Columbus, NE: Local News, Events & Neighbors

Columbus is the county seat of Platte County, Nebraska, situated at the confluence of the Loup and Platte rivers roughly 85 miles (137 km) west-northwest of Omaha and 75 miles (121 km) northwest of Lincoln by road, near the county's southern edge. With an estimated population of 24,464 as of 2024, it is the 10th-most populous city in Nebraska. Initially settled in May 1856 along the historic Great Platte River Road, the city was named for Columbus, Ohio; its location along the proposed transcontinental railroad made it especially attractive to early settlers. Despite the construction of a hydroelectric plant, the Great Depression hit the region especially hard. Since, its economy has pivote…

Official town website ↗

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

How Columbus ranks

All →

#3Lowest depression in NE #11Most new homes in NE #16Most walkable in NE All NE rankings →

Town numbers

ZIP code68601, 68602

Area code402

Living in Columbus

Housing in Columbus

$285K Median sale price · Redfin, May 2026

The median sale price was $285,000 in May 2026.

A seller's market

Buyer’sBalancedSeller’s

Days on market28

Sale-to-list100.1%

Sold in May24

Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data CenterHousing market →

Safety in Columbus

B

Safety Grade B

Columbus reports less crime per resident than 64% of the U.S. towns and cities we grade.

Violent crime per 1,000

Columbus 0.8

Nebraska 2.2

U.S. 3.3

Property crime per 1,000

Columbus 7.5

Nebraska 14

U.S. 15.5

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

Health in Columbus

Compared with Nebraska

4worse than NE

of 32 measures CDC estimates. The other 28 are too close to call.

Conditions 1▼ 11 close Habits 1▼ 3 close Care 1▼ 6 close Mind all close Everyday needs 1▼ 3 close

BetterToo close to callWorse

What stands out

13.4%More uninsured adultsNE 9.9% · worse 14.7%More adults facing food insecurityNE 12.3% · worse 28.4%More adults who get no exerciseNE 24.3% · worse

Care nearby

Columbus Community HospitalColumbus · 1.7 mi · ER

East Central District Health Department/Good Neighbor Community Health CenterColumbus · 1.7 mi · sliding-scale fees

Primary careNo shortage

DentalNo shortage

Mental healthShortage · county-wide

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

Schools in Columbus

All Columbus schools →

C

School Grade C

The public schools Columbus’s kids attend, from kindergarten through graduation, trail 73% of Nebraska’s districts on state tests and graduation. Among towns with similar incomes, they rank near the bottom.

See how Columbus’s schools compare in NE →

DistrictCOLUMBUS PUBLIC SCHOOLSSchools18

Centennial Elementary School B-Elementary · Grades PK–4 · 353 students Lost Creek Elementary SCH CElementary · Grades PK–4 · 318 students North Park Elementary C+Elementary · Grades PK–4 · 304 students Emerson Elementary School CElementary · Grades PK–4 · 286 students West Park Elementary C-Elementary · Grades PK–4 · 215 students St. Isidore Elementary SchoolElementary · Grades PK–6 · 273 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 NE. Ratings are from neighbors.

Famous people from ColumbusWriters, athletes, leaders and more who were born in Columbus.Meet them →