Columbus is a rural city with easy access to the Joplin area
Columbus is a small city with a rich agricultural history in the southeast corner of Kansas. “People here can live more rural lives and still be close to amenities,” says Shelly Hildebrandt, a Realtor with Cobb Realty who has sold a handful of homes in the area. “Columbus is about 20 or 25 minutes from Joplin, a larger metropolitan area where Columbus residents can go for shopping without feeling like they’re in a crowded city.” Just under 3,000 people call the city home, many of them working in agribusiness, construction and health care. Farming has long played a central role in the city’s economy. “Columbus has a huge farmers’ co-op where they have a lot of grain-handling facilities,” Hildebrandt says.
Vintage and midcentury homes share Columbus' grid-patterned streets
Columbus’ grid-patterned streets are home to a mixture of homes built throughout the 20th century, plus a few homes that date to the 1870s. Small cottages, most built in the first few decades of the 20th century, sell for $40,000 to $160,000. Larger, newer ranch-style homes from the 1970s to 2010s go for $160,000 to $420,000. “Columbus isn’t growing too fast, but there’s been a little bit of new homebuilding,” Hildebrandt says. Newer homes tend to be located in the outskirts, while the city interior includes tree-shaded residential lanes with a sidewalk. Columbus’ median home sale price of $131,000 is well below the Joplin median of $190,400 and the Pittsburg median of $150,000.
Western-style shopping streets include diverse food options
The intersection of Pennsylvania Avenue and Maple Street is full of vintage false-front buildings that now house banks, laundromats and other businesses. Norma’s Diner serves classic diner fare like biscuits and gravy inside a building from 1889. Next door, Los Luna’s Mexican Restaurant immerses customers in Mexican culture through its colorful walls, its photographs and paintings and its extensive menu. A block away, Brea’s Bakery Nook sells fresh food like jalapeno popper bagels and scones. At the city’s eastern edge, U.S. Route 69 is home to the local Apple Market grocery store and several chain restaurants.
Columbus' parks offer playground recreation with a twist
At the city’s southern edge, Columbus City Park includes a playground, basketball and tennis courts and a swimming pool, and Columbus Day sees this park host a Hot Air Balloon Regatta. On Columbus’ eastern border, Reeves City Park offers a unique take on a playground, including both a typical play area as well as a xylophone station and bicycle ramps conducive to bike stunts. Eddington Park at the city’s northwest corner consists entirely of open fields, and portable soccer goals are available for setup.
Columbus Senior High encourages community involvement
Students can start their education at Park Elementary School followed by Highland Elementary School for grades 2 to 3; both schools receive a B-minus rating from Niche. Central Elementary School receives a C-plus, and Columbus Junior/Senior High School receives a B-minus. The high school helps students build a stronger community by issuing “Titan tickets” to students who display compassion or perform good deeds; students can use the tickets to stock up on snacks or pay for library fees.
Nearby highways connect Columbus to Joplin and Pittsburg
Columbus’ location along U.S. Routes 69 and 160 puts it within a 25-mile drive from both Pittsburg, Kansas and Joplin, Missouri, two regional employment and shopping hubs. Residents have access to local health care at Mercy Hospital Columbus, which has served the community for over a century.
Written By
Jacob Adelhoch
