The Town FilesColumbus, Indiana
City in Bartholomew County · population 50,474 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $244,200
- Household income
- $77,456
- Jan low / Jul high
- 22° / 86°
- Snow a year
- 16 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 17
- Median age
- 36.5
Columbus is a city of 50,474 people in Bartholomew County, Indiana. The median home is worth $244,200, above the typical Indiana town ($150,400). It ranks better for young professionals than 94% of Indiana towns, better for a vacation home than 93% of Indiana towns, more upscale than 89% of Indiana towns.
How Columbus ranks
Percentile among Indiana towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Indiana towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Columbus is worth $244,200, above the typical Indiana town ($150,400). Homes cost about 3.2 times the median household income of $77,456, which is more affordable than 15% of Indiana towns. Median rent is $1,157 a month. 60.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Columbus | Typical Indiana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $244,200 | $150,400 |
| Median rent | $1,157 | $888 |
| Median household income | $77,456 | $61,953 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.2× | 2.5× |
| Homeownership | 60.8% | 73.4% |
| Median year built | 1982 | 1966 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.5% | — |
Who lives in Columbus
| People | Columbus | Typical Indiana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 36.5 | 38.9 |
| Age 65 and over | 16.0% | 17.1% |
| Under 18 | 23.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 40.0% | 17.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 11.3% | 11.6% |
| Veterans | 5.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 15.9% | — |
| Work from home | 15.6% | 6.2% |
| Average commute | 19.4 min | 24.7 min |
| Homes with broadband | 94.3% | 89.2% |
Weather in Columbus
July highs average 86.1°F and January lows 21.5°F. About 47.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 16.3 inches of snow (typical Indiana town: 21.1 in). Expect about 22 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 108 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
17 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Columbus since 1950, compared with 23 for the typical Indiana town. 7 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on April 3, 1974 about 9.8 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 21, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 34 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on May 25, 2011.
Severe weather in Bartholomew County since 1996
Bartholomew County has been included in 13 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| August 15, 2026 | Flood | EM-3651: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| January 24, 2026 | Winter Storm | EM-3641: Severe Winter Storm |
| July 22, 2025 | Flood | DR-4882: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| April 3, 2020 | Biological | DR-4515: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3456: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in Bartholomew County
Bartholomew County had 50,188 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $73,397 a year. Unemployment was 2.8% in 2023; in Columbus itself the ACS puts it at 4.7%.
Public schools in Columbus
16 public schools with 11,067 students, about 16.2 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Columbus North High School | 9-12 | 2,267 | 13.5 |
| Columbus East High School | 9-12 | 1,518 | 17.3 |
| Southside Elementary School | PK-6 | 893 | 18.6 |
| Northside Middle School | 7-8 | 878 | 14.9 |
| Central Middle School | 7-8 | 822 | 15.5 |
| Parkside Elementary School | PK-6 | 724 | 16.5 |
| Lillian Schmitt Elementary School | PK-6 | 689 | 18.1 |
| Clifty Creek Elementary School | PK-6 | 679 | 15.4 |
| W D Richards Elementary School | PK-6 | 608 | 20.3 |
| L F Smith Elementary | PK-6 | 431 | 15.4 |
| Mount Healthy Elementary School | PK-6 | 406 | 17.7 |
| CSA Lincoln Campus | K-6 | 366 | 21.5 |
Towns near Columbus
- Edinburgh, IN10.3 mi · 4,435 people · home $154,500
- Country Squire Lakes, IN17.2 mi · 3,558 people · home $26,600
- Seymour, IN18.1 mi · 21,569 people · home $162,800
- North Vernon, IN20.5 mi · 6,608 people · home $128,600
- Franklin, IN21.1 mi · 25,313 people · home $231,500
- Brownstown, IN23.6 mi · 3,025 people · home $146,600
- Greensburg, IN24.6 mi · 12,312 people · home $191,400
- Shelbyville, IN24.7 mi · 20,067 people · home $174,700
Columbus questions
Is Columbus, Indiana a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Columbus scores better for retirees than 80% of Indiana towns and quieter than 16%. 16.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 36.5).
How much does a house cost in Columbus?
The median owner-occupied home in Columbus is valued at $244,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $77,456, so homes cost about 3.2 times income. Median rent is $1,157 a month.
What is the weather like in Columbus?
July highs average 86.1°F and January lows 21.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 47.3 inches of precipitation a year and 16.3 inches of snow.
Does Columbus get tornadoes?
17 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Columbus since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on April 3, 1974. The typical Indiana town has had 23.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)