Stafford Bank and Opera House · National Register of Historic Places
Columbus’s story
205 years in pictures
6 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
- 1821Columbus is settled
ColumbusTX
A town of 3,860, settled in 1821. Nearly 4.4% of it is conserved land.
1 bordering townMap →
Photo: Jim Evans · CC BY-SA 4.0
Population
3,860
+1.2% since 2010
Typical home
$316K
−2.8% in a year
Household income
$49K
median
Median age
34.6
years
Jobs based here
2,372
Balanced
What makes Columbus stand out
The 3 things Columbus does most differently from other towns.
1 miof trails
Outdoors
#168 most conserved land in TX
1.4 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves
4.4% of the town is conserved land.
100 U.S. towns● Columbus
Health
69% of U.S. towns are healthier
on CDC estimates
Better than TX on 2 measures, worse on 10.
Stafford Bank and Opera HouseHistory
Settled in 1821
6 places on the National Register
Archive photos and papers going back 205 years.
Columbus’s report card
Outdoors1 mi#188 for trails in TXCommute46 miHalf of commuters travel lessHealthCHealthier than 31% of U.S. townsClimate96°/42°Summer high · winter lowSchoolsC+Beats 44% of TX districtsHousing$316K6% above the TX typical homeSafetyB−Less crime than 46% of U.S. townsHazards53/100Moderate risk of storm & flood damage
Now in Columbus
What neighbors are saying. Town Square →
Residents weigh in
Columbus is #40 of 486 in TX for “Fastest-rising home prices”. Fair?
Your answer becomes a post in Columbus’s Town Square.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Columbus. Another town gets a different order.
Outdoors
4.4% of Columbus is conserved land
1.4 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves.
#188for trails in TX
4.4%
conserved · 85 of 1,924 acres
1.4 mi
of trails · 0.5 per sq mi
#168
most conserved land in TX
#182
most walkable in TX
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Cardinal Park | — | 6 |
| 2. Midtown Park | 0.1 mi | 5 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-USParks & trails →
Work & commute
About one in four working residents works right in Columbus
About one in 4 of Columbus’s working residents works in town. The top destinations are Houston (20%), Austin (2%) and Weimar (2%). Half commute less than 46 miles.
23%work in town
Where working residents work
In Columbus23%
Houston20%
Austin2%
Weimar2%
Schulenburg1%
46 mi
median commute distance
2,372
jobs based in Columbus
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACSCommute map →
Health
Healthier than 31% of U.S. towns
Columbus beats the Texas average on 2 of 26 CDC measures and trails it on 10.
CHealth Grade
26 measures vs. Texas
2 better14 too close to call10 worse
| What stands out | Columbus | TX |
|---|---|---|
| More adults screened for colon cancer | 64.2% | 57.9% |
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 80% | 74.1% |
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 20.2% | 12.5% |
Columbus Community Hospital
1.1 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: mental health
48th
percentile among TX towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSAFull health report →
Climate
Mild winters, hot summers
Columbus has warm winters and hot summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 95°, a January night drops to 42°, and snow is almost unheard of.
96°summer high
Typical low → high °F
Winter44–65°
Spring59–80°
Summer73–95°
Fall59–82°
Nov 20
typical first frost
Mar 9
typical last frost
+1.5°
vs. the 20th-century average
96°
typical summer high
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020Full climate →
Schools
Columbus’s public schools outperform 44% of Texas districts
The public schools Columbus’s kids attend, from kindergarten through graduation, trail 56% of Texas’s districts on state tests and graduation. Among towns with similar incomes, they sit near the middle.
C+School Grade
| School | Grades | Students | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Columbus El | PK–5 | 798 | B− |
| St. Anthony School Private | PK–8 | 234 | |
| Columbus J H | 6–8 | 323 | B− |
| Columbus H S | 9–12 | 524 | B− |
| Columbus Crossing H S | 11–12 | 14 | Not graded |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within TX on state tests and graduationAll 5 schools →
Housing
A typical Columbus home is worth about $316K
The typical Columbus home is worth about $316,000, down 2.8% in a year, 6% above the Texas typical home.
$316KZillow home value
Typical home value
Columbus$316K
Texas$299K
−2.8%
value change, 1 year
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data CenterHousing market →
Safety
Less crime per resident than 46% of U.S. towns
Columbus reports more crime per resident than most U.S. towns we grade: about 54% report less.
B−Safety Grade
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Columbus4.3
Texas3.5
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Columbus5.5
Texas18.1
U.S.15.5
46th
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
50th
percentile among TX towns
17
violent crimes reported in 2025
22
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to policeFull safety report →
Natural hazards
Moderate risk, with inland flooding at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 53% of U.S. communities.
53risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingHurricanesCold waves
10
paid flood claims since 1991
6
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMANatural hazards →
Landmarks
6 places in Columbus on the National Register of Historic Places.
About Columbus
City in Texas, United States
Columbus is a city in and the county seat of Colorado County in southeastern Texas, United States. Its population was 3,699 as of the 2020 census. It is located on the Colorado River. The Colorado County Courthouse is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. A Santa Claus museum is located in Columbus.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1821
- Population
- 3,699
- Area
- 2.9 sq mi
- Elevation
- 203 ft
- ZIP code
- 78934
- Area code
- 979
Columbus’s neighbors
One town shares a border with Columbus.