Jobs, pay and daily life in Columbus, from official statistics with source and year on every table.
Click any dot to open that city: jobs, pay, rent, commute, county economy and climate. Dot size follows population; colours follow the state flag.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 07/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Columbus is a city in Indiana with 51,824 residents. The median household earns $77,456 a year and the median rent is $1,157 a month, which is 17.9% of the median household income. It is part of the Columbus, IN metropolitan area, where BLS counts 49,820 jobs.
How Columbus compares. Among the 80 largest places in Indiana, Columbus is #19 by population, #12 for remote work (#1 = most), #18 for college degrees (#1 = most), #26 for household income (#1 = highest). Its county, Bartholomew County, is #4 of 92 counties for average pay ($73,397).
Columbus has 51,824 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 0.8% of the population of Indiana. It covers 29 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 1,808 people per square mile. The median age is 36.5, 4% younger than the state median (36.5 against 38.1).
The median gross rent is $1,157 a month (rent plus utilities), 9% above the state median ($1,157 against $1,062). Over a year that is 17.9% of the median household income. US housing guidance treats housing as affordable when it takes 30% of income or less, so the typical household is under that line. The median home value is $244,200, which is 3.2 times the median household income ($77,456); a ratio under 4 usually means ownership is within reach for many households. 60.8% of households own their home, 14% below the state average (60.8% against 70.5%).
The Columbus, IN metropolitan area has 49,820 jobs in the BLS wage survey, and the median pay across all occupations is $48,470 a year, 5% below the national median ($48,470 against $50,980). The biggest occupation groups are production (11,650 jobs, median $48,580); office and administrative support (4,470 jobs, median $45,350); transportation and material moving (4,060 jobs, median $39,940). The area is most specialised in production (4.2 times), where the share of workers is well above the national share. The best-paying groups with at least 5,000 jobs are production ($48,580). In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Bartholomew County was 3.7%. 66.8% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Bartholomew County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 71.3% drive alone, 1.2% use public transit, 1.1% walk, 15.6% work from home. 8.7% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 32% below the state average (8.7% against 12.7%). Remote work is more common than in the state as a whole, which widens the set of employers a resident can work for without moving.
40.0% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 36% above the state share (40.0% against 29.5%). 15.9% of residents were born outside the United States, 152% above the state share (15.9% against 6.3%). The poverty rate is 11.3%, 9% below the state rate (11.3% against 12.3%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 75°F (24.0°C), and the coolest is Jan at 29°F (-1.5°C). About 1,234 mm (49 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; May is the wettest month (131 mm) and Feb the driest (80 mm). These values come from NASA satellite-based climatology on a grid of about 50 km, so they describe the wider area, not a weather station in the city.
Closest cities in this guide: Seymour (18 miles, rent 13% lower); Franklin (21 miles, similar rent); Greensburg (24 miles, rent 26% lower); Shelbyville (24 miles, rent 14% lower). Rent differences are against Columbus; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in Indiana (770) →State guide: IndianaCountry guideBartholomew CountyIndiana rankings
These links go to official sources and open in a new window. The first one is the government's or company's own site as listed in Wikidata (property "official website"); check it before relying on it.
There are 770 federal postings open in Indiana (USAJOBS, state level; we do not have a city filter for them). Private-sector jobs are not in this feed.
