime per 1,000

Columbus 1.4

Kansas 4.8

U.S. 3.3

Property crime per 1,000

Columbus 11.5

Kansas 19.2

U.S. 15.5

FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to policeCrime & safety →

Work & commute in Columbus

Full picture →

About one in 4 of Columbus’s working residents works in town. The top destinations are Pittsburg (12%), Joplin (12%) and Parsons (5%). Half commute less than 19 miles.

Pittsburg

12%

Joplin, MO

12%

Parsons

Baxter Springs

25%Work in townlive and work in Columbus 19 miWhere do people commute?the commute map 1,427Jobs based herebalanced

Census LEHD 2023 · ACSWork & commute in Columbus →

Health in Columbus

C⁻

Health Grade C−

Healthier than 23% of U.S. towns on seven CDC estimates, and 79% of towns with similar incomes.

Compared with Kansas

1better than KS·11worse

of 32 measures CDC estimates. The other 20 are too close to call.

Conditions 6▼ 6 close Habits 2▼ 2 close Care 1▲ 1▼ 5 close Mind 2▼ 3 close Everyday needs all close

BetterToo close to callWorse

What stands out

80.3%More adults treating high blood pressureKS 77.6% · better 17.1%More older adults who have lost all their teethKS 11.3% · worse

Care nearby

Mercy Hospital ColumbusColumbus · 0 mi · ER · rural critical access

Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas/ColumbusColumbus · 0.1 mi · sliding-scale fees

Primary careShortage · county-wide

DentalShortage · county-wide

Mental healthNo shortage

CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CDC's estimate for Columbus · CMS · HRSAHealth in Columbus →

Natural hazards in Columbus

Moderate

Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 46% of U.S. communities.

🌊 Inland flooding🌪️ Tornadoes💨 Strong wind

3Does Columbus flood?paid flood claims since 1982 7Disasters that paid out herefederal disasters sent FEMA money to Columbus MapColumbus vs. its neighborsnearby towns shaded by rating

FEMA National Risk Index December 2025 · OpenFEMANatural hazards in Columbus →

Climate in Columbus

Full climate →

Columbus has chilly winters and warm summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 90°, a January night drops to 25°, and about 7 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.

47° / 27°Winter

68° / 47°Spring

89° / 68°Summer

70° / 48°Fall

How much snow does Columbus get?About 7 inches a winter.Rain & snow →When is the first frost?Around Oct 31, with the last in spring around Apr 5.Frost dates →Is it warmer than it used to be?+0.7° vs. the 20th century.Then & now →

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020Climate in Columbus →

Schools in Columbus

All Columbus schools →

B⁺

School Grade B+

The public schools Columbus’s kids attend, from kindergarten through graduation, outperform 65% of Kansas’s districts on state tests and graduation. Among towns with similar incomes, they rank near the top.

See how Columbus’s schools compare in KS →

DistrictColumbusSchools3

Central Elem B-Elementary · Grades 2–6 · 348 students Park ElemElementary · Grades PK–1 · 208 students Columbus Junior High and High School C-High · Grades 7–12 · 438 students

School data from the U.S. Department of Education (NCES, EDFacts). The School Grade is our own summary of state test results and graduation rates, graded within KS. Ratings are from neighbors.