Crime & Safety in Columbus, NE
Violent and property crime rates, clearance data, and trends — 2024 Data
Crime Overview
Source: FBI Crime Data Explorer (2024)Violent Crime Rate
0.85
per 1,000 residents
-81% vs national
Property Crime Rate
9.27
per 1,000 residents
-57% vs national
Total Crimes
249
2024
Violent Clearance
76%
cases solved
+80% vs national
Property Clearance
52%
cases solved
vs Similar Cities
-67%
vs 10K-25K avg
-67% vs 10K-25K
YoY Change
-20.3%
violent crime rate
improving vs 2023
How Columbus Compares
Source: FBI (2024)Columbus vs Similar Cities
Source: FBI (2024)Compared to cities with 10,000 - 25,000 residents. Columbus is highlighted in green.
Violent Crime Rate (per 1,000)
Property Crime Rate (per 1,000)
Murder Rate (per 1,000)
Violent Crime Clearance Rate
Crime Rate Trends
Source: FBICrime Composition
Source: FBI (2024)Violent Crime Breakdown
Property Crime Breakdown
Crime Clearance (Solve) Rates
Source: FBI (2024)Columbus police solve 200% of robbery cases but only 9% of burglary cases. The national violent crime clearance rate is 42%.
Weapon Used in Violent Crime
Source: FBI (2024)Crime Breakdown
Source: FBI Crime Data Explorer (2024)| Crime Type | Category | Count | Rate per 1K | Clearance % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Murder | Violent | 0 | 0.00 | N/A |
| Rape | Violent | 11 | 0.45 | 81.8% |
| Robbery | Violent | 1 | 0.04 | 200.0% |
| Aggravated Assault | Violent | 9 | 0.37 | 55.6% |
| Burglary | Property | 23 | 0.94 | 8.7% |
| Larceny/Theft | Property | 189 | 7.68 | 59.8% |
| Motor Vehicle Theft | Property | 16 | 0.65 | 25.0% |
Columbus, NE reported 21 violent crimes and 228 property crimes in 2024. The violent crime rate of 0.85 per 1,000 residents is 80.9% below the national average of 4.48 per 1,000. Law enforcement cleared 76% of violent crimes. Larceny/theft accounts for 189 of the property crime reports. Firearms were involved in 0.0% of aggravated assaults. Compared to similarly sized cities (10,000 - 25,000 population), Columbus's violent crime rate is 67% lower. Violent crime has been trending downward.
Crime History
Source: FBI| Year | Violent | Property | Violent Rate | Property Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 21 | 228 | 0.85 | 9.27 |
| 2023 | 26 | 337 | 1.07 | 13.89 |
| 2022 | 19 | 297 | 0.79 | 12.29 |
| 2021 | 22 | 225 | 0.93 | 9.48 |
| 2020 | 27 | 304 | 1.14 | 12.88 |
| 2019 | 28 | 359 | 1.20 | 15.34 |
| 2018 | 26 | 366 | 1.12 | 15.74 |
| 2017 | 18 | 507 | 0.78 | 22.09 |
| 2016 | 25 | 502 | 1.09 | 21.91 |
| 2015 | 29 | 370 | 1.28 | 16.27 |