Open federal jobs in Indiana →
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators | 2,980 | 6.62 | $46,950 | $36,240 | $59,660 | +5% |
| Retail Salespersons | 1,500 | 1.20 | $29,840 | $23,110 | $43,200 | -16% |
| Machinists | 1,470 | 15.95 | $61,230 | $48,640 | $74,720 | +4% |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 1,440 | 1.16 | $28,290 | $22,220 | $34,480 | -9% |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 1,310 | 1.38 | $38,510 | $29,350 | $53,590 | -4% |
| Mechanical Engineers | 1,000 | 10.52 | $127,700 | $86,480 | $162,370 | +23% |
| Industrial Engineers | 910 | 7.76 | $97,480 | $80,590 | $160,210 | -5% |
| Cashiers | 900 | 0.91 | $29,280 | $22,240 | $35,990 | -11% |
| Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers | 900 | 4.70 | $49,030 | $35,900 | $75,860 | +1% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 810 | 0.89 | $32,130 | $26,760 | $42,530 | -14% |
| Office Clerks, General | 790 | 1.01 | $45,620 | $30,440 | $62,030 | +1% |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 750 | 0.54 | $33,080 | $29,230 | $37,850 | -8% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers | 690 | 3.20 | $75,640 | $48,520 | $94,760 | +2% |
| Registered Nurses | 640 | 0.59 | $77,030 | $61,840 | $94,970 | -21% |
| Maintenance and Repair Workers, General | 610 | 1.25 | $58,450 | $36,090 | $75,050 | +18% |
| Customer Service Representatives | 600 | 0.72 | $42,700 | $32,310 | $61,390 | -5% |
| General and Operations Managers | 590 | 0.52 | $112,760 | $59,090 | $241,960 | +7% |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 520 | 0.78 | $57,350 | $45,540 | $72,910 | -2% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 490 | 0.67 | $26,340 | $16,790 | $47,380 | -25% |
| Industrial Machinery Mechanics | 490 | 3.48 | $63,770 | $47,710 | $80,680 | -1% |
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mechanical Engineers | 1,000 | 10.52 | $127,700 | $86,480 | $162,370 | +23% |
| General and Operations Managers | 590 | 0.52 | $112,760 | $59,090 | $241,960 | +7% |
| Industrial Engineers | 910 | 7.76 | $97,480 | $80,590 | $160,210 | -5% |
| Registered Nurses | 640 | 0.59 | $77,030 | $61,840 | $94,970 | -21% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers | 690 | 3.20 | $75,640 | $48,520 | $94,760 | +2% |
| Machinists | 1,470 | 15.95 | $61,230 | $48,640 | $74,720 | +4% |
| Maintenance and Repair Workers, General | 610 | 1.25 | $58,450 | $36,090 | $75,050 | +18% |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 520 | 0.78 | $57,350 | $45,540 | $72,910 | -2% |
| Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers | 900 | 4.70 | $49,030 | $35,900 | $75,860 | +1% |
| Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators | 2,980 | 6.62 | $46,950 | $36,240 | $59,660 | +5% |
| Office Clerks, General | 790 | 1.01 | $45,620 | $30,440 | $62,030 | +1% |
| Customer Service Representatives | 600 | 0.72 | $42,700 | $32,310 | $61,390 | -5% |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 1,310 | 1.38 | $38,510 | $29,350 | $53,590 | -4% |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 750 | 0.54 | $33,080 | $29,230 | $37,850 | -8% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 810 | 0.89 | $32,130 | $26,760 | $42,530 | -14% |
| Retail Salespersons | 1,500 | 1.20 | $29,840 | $23,110 | $43,200 | -16% |
| Cashiers | 900 | 0.91 | $29,280 | $22,240 | $35,990 | -11% |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 1,440 | 1.16 | $28,290 | $22,220 | $34,480 | -9% |
These figures are for the whole Columbus, IN metropolitan area, not the city alone.
Median pay across all occupations: $48,470 (US $50,980); unemployment 3.7% (2026M09).
| Industry (residents) ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 31.5% |
| Education and health care | 18.7% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 10.8% |
| Retail trade | 9.0% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 8.6% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 5.3% |
| Other services | 4.3% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 3.6% |
| Construction | 2.6% |
| Public administration | 2.4% |
| Wholesale trade | 2.0% |
| Information | 1.1% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 0.0% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Columbus lies and cover the whole county, not only the city.
