Small-town market profile · Nebraska
Columbus, NE area market data
Population, household spending and competition for 56 business types in the Columbus area, each scored against other small-town markets.
- Population, 2025
- 46,583
- +3.8% since 2020
- Households
- 17,365
- Median household income
- $75,378
- Median home value
- $210,600
- Jobs located here
- 25,969
- Highest market score
- 83
- Optometrists and eye care, #11 of 400 scored small-town markets
A site report maps the competitors on map listings around any address in the Columbus area by name and distance, and the households and spending within reach. Or open the report at the center of the Columbus area. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardSurvey estimates 2020–2024 · population estimates 2025 · official business counts 2023 · map listings September 2026 · Data credits · How we measure
What this means
An estimated 46,583 people live in the Columbus area, in 17,365 households. Population estimates put the population change in the Columbus area from 2020 to 2025 at +3.8%, faster than the U.S. (+3.1%). The median household income in the Columbus area is $75,378 a year, 7% below the U.S. median of $80,734.
Set against the U.S., households in the Columbus area spend the most on vehicle maintenance and repairs (an index of 127, where 100 is the U.S. average) and the least on child care and other personal services (63).
The highest Groundwork market scores in the Columbus area are for optometrists and eye clinics (83), dentists and orthodontists (82) and convenience stores (82). The Columbus area ranks #11 of 400 scored small-town markets for optometrists and eye clinics.
The Columbus area takes in 2 counties: Platte County and Colfax County. For its number of households, the Columbus area has the most map listings, relative to the U.S., for chiropractors (81% above the U.S. rate) and the fewest for dentists and orthodontists (52% below the U.S. rate).
All 56 business types in the Columbus area
Highest Groundwork market score first. Each score compares the Columbus area with other small-town markets for that business type, from 0 to 100. Spending per listing divides a whole spending line (all vehicle repairs, all eating out) by one type’s listings: the demand for each competitor, not a business’s revenue. Compare it across markets with its index, where 100 is the U.S. figure for the same type; the real estate types, whose line is all housing costs, show the index only. How the score works.
| Business type | Score | Rank among small-town markets | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Spending per listing vs. U.S. (100) | Official establishments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Optometrists and eye care | 83 | #11 of 400 | 6 | 3.5 | $4M | 127 | Under 3 |
| Dentists and orthodontists | 82 | #12 of 526 | 11 | 6.3 | $2.2M | 220 | 11 |
| Convenience stores | 82 | #14 of 529 | 13 | 7.5 | $8M | 101 | Under 3 |
| Primary care and pediatrics | 77 | #32 of 458 | 5 | 2.9 | $4.8M | 268 | 24 |
| Sit-down restaurants | 74 | #53 of 538 | 90 | 51.8 | $727K | 109 | 24 |
| Spas and skin care | 73 | #34 of 504 | 5 | 2.9 | $3.4M | 383 | 5 |
| Landscaping and lawn care | 72 | #48 of 399 | 5 | 2.9 | $4.1M | 142 | 12 |
| Doctors, dentists and clinics | 72 | #67 of 538 | 82 | 47.2 | $291K | 191 | 57 |
| Martial arts and dance studios | 71 | #43 of 378 | 5 | 2.9 | $2.8M | 141 | 4 |
| Salons, barbers and spas | 71 | #47 of 538 | 53 | 30.5 | $316K | 149 | 14 |
| Nail salons | 71 | #56 of 387 | 8 | 4.6 | $2.1M | 125 | Under 3 |
| Lawn, cleaning and pest control | 68 | #73 of 481 | 8 | 4.6 | $2.6M | 154 | 21 |
| Physical therapy | 67 | #74 of 400 | 7 | 4.0 | $3.4M | 142 | 9 |
