Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Columbus gives you more for your money than most places: homes are within reach, about $279K for a typical one, or 3.5 years of the Columbus metro’s $80K median household income. It grades B+ overall, 200th of 585 graded towns in Indiana. On the plus side, crime is low: it reports less per resident than 88% of U.S. towns. 56% of working residents work locally in Columbus, above both Indiana’s towns (11%) and U.S. towns (8%). Its National Register listings include Irwin Union Bank and Trust and North Christian Church. Columbus is more walkable than 70% of U.S. towns.
Where Columbus beats most towns.
First Baptist Church
First Baptist Church is one of 6 National Historic Landmarks here, the National Register’s top tier. Its 14 National Register listings are more than in 95% of Indiana towns with a listing.
Census counts: 1,008 in 1850, 50,474 in 2020. The archive holds 12 old photos and papers going back to 1973 and 3 maps from 1958 on.
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Indiana), ordered by how far Columbus is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Who provides power, water and the rest in Columbus, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
Ordered by what stands out in Columbus.
Columbus draws workers from Indianapolis and beyond and looks healthier within Indiana than nationally, but it has seen reported crime rise by about half.
21 miles of trail in 14 parks and preserves. Columbus’ trail density is 0.7 miles per square mile. The biggest place to walk is Mill Race Park, 83 acres with 2.4 miles of trail.
| Columbus | Indiana towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.7 miles per square mile | 0.2 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 2.4% | 1.9% | 4.3% |
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Mill Race Park | 2.4 mi | 83 |
| 2. Pauline Crump Nature Preserve | 1.1 mi | 42 |
| 3. Clifty Creek Park | 1 mi | 64 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
42,734 jobs are based in Columbus, 1.8 for every working resident, so most of the people who work here commute in.
The average trip to work in Columbus is 19 minutes. Jobs based in Columbus grew to 42,734 in 2023, 3,827 more than in 2013. 16% of workers work from home in Columbus.
| Columbus | Indiana towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 19 minutes | 24 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Work from home | 16% | 7.8% | 11% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Reported crimes rose from 68 to 676 over the last three FBI years, a rise beyond ordinary year-to-year swings. Violent crime is rare: 41 reported in 2025, 0.8 per 1,000 residents.
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Columbus has chilly winters and warm summers. July afternoons reach 86°, January nights drop to 22° and about 16 inches of snow falls in a winter.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
61% of Columbus households own their home. The typical Columbus home is worth about $279,000, up 2.2% in a year, 8% above the Indiana typical home.
| Columbus | Indiana towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 61% | 76% | 73% |
| Renters paying 30%+ of income on rent | 42% | 44% | 48% |
| Median rent | $1,157 a month | $946 a month | $1,185 a month |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
264 flood insurance claims have been filed here, and 17 properties have flooded more than once.
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 57% of U.S. communities. Since 1978, 264 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Columbus.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Within Indiana it is healthier than 74% of the 589 graded towns: much of Indiana scores lower on these measures.
Columbus beats the Indiana average on 2 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 0.
| Columbus | Indiana towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 13% | 15% | 14% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 17% | 14% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 25% | 26% | 23% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 38% | 39% | 35% |
| What stands out | Columbus | IN |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth | 11.5% | 15.4% |
| Fewer adults who have had a stroke | 3.2% | 3.5% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Columbus. Close and well known come first.
in town MuseumMiller House and Garden
32 mi Stadium & arenaMemorial Stadium
32 mi Stadium & arenaSimon Skjodt Assembly Hallin town MuseumZaharakosin town GardenMill Race Park
32 mi MuseumEskenazi Museum of ArtMiller House and Garden: Nyttend, Public domain · Memorial Stadium: Durin at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall: Sean Benham from Chicago, CC BY 2.0 · Eskenazi Museum of Art: Kzollman (Kevin J.S. Zollman)., CC BY-SA 3.0
None within 15 miles of Columbus; the nearest are
About 4 of every 100 Columbus residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Indiana.
44,061 counted in 2010 and 50,474 in 2020; an estimated 52,655 in 2025.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts · Census Bureau estimate, July 1, 2025
14 places in Columbus on the National Register of Historic Places.
City in Indiana, United States
Columbus () is a city in and the county seat of Bartholomew County, Indiana, United States. The population was 50,474 at the 2020 census. The city is known for its architectural significance, having commissioned noted works of modern architecture and public art since the mid-20th century; the annual program Exhibit Columbus celebrates this legacy. Located about 40 mi (64 km) south of Indianapolis, on the east fork of the White River, it is the state's 20th-largest city. It is the principal city of the Columbus, Indiana, metropolitan statistical area, which encompasses all of Bartholomew County. Columbus is the birthplace of former Indiana Governor and former Vice President of the United Sta…
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
4 towns share a border with Columbus.
It grades higher overall than all 3 graded towns on its borders; Clay Township (B+) comes closest.
| Town | IN rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbus · Columbus Township | #200 | B+ | B | A | B− | B− |
| Harrison Township | #435 | C+ | C+ | — | B− | B− |
| Clay Township | #239 | B+ | A | — | B− | C+ |
| German Township | #359 | B− | A | — | B− | C |
Harrison Township, Clay Township and German Township report no FBI crime data of their own. Columbus Township and Columbus are one community, graded once. Compare Columbus with a neighbor →
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
By most measures, yes. Columbus grades B+ overall, better than 74% of U.S. towns and #200 of 585 in Indiana. It grades B− for health, A for safety and B− for schools.
Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades B.