| County ⇅ | Population ⇅ | GDP (2024) ⇅ | GDP per resident ⇅ | Jobs (QCEW 2024) ⇅ | Employer sites ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Job change vs 2023 ⇅ | Unemployment rate ⇅ | Labour force ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bartholomew County | 83,536 | $9,284 million | $111,136 | 50,188 | 2,119 | $73,397 | -0.4% | 3.7% | 39,488 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 19,255 | 43.6% | $101,842 | 4.67 |
| Retail trade | 4,830 | 10.9% | $32,589 | 0.96 |
| Health care and social assistance | 4,540 | 10.3% | $60,518 | 0.63 |
| Accommodation and food services | 3,697 | 8.4% | $23,240 | 0.81 |
| Administrative and waste services | 2,279 | 5.2% | $46,696 | 0.77 |
| Wholesale trade | 1,707 | 3.9% | $105,571 | 0.86 |
| Construction | 1,704 | 3.9% | $67,807 | 0.65 |
| Professional and technical services | 1,448 | 3.3% | $83,830 | 0.41 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 1,047 | 2.4% | $40,552 | 0.69 |
| Finance and insurance | 1,024 | 2.3% | $86,254 | 0.50 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 747 | 1.7% | $63,673 | 0.35 |
| Management of companies | 664 | 1.5% | $161,600 | 0.78 |
| Real estate and rental | 365 | 0.8% | $47,493 | 0.47 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 315 | 0.7% | $22,820 | 0.37 |
| Information | 236 | 0.5% | $46,972 | 0.25 |
| Utilities | 146 | 0.3% | $105,312 | 0.77 |
| Educational services | 120 | 0.3% | $27,794 | 0.12 |
QCEW counts jobs covered by unemployment insurance; sectors with too few employers are withheld by BLS. Latest-month unemployment is preliminary.
| How residents get to work ⇅ | Share ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 71.3% |
| Public transit | 1.2% |
| Walk | 1.1% |
| Work from home | 15.6% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 8.7% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $77,456 |
| Income per person | $43,783 |
| Median gross rent per month | $1,157 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 17.9% |
| Median home value | $244,200 |
| Homeowners | 60.8% |
| Poverty rate | 11.3% |
| Price level of the metro area (US = 100) | 93.0 |
| Metro median pay, all occupations | $48,470 |
Estimate for a wage earner: 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction (IRS), Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500, Medicare 1.45% (+0.9% above $200,000 single / $250,000 married), and a state rate you set. It ignores credits, pre-tax deductions, local taxes and benefits. Sources: IRS: tax year 2026 inflation adjustments · SSA wage base per Federal Register notice 2025-19763.
State tax: Flat 2.95%.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 36.5 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 92.2% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 40.0% |
| Born abroad | 15.9% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 66.8% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | -1.5 | 29 | 83 |
| Feb | -0.2 | 32 | 80 |
| Mar | 5.6 | 42 | 108 |
| Apr | 12.2 | 54 | 125 |
| May | 17.6 | 64 | 131 |
| Jun | 22.2 | 72 | 124 |
| Jul | 24.0 | 75 | 113 |
| Aug | 23.8 | 75 | 86 |
| Sep | 20.2 | 68 | 88 |
| Oct | 13.0 | 55 | 103 |
| Nov | 6.1 | 43 | 93 |
| Dec | 0.7 | 33 | 100 |
Satellite-reanalysis climatology on a grid of roughly 50 km, so it smooths local effects (hills, coast, city heat). It is not a weather-station record.
| City ⇅ | State ⇅ | Distance (straight line) ⇅ | Population ⇅ | Median household income ⇅ | Median rent ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seymour | IN | 18 mi | 22,371 | $64,426 | $1,011 |
| Franklin | IN | 21 mi | 26,168 | $82,380 | $1,186 |
| Greensburg | IN | 24 mi | 12,229 | $62,655 | $859 |
| Shelbyville | IN | 24 mi | 20,296 | $55,602 | $995 |
| Bargersville | IN | 28 mi | 10,752 | $114,231 | $1,379 |
| Greenwood | IN | 29 mi | 66,029 | $83,608 | $1,312 |
| Martinsville | IN | 31 mi | 11,933 | $60,177 | $983 |
| Bloomington | IN | 33 mi | 80,049 | $50,465 | $1,200 |
| Beech Grove | IN | 36 mi | 14,913 | $49,973 | $1,091 |
| Bedford | IN | 39 mi | 13,837 | $49,553 | $828 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
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51,824 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$1,157 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 17.9% of the median household income.
$77,456 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
3.7% (BLS county, Bartholomew County (latest month 2026M09)).
Indiana. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.