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 pivoted to one based on agriculture, manufacturing, and...
| Ethnicity | Columbus | USA |
|---|---|---|
| White | 73.9% | 60.1% |
| African American | 0.5% | 12.2% |
| American Indian | 0.3% | 0.6% |
| Asian | 0.7% | 5.6% |
| Hawaiian | 0% | 0.2% |
| Multiracial | 1.4% | 2.8% |
| Hispanic | 23.2% | 18.2% |
| Other | 0% | 0.3% |
| HOUSEHOLD INCOME | Columbus | USA |
|---|---|---|
| Less than $10,000 | 2.3% | 5.8% |
| $10,000 to $14,999 | 5.3% | 4.1% |
| $15,000 to $24,999 | 7.6% | 8.5% |
| $25,000 to $34,999 | 12.3% | 8.6% |
| $35,000 to $49,999 | 16.4% | 12.0% |
| $50,000 to $74,999 | 19.2% | 17.2% |
| $75,000 to $99,999 | 17.7% | 12.8% |
| $100,000 to $149,999 | 12.5% | 15.6% |
| $150,000 to $199,999 | 3% | 7.1% |
| Education | Columbus | USA |
|---|---|---|
| < 9th Grade | 5% | 5.0% |
| 9-12th Grade | 5% | 7.0% |
| High School or GED | 29% | 27.0% |
| Other College | 25% | 20.0% |
| Associate's Degree | 13% | 9% |
| Bachelor's Degree | 15% | 20.0% |
| Master's Degree | 7% | 9.0% |
| Professional Degree | 1% | 2.0% |
| Doctorate Degree | 0% | 1.0% |