| Gyms, studios and classes | 67 | #75 of 535 | 17 | 9.8 | $834K | 126 | 8 |
| Hair salons | 67 | #79 of 538 | 36 | 20.7 | $465K | 108 | 8 |
| Restaurants and cafes | 67 | #106 of 538 | 181 | 104.2 | $361K | 97 | 68 |
| Gyms | 66 | #81 of 506 | 12 | 6.9 | $1.2M | 91 | 4 |
| Gas stations | 66 | #106 of 536 | 23 | 13.2 | $2.4M | 99 | 32 |
| Collision repair and body shops | 64 | #95 of 387 | 7 | 4.0 | $3M | 98 | 8 |
| HVAC and plumbing | 64 | #96 of 476 | 8 | 4.6 | $5.7M | 120 | 19 |
| Pet businesses | 64 | #104 of 527 | 18 | 10.4 | $784K | 89 | 10 |
| Fast food and sandwich shops | 64 | #146 of 537 | 25 | 14.4 | $2.6M | 86 | 32 |
| Roofing and gutters | 62 | #73 of 288 | 6 | 3.5 | $7.6M | 90 | Under 3 |
| Grocery and convenience stores | 61 | #173 of 538 | 42 | 24.2 | $2.5M | 73 | 11 |
| Tire shops | 58 | #159 of 431 | 11 | 6.3 | $1.9M | 77 | 5 |
| Bakeries and dessert shops | 58 | #175 of 507 | 16 | 9.2 | $4.1M | 99 | 10 |
| Pizza | 57 | #181 of 520 | 19 | 10.9 | $3.4M | 68 | 32 |
| Coffee shops and cafes | 57 | #198 of 529 | 19 | 10.9 | $3.4M | 93 | 10 |
| Car washes and detailing | 54 | #185 of 441 | 10 | 5.8 | $2.1M | 84 | 7 |
| Home repair trades | 54 | #215 of 526 | 20 | 11.5 | $2.3M | 94 | 37 |
| Real estate | 53 | #227 of 536 | 33 | 19.0 | Index only | 167 | 27 |
| Electricians | 50 | #157 of 295 | 6 | 3.5 | $7.6M | 64 | 18 |
| Grocery stores | 50 | #271 of 506 | 15 | 8.6 | $6.9M | 74 | 10 |
| Real estate agents and brokers | 49 | #273 of 533 | 28 | 16.1 | Index only | 156 | 19 |
| Auto repair shops | 49 | #293 of 538 | 57 | 32.8 | $371K | 83 | 36 |
| Auto repair and car care | 47 | #306 of 538 | 100 | 57.6 | $211K | 79 | 51 |
| Clothing, shoes and laundry | 46 | #312 of 536 | 47 | 27.1 | $700K | 80 | 19 |
| Clothing and shoe stores | 45 | #316 of 536 | 36 | 20.7 | $914K | 72 | 19 |
| Child care and preschools | 41 | #312 of 454 | 14 | 8.1 | $456K | 46 | 10 |
| Chiropractors | 40 | #291 of 426 | 17 | 9.8 | $1.4M | 59 | 13 |
| Veterinarians | 38 | #284 of 398 | 10 | 5.8 | $1.4M | 52 | 10 |
| Insurance agencies | 35 | #400 of 537 | 30 | 17.3 | $1.1M | 87 | 40 |
| Barbershops | Not scored | Not scored | 4 | 2.3 | $4.2M | 222 | Under 3 |
| Funeral homes | Not scored | Not scored | 4 | 2.3 | $664K | 98 | 4 |
| Pet grooming and boarding | Not scored | Not scored | 4 | 2.3 | $3.5M | 139 | Under 3 |
| Laundromats | Not scored | Not scored | 3 | 1.7 | $11M | 88 | Under 3 |
| Mortgage brokers and lenders | Not scored | Not scored | 3 | 1.7 | Index only | 203 | Under 3 |
| Dry cleaners | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 1.2 | $16.5M | Too few | Under 3 |
| House cleaning | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 1.2 | $10.4M | Too few | 9 |
| Oil change and quick lube | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 1.2 | $10.6M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Pet stores | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 1.2 | $7.1M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Home inspectors | Not scored | Not scored | 1 | 0.6 | Index only | Too few | Under 3 |
| Pest control | Not scored | Not scored | 1 | 0.6 | $20.7M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Property management | Not scored | Not scored | 1 | 0.6 | Index only | Too few | Under 3 |
| Urgent care and walk-in clinics | Not scored | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Yoga, Pilates and fitness studios | Not scored | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | 4 |
Household spending in the Columbus area
What households here spend in a year on each line, in total and per household, with the index against the U.S. average (100).
