Median Income
$71,250
household / year
Median Home Value
$112,500
owner-occupied
Median Rent
$920
gross / month
Cost of Living
93
national avg = 100

Is Columbus, IL a Good Place to Live?

Columbus is a small town of 106 in Illinois, with a median household income of $71,250 . Its cost of living index is 93 (US average = 100), which is 7% below the national average.

Strengths: Columbus stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices.

Trade-offs: Potential downsides include longer commutes. Whether Columbus is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All Columbus city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.

Cost of Living

Index: 93.1

Columbus's overall cost of living index is 93.1, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Columbus costs roughly 7% less than the average American city.

Metric Columbus, IL National Avg
Median Home Value $112,500 $244,900
Median Monthly Rent $920 $1,163
Homeownership Rate 81.0% 65.9%
Median Household Income $71,250 $74,755

Crime & Safety

Crime data for Columbus is not currently available from the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program. Not all local agencies report to the UCR each year.

Schools & Education

Metric Columbus, IL National Avg
School District N/A —
Elementary Schools N/A —
Middle Schools N/A —
High Schools N/A —
Student/Teacher Ratio N/A 16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 26.5% 35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher 97.1% 91.1%

Weather & Climate

Columbus sees average highs of 34.6°F in January and 86.0°F in July, with 36.4 inches of annual precipitation and 17.0 inches of snow per year.

MetricColumbus, IL
Average High — January34.6°F
Average High — July86.0°F
Annual Precipitation36.4"
Annual Snowfall17.0"

Demographics

MetricColumbus, ILNational Avg
Population106—
Median Age36.638.9
Unemployment Rate0.0%3.7%
Avg Commute Time45.8 min26 min
White (non-Hispanic)99.1%59.3%
Black or African American0.0%13.6%
Hispanic or Latino0.0%18.9%
Asian0.0%6.3%
Under 1830.2%22.2%
65 and over15.1%16.8%

Nearby Cities

Coatsburg, IL 3 mi Paloma, IL 4 mi Camp Point, IL 5 mi Fowler, IL 6 mi Liberty, IL 8 mi

Columbus vs Other Cities

Columbus, IL vs Coatsburg, IL Columbus, IL vs Paloma, IL Columbus, IL vs Camp Point, IL Columbus, IL vs Fowler, IL Columbus, IL vs Liberty, IL

Frequently Asked Questions

Columbus's cost of living index is 93, where 100 is the national average. That makes Columbus roughly 7% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage. The median home price is $112,500 and median rent is $920/month.
Crime data for Columbus is not available in the current FBI UCR reporting year. Not all jurisdictions submit data annually.
School district information is sourced from NCES Common Core of Data.
Columbus, IL has a population of 106, a median household income of $71,250, and an unemployment rate of 0.0%. It offers below-average costs of living, which stretches take-home pay further than in most American cities. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Columbus averages 34.6°F in January and 86.0°F in July. Annual rainfall is 36.4 inches with about 17.0 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
The population of Columbus, Illinois is 106 with a median age of 36.6. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Columbus: cost of living index 93 (100 = US average), median home $112,500, median household income $71,250. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Columbus side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.