Town guide

Columbus, Kansas

Columbus is a city in Cherokee County, Kansas, home to about 2,881 people across 2.4 square miles. Its ZIP code is 66725.

Homes sold for a median of $73 per square foot in the three months ending August 2026, a buyer’s market.

Population2,8811,186 per sq mi
Median home value$94,100Census, as estimated by owners
Price per sq ft$73Sold homes, 3 months to August 2026
Sold over asking8%Latest 3 months

ZIP codes in Columbus

1 ZIP code

Each card is that ZIP code’s whole market, including any part outside Columbus. Seller’s market: under 4 months of supply; buyer’s market: over 6. Methodology

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  • History
  • What it’s like to live there
  • Getting around
  • Things to do

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Around Columbus

Distances

Nearest major airportTulsa International Airport (TUL)87 miles away
Closer regional airportJoplin Regional Airport (JLN)22 miles away
Nearest city of 250,000+Tulsa, OK91 miles away
Nearest city of 1 million+Dallas, TX320 miles away

Straight-line distances from the center of Columbus; driving is longer.

Source: Airports from OurAirports (scheduled passenger service); city centers and populations from the U.S. Census Bureau.

Who represents Columbus

Source: Members of Congress from the congress-legislators project; districts from the Census Bureau’s relationship files; governor and mayor from Wikidata.

Population over time

Columbus had 2,929 residents in the 2020 census, down 14% since 2000.

It’s the 92nd largest of 721 towns in Kansas by population.

Cherokee County grew from 42,694 residents in 1900 to 19,362 in 2020.

Columbus population by census2000: 3,396, 2010: 3,312, 2020: 2,9293,39620003,31220102,9292020

Cherokee County, 1900–2020

Cherokee County population, 1900 to 20201900: 42,694, 1910: 38,162, 1920: 33,609, 1930: 31,457, 1940: 29,817, 1950: 25,144, 1960: 22,279, 1970: 21,549, 1980: 22,304, 1990: 21,374, 2000: 22,605, 2010: 21,603, 2020: 19,36243K’00’1034K’20’3030K’40’5022K’60’7022K’80’9023K’00’1019K’20

Source: U.S. Census Bureau decennial censuses (counties 1900–1990 from the Bureau’s historical county file).

Weather by month

Average highs peak around 90°F in summer, and winter lows average 23°F. About 46.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year, with about 7 inches of snow.

Average high and low temperature and precipitation by month near ColumbusJan: high 44°F, low 23°F, 1.7 in; Feb: high 49°F, low 27°F, 2 in; Mar: high 58°F, low 36°F, 3.4 in; Apr: high 68°F, low 46°F, 5.1 in; May: high 76°F, low 56°F, 7.1 in; Jun: high 85°F, low 65°F, 5.2 in; Jul: high 90°F, low 69°F, 4.2 in; Aug: high 89°F, low 68°F, 3.8 in; Sep: high 81°F, low 59°F, 4.5 in; Oct: high 70°F, low 48°F, 3.8 in; Nov: high 58°F, low 36°F, 3 in; Dec: high 47°F, low 28°F, 2.4 in44°23°Jan1.749°27°Feb2.058°36°Mar3.468°46°Apr5.176°56°May7.185°65°Jun5.290°69°Jul4.289°68°Aug3.881°59°Sep4.570°48°Oct3.858°36°Nov3.047°28°Dec2.4Rain and melted snow, inches

Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Columbus, KS weather station (3 miles away).

Jobs in Cherokee County

4,974 jobs at 325 businesses in Cherokee County. The biggest industries by employees:

Largest industries in Cherokee CountyManufacturing: 1,468 jobs; Construction: 757 jobs; Health care and social assistance: 611 jobs; Retail trade: 439 jobs; Hotels and restaurants: 389 jobs; Company headquarters: 335 jobs; Administrative and support: 174 jobs; Other services: 143 jobsManufacturing 30% Construction 15% Health care and social assistance 12% Retail trade 9% Hotels and restaurants 8% Company headquarters 7% Administrative and support 4% Other services 3%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns 2023 (private employers; jobs counted where people work).

Health care

27 doctors and other health care providers list an office in Columbus.

Nearest hospitals

  • Mercy Hospital ColumbusCritical access hospital · emergency room · Columbus2.5 miles
  • Mercy Specialty Hospital Southeast KansasGeneral hospital · no emergency room · Galena14.9 miles
  • Mercy Hospital Pittsburg, INCGeneral hospital · emergency room · CMS rating 3 of 5 · Pittsburg18.4 miles

Providers with an office here

Primary care doctors2
Dentists1
Nurse practitioners and physician assistants16
Mental health providers5
Physical and occupational therapists2
Chiropractors1
Pharmacies4

Source: Hospitals from CMS Hospital General Information (ratings are CMS overall star ratings); straight-line distances; providers from the CMS National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES), by practice address and primary specialty.

Places in and around Columbus

Grocery stores

  • Apple Market - Grocery Store3.2 mi

Pharmacies

  • Evans Drug2.6 mi

Libraries

  • Columbus Public Library2.6 mi

Theaters and performance venues

  • State Theatre Event Center2.6 mi

Counts are within about 1.5 miles of the center of town.

Source: Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors (openstreetmap.org/copyright), as mapped by volunteers; it can miss places or include closed ones.

Schools in Columbus

Public schools here are run by Columbus. Check each district’s attendance zones for a specific address.

Public schools (3)
SchoolGradesStudentsTypeDistance
Park ElemColumbusPre-K–1208Public3.1 mi
Central ElemColumbus2–6348Public2.4 mi
Columbus Junior High and High SchoolColumbus7–12438Public2.2 mi

Source: U.S. Department of Education, NCES: Common Core of Data (2024-2025) for public schools. Listed by address; we don’t rate schools.

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Where Columbus is

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Towns near Columbus

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Shares ZIP codes with Hallowell and Crestline.

Town boundaries don’t always match ZIP codes: a ZIP code can cross into neighboring towns, and a town can share a ZIP code with its neighbors. Facts describe the town itself; market figures describe whole ZIP codes.