Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
No town among the 143 in Kentucky we compare has a lower share of adults with a bachelor’s degree than Columbus. Columbus-Belmont Civil War State Park is on the National Register of Historic Places. Columbus has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Where Columbus beats most towns.
Census counts: 196 in 1830, a peak of 1,574 in 1870, 140 in 2020. The archive holds 21 old photos and papers going back to 1862 and 3 maps from 1951 on.
1 place on the National Register of Historic Places.
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.
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 86% of U.S. communities.
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Columbus has chilly winters and warm summers, with plenty of rain. At 89°F, Columbus’ July high is above both Kentucky’s towns (87°F) and U.S. towns (85°F).
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Columbus beats the Kentucky average on 3 of 31 CDC measures and trails it on 1. 42% of Columbus adults have high blood pressure, above both the Kentucky town median (38%) and the median of U.S. towns (35%). 13% of adults binge drink in Columbus.
| Columbus | Kentucky towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 42% | 38% | 35% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 13% | 14% | 16% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 14% | 13% | 12% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 16% | 18% | 17% |
| What stands out | Columbus | KY |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth | 15.3% | 18.9% |
| Fewer smokers | 15.2% | 18.5% |
| More adults with heart disease | 9.3% | 8.2% |
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.
31 mi LakeReelfoot Lake16 mi Ancient siteFort Defiance
in town MuseumColumbus-Belmont State Park
18 mi MuseumMagnolia Manor22 mi MuseumDiscovery Park of AmericaReelfoot Lake: User:JeremyA, CC BY-SA 2.5 · Columbus-Belmont State Park: Knowledgeum at en.wikipedia, Public domain · Magnolia Manor: MuZemike, CC BY-SA 3.0
None within 15 miles of Columbus; the nearest are
About 3 of every 100 Columbus residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Kentucky.
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
City in Kentucky, United States
Columbus is a home rule-class city in Hickman County, Kentucky, in the United States. The population was 140 at the 2020 census, a decline from 229 in 2000. The city lies at the western end of the state, less than a mile from the Mississippi River. Columbus-Belmont State Park borders the city to the west.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Columbus has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
2 notable people were born here, including Norman Edsall and Edmund Haynes Taylor.