| Spending line | A year, all households | Per household | Index vs. U.S. (100) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle maintenance and repairs | $21.1M | $1,218 | 127 |
| Gasoline and other fuels | $54.2M | $3,119 | 120 |
| Food away from home | $65.4M | $3,766 | 93 |
| Groceries | $103.6M | $5,968 | 94 |
| Personal care products and services | $16.8M | $965 | 96 |
| Child care and other personal services | $6.4M | $368 | 63 |
| Memberships, classes and admissions | $14.2M | $817 | 83 |
| Medical and dental services | $23.9M | $1,374 | 107 |
| Pets | $14.1M | $813 | 89 |
| Clothing, shoes and related services | $32.9M | $1,895 | 92 |
| Vehicle insurance | $33M | $1,898 | 97 |
| Home repairs, maintenance and insurance | $45.8M | $2,635 | 87 |
| Lawn care, cleaning and other household services | $20.7M | $1,195 | 84 |
| Rent and homeowner costs | $238.1M | $13,711 | 82 |
Household spending is estimated from the incomes of the households in each neighborhood, using what households at each income spent nationally in 2024, adjusted for the region. It counts what residents spend, wherever they spend it.
Population and households in the Columbus area
- Population, 2025 estimate
- 46,583+3.8% since 2020
- Households
- 17,365
- Median age
- 37.2
- Homes lived in by their owners
- 73%
- Vehicles per household
- 2.1
- Land area
- 1,087 sq. mi.
- People per square mile
- 42
- Median household income
- $75,378
- Average household income
- $93,046
- Median home value
- $210,600
- Jobs located here
- 25,969
- Daytime population
- 46,840Residents who don’t work, plus everyone whose job is here
Looking at a specific site in the Columbus area?
These figures cover the whole small-town market. A site report draws rings around one address and counts what’s inside them: households, spending, jobs, and the competitors on map listings by name and distance, for any of the 56 business types.
Or open the report at the center of the Columbus area. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardRelated markets
Counties in the Columbus area 2
- Platte County, NE34,716 people
- Colfax County, NE10,641 people
Other markets based in Nebraska 11
- Omaha, NE-IA metro area982,064 people
- Lincoln, NE metro area344,337 people
- Grand Island, NE metro area76,794 people
- Kearney, NE area57,292 people
- Norfolk, NE area48,653 people
- Hastings, NE area40,507 people
- Fremont, NE area37,351 people
- Scottsbluff, NE area36,585 people
- North Platte, NE area34,575 people
- Lexington, NE area26,242 people
- Beatrice, NE area21,629 people
Questions
How fast is the Columbus, NE area growing?
Population estimates put the Columbus area at 46,583 people in 2025, up 3.8% since 2020, faster than the U.S. (+3.1%). It has 17,365 households.
How much do households in the Columbus, NE area spend?
Households in the Columbus area spend about $238.1M a year on rent and homeowner costs, $103.6M on groceries and $65.4M on food away from home. Relative to the U.S., household spending in the Columbus area runs highest on vehicle maintenance and repairs (an index of 127, where 100 is the U.S. average) and lowest on child care and other personal services (63).
Which business types have the highest market scores in the Columbus, NE area?
Of the business types scored in the Columbus area, optometrists and eye clinics (83), dentists and orthodontists (82) and convenience stores (82) have the highest Groundwork market scores. For optometrists and eye clinics, that ranks #11 of 400 scored small-town markets.
How does the Columbus, NE area compare with the U.S.?
Median household income in the Columbus area is $75,378, 7% below the U.S. median of $80,734. The population rose 3.8% from 2020 to 2025, against +3.1% for the U.S. The median home value is $210,600, against $332,700 for the U.S. Against the U.S., map listings per household run highest for chiropractors (81% above the U.S. rate) and lowest for dentists and orthodontists (52% below the U.S. rate).
What is the Groundwork market score?
The Groundwork market score runs from 0 to 100 and compares a market with others of its kind for one business type: states with states, metro areas with metro areas, small-town markets and counties with their own. A small-town market is a town of 10,000 to 50,000 people and the county or counties tied to it by commuting. It weighs household spending per competitor (35%), households per business with payroll (25%), population growth (20%) and spending power (20%), each ranked against those peers. A higher score means that, taken together, the market has more household spending and more households for each business already there, faster population growth and more spending per household than similar markets. It describes a market, not any one site or deal. 42 of the 56 business types have a score in the Columbus area, each ranked against other small-town markets.
How can I see the market around a specific site?
Run a Groundwork site report on an address in the Columbus area. It maps the competitors on map listings near the site and sizes the households and spending within the distance you choose. New accounts get 10 actions over 3 days, no card.
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Screening a site or an acquisition in the Columbus area?
A site report maps the competitors on map listings near an address and sizes the households and spending around it.
The button opens the report at the center of the Columbus area. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Figures are estimates for research only. Not investment or real estate advice.