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Community Profiles

Community Profile for Columbus

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NOTE: City of Columbus was Columbus Township prior to 09/30/2006. Data prior to 09/30/2006 are from Columbus Township.

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OVERVIEW PEOPLEECONOMY AND JOBSINCOME AND POVERTYHOUSINGCOMMUTINGLAND USE AND DEVELOPMENTCHART EXPORTS

Area	47.6 sq miles 30,468 Acres
Parks, Recreation & Preserves (in 2020)	11,850 Acres
Population (2024)	4,102
Households (2024)	1,566
Employment (2024)	1,607
Community Website	Columbus website
County	Anoka
Met Council Sector Rep	Emma Dvorak
Met Council District	District 11

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Population/Households (Historic, Current, and Forecasts)
Population by Age and Gender
Highest Level of Education
Household Type
Average Household Size
Population by Race and Ethnicity

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Population Households

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Click a population column for the mix of population in households and population in group quarters

(not available for forecast years).

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau Decennial Census, Metropolitan Council Annual Estimates, and Metropolitan Council Forecasts.
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Population by Age and Gender in Columbus

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Census 1990Census 2000Census 2010ACS 2009-2013ACS 2014-2018Census 2020ACS 2019-2023

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Source: U.S. Census Bureau Decennial Census or American Community Survey.
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Census 1990Census 2000ACS 2009-2013ACS 2014-2018ACS 2019-2023

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Source: U.S. Census Bureau Decennial Census or American Community Survey.
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Census 1990Census 2000Census 2010ACS 2009-2013ACS 2014-2018Census 2020ACS 2019-2023

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The Census Bureau started classifying same-sex married couples as married in the 2009-2013 ACS release; previously, it had treated them as unmarried partners. Use caution when comparing household type categories in pre-2013 and 2013-onward ACS releases as well as in the 2010 and 2020 Census data.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau Decennial Census or American Community Survey.

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Sources: U.S. Census Bureau Decennial Census and Metropolitan Council Annual Estimates.
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Census 1990Census 2000Census 2010ACS 2009-2013ACS 2014-2018Census 2020ACS 2019-2023

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Source: U.S. Census Bureau Decennial Census or American Community Survey.
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Employment by Community
Employment by Industry
Forecasted Employment
Average Annual Wages
Average Annual Unemployment

Due to data restrictions, employment data may not be available for all years.

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Source: Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development, 2nd quarter data; Metropolitan Council staff have estimated some data points.
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Source: Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development, 2nd quarter data; Metropolitan Council staff have estimated some data points.
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Source: Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development, 2nd quarter data; Metropolitan Council staff have estimated some data points; and Metropolitan Council Forecasts.
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Source: Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development, 2nd quarter data. Data are not adjusted for inflation.
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No unemployment data are available for this community.

Source: Local Area Unemployment Statistics, Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development. Current year data average monthly data year-to-date.

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Median Household Income
Per Capita Personal Income
Population Below the Federal Poverty Level

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County Minneapolis-St. Paul MSA Compare another place

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Data from historical communities cannot be combined in this chart. For years when aggregation would be necessary, only the data for the community with the higher value is shown. To obtain all data for these years, contact us.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau Decennial Census and American Community Survey
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County Minneapolis-St. Paul MSA Compare another place

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Source: U.S. Census Bureau Decennial Census and American Community Survey
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Source: U.S. Census Bureau Decennial Census and American Community Survey
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Housing Type
Housing Units Permitted
New Affordable Housing
Housing Tenure and Vacancy
Homeownership
Median Housing Value
Median Gross Rent
Count of Existing Home Sales by Price
Households Experiencing Housing Cost Burden

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Source: U.S. Census Bureau Decennial Census and Metropolitan Council Housing Stock Estimates.
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Note: Between 2003 & 2004 housing unit type definitions changed: Duplex category was expanded to include duplex, triplex and quad, and the definition of multifamily changed from 3 or more units to 5 or more units.
Source: Metropolitan Council Residential Building Permit Survey.
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Owner-occupied Renter-occupied

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Source: Metropolitan Council Affordable Housing Production Survey.
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Source: U.S. Census Bureau Decennial Census and American Community Survey.
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County Twin Cities Region (7-county)

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Minneapolis-St. Paul MSA

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Source: U.S. Census Bureau Decennial Census and American Community Survey.
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County Minneapolis-St. Paul MSA

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The Census Bureau began adjusting home values for inflation before summarizing them in the 2018-2022 ACS estimates. Median home values in 2018-2022 and subsequent ACS releases should not be compared with earlier ACS releases.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau Decennial Census and American Community Survey.
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County Minneapolis-St. Paul MSA

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Source: U.S. Census Bureau Decennial Census and American Community Survey.
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Source: Certificate of Real Estate Value, Minnesota Department of Revenue.
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Source: U.S. Census Bureau Decennial Census and American Community Survey.
Households experience housing cost burden when their housing costs are 30% or more of their gross income. For renters, housing costs include rent and utilities; for owners, housing costs include mortgage principal and interest, property taxes, property insurance, utilities, and other fees. Use caution when comparing 1990 and 2000 data (which include only some households) to American Community Survey data (which include all households). See the metadata for more information.
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Means of Transportation to Work
Travel Time to Work
Average Travel Time to Work
Commuting Patterns

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Source: U.S. Census Bureau Decennial Census and American Community Survey.
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Census 1990Census 2000ACS 2009-2013ACS 2014-2018ACS 2019-2023

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Source: U.S. Census Bureau Decennial Census and American Community Survey. The universe is residents age 16 and over who worked outside the home.
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Source: U.S. Census Bureau Decennial Census and American Community Survey.
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Commuting Patterns for Columbus

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Top ten workplaces of people who live in
Columbus

Workplaces	Workers
Minneapolis	236
St. Paul	206
Forest Lake	191
Blaine	58
Columbus	55
Lino Lakes	51
Coon Rapids	50
Roseville	48
Maplewood	42
Plymouth	40
Vadnais Heights	40
Other	750

Top ten residences of people who work in
Columbus

Residences	Workers
Forest Lake	115
Columbus	55
Blaine	50
St. Paul	48
Lino Lakes	44
East Bethel	37
Coon Rapids	35
Linwood Township	32
Hugo	31
Ham Lake	30
Minneapolis	30
Other	401

Note: Workplaces and residences not in the top 10 are counted in "Other".
Source: U.S. Census Bureau Local Employment-Household Dynamics.
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Generalized Land Use:

Table
Pie Chart

Regional Planned Land Use:

Table
Pie Chart

Commercial, Industrial, and Public and Institutional Construction Projects:

     Total Permit Value
     Total Permit Value by Type
     Total Square Footage Permitted
     Total Square Footage Permitted by Type

Generalized Land Use in Columbus

Year

Land Use

2016

2020

Acres

Change

Acres

Change

Residential Total

2,716

N/A

2,870

5.67%

Single Family Detached

2,713

N/A

2,862

5.51%

Multifamily

N/A

105.71%

Commercial Total

235

N/A

236

0.43%

Retail and Other Commercial

228

N/A

229

0.26%

Office

N/A

0.00%

Industrial Total

174

N/A

266

52.87%

Industrial and Utility

175

N/A

267

52.72%

Institutional Total

N/A

-2.99%

Park and Recreational

11,651

N/A

11,850

1.71%

Park, Recreational or Preserve

11,651

N/A

11,850

1.71%

Mixed Use Total

N/A

-100.00%

Mixed Use Residential

N/A

-100.00%

Major Roadways

236

N/A

236

0.00%

Airport

N/A

0.00%

Agricultural and Undeveloped Total

13,426

N/A

12,984

-3.29%

Agriculture

2,069

N/A

2,074

0.24%

Undeveloped Land

11,357

N/A

10,911

-3.93%

Open Water

1,958

N/A

1,958

0.00%

Total

30,468

N/A

30,468

0.00%

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Source: Metropolitan Council Generalized Land Use Historical Data Set
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Source: Metropolitan Council Generalized Land Use Historical Data Set
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Features Affecting Development in Columbus

YEAR

Features Affecting Development

Total

Total

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Source: Metropolitan Council Generalized Land Use Inventories, Metropolitan Urban Service Areas (MUSA), Steep Slopes, National Wetland Inventory, U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency Q3 Flood Zones , and Metro Wetlands and Wet Areas.
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Regional Planned Land Use in Columbus for 2040

Year

Planned Land Use

2040

Acres

% of Total

Commercial

728.4

2.39 %

Industrial

751.9

2.47 %

Multi-Optional Development

859.6

2.82 %

Open Space or Restrictive Use

10,806.5

35.47 %

Park and Recreation

847.6

2.78 %

Rights-of-Way (i.e., Roads)

223.4

0.73 %

Rural and Large-Lot Residential

14,296.9

46.93 %

Water

1,952.7

6.41 %

Total

30,466.9

100.00 %

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Source: Metropolitan Council Regional Planned Land Use Data Set
Land Use Definitions (pdf)
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Regional Planned Land Use in Columbus for 2040

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Source: Metropolitan Council Regional Planned Land Use Data Set
Land Use Definitions (pdf)
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Chart.

Note: Cities and townships do not consistently report information on both square footage and permit value on commercial, industrial, and public and institutional building permits. View "Download Tabular Data" for more details.
Source: Metropolitan Council Commercial, Industrial, and Public and Institutional Building Permits Survey
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Note: Cities and townships do not consistently report information on both square footage and permit value on commercial, industrial, and public and institutional building permits. View "Download Tabular Data" for more details.
Source: Metropolitan Council Commercial, Industrial, and Public and Institutional Building Permits Survey
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Chart.

Note: Cities and townships do not consistently report information on both square footage and permit value on commercial, industrial, and public and institutional building permits. View "Download Tabular Data" for more details.
Source: Metropolitan Council Commercial, Industrial, and Public and Institutional Building Permits Survey
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Chart.

Note: Cities and townships do not consistently report information on both square footage and permit value on commercial, industrial, and public and institutional building permits. View "Download Tabular Data" for more details.
Source: Metropolitan Council Commercial, Industrial, and Public and Institutional Building Permits Survey
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Community Profiles

Community Profile for Columbus

NOTE: City of Columbus was Columbus Township prior to 09/30/2006. Data prior to 09/30/2006 are from Columbus Township.

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Interactive Maps

Resources for Columbus

Printable Maps

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Sources: U.S. Census Bureau Decennial Census, Metropolitan Council Annual Estimates, and Metropolitan Council Forecasts. Download chart data Back to top

Population by Age and Gender in Columbus

Source: U.S. Census Bureau Decennial Census or American Community Survey. Download chart data Back to top

Source: U.S. Census Bureau Decennial Census or American Community Survey. Download chart data Back to top

Source: U.S. Census Bureau Decennial Census or American Community Survey. Download chart data Back to top

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau Decennial Census and Metropolitan Council Annual Estimates. Download chart data Back to top

Source: U.S. Census Bureau Decennial Census or American Community Survey. Download chart data Back to top

Due to data restrictions, employment data may not be available for all years.

Source: Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development, 2nd quarter data; Metropolitan Council staff have estimated some data points. Download chart data Back to top

Source: Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development, 2nd quarter data; Metropolitan Council staff have estimated some data points. Download chart data Back to top

Source: Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development, 2nd quarter data; Metropolitan Council staff have estimated some data points; and Metropolitan Council Forecasts. Download chart data Back to top

Source: Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development, 2nd quarter data. Data are not adjusted for inflation. Download chart data Link to inflation calculator Back to top

Source: Local Area Unemployment Statistics, Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development. Current year data average monthly data year-to-date. Back to top

Source: U.S. Census Bureau Decennial Census and American Community Survey Download chart data Link to inflation calculator Back to top

Source: U.S. Census Bureau Decennial Census and American Community Survey Download chart data Link to inflation calculator Back to top

Source: U.S. Census Bureau Decennial Census and American Community Survey Download chart data Back to top

Source: U.S. Census Bureau Decennial Census and Metropolitan Council Housing Stock Estimates. Download chart data Back to top

Source: Metropolitan Council Affordable Housing Production Survey. Download chart data Back to top

Source: U.S. Census Bureau Decennial Census and American Community Survey. Download chart data Back to top

Source: U.S. Census Bureau Decennial Census and American Community Survey. Download chart data Back to top

Source: U.S. Census Bureau