A small city of hardworking trades folks
Miles from Nebraska’s metropolitan centers, Columbus carves out an industrial niche for itself at the confluence of the Loup and Platte rivers. Mid-sized manufacturers have planted roots here and encourage working families to do the same. “We’re a small town of maybe 17,000 people, and we have a lot of blue-collar folks,” says Realtor Jose Garcia of Re/Max Total Realty. “A lot of people come to work here for factory jobs.” Factories are clustered in the city’s east end. On the weekends, working folks can play at one of many parks or simply relax by the rivers. “You get a little bit of everything; y’know, small stuff,” says Garcia.
BD Pharmaceutical Systems employs over 2,000 workers in the city, and according to the Columbus Area Chamber of Commerce, the county’s workforce has grown at a faster rate than Nebraska’s over the past two decades.
Home prices remain low, despite a tight market
Much of the area inside Columbus city limits is residential. Block after block of single-family homes take shape with sidewalk-lined, tree-covered streets. Lot sizes are mostly around a tenth-acre, except for the outliers priced higher than the typical range of $230,000 to $330,000. “I think the housing market is pretty tight right now,” says Garcia. The median price is $270,000.
Small parks, a river and a golf course all in one city
Smaller parks with a playground, sports courts or both are ubiquitous in Columbus. The city's public golf course, Quail Run, sponsors leagues, conducts lessons and offers five different tee positions for all levels of players. Wilderness Park Soccer Complex also hosts youth and adult leagues, and indoor play is available at the YMCA. But perhaps the biggest outdoor source of entertainment is the river. “A lot of people like going on the Platte River for air boating in the summer, or four-wheeling,” says Garcia.
Coming together for year-round fun
Columbus is always packed with events. This is true year-round, whether it’s a comedy or karaoke night in the winter months or golf tournaments in the spring.
Stopping for a bite on 33rd Avenue
The city’s restaurants largely operate in two areas: the intersection of 33rd Avenue and 23rd Street and the blocks surrounding Frankfort Square Park. Bars and cafes are prevalent, as are a blend of locally owned and fast food restaurants. Two culinary staples of the area are Mexican and Japanese food. Multiple grocery stores hug 23rd Street, so residents’ weekly shopping trips often conveniently converge here.
Columbus Public Schools
Students in Columbus can attend Columbus Public Schools, rated B overall by Niche. Some 4,000 students go to class across the district’s eight schools. With a student-to-teacher ratio of 16-to-1, the district is slightly ahead of the national average of 17 students for every one teacher.
Calling ahead for the CAT
Columbus doesn’t have a fixed-route bus network but instead relies on an on-demand system operated by Columbus Area Transit. The service is conducted on a first-come, first-served basis. Columbus Community Hospital lies 2 miles northwest of the city center.
Crime and pollutants in Columbus
The FBI’s crime data indicates that the rates of property crimes are lower in Columbus than Nebraska or the United States overall. Violent crimes also are reported at a lower rate than the state and national averages.
Residential properties in Columbus are at a moderate risk of being damaged by wildfires, according to First Street; however, the city’s more pressing concern is that of ethylene oxide pollution in the air. In 2022, the EPA investigated and estimated that one additional Columbus resident per 10,000 near industrial locations would contract some form of cancer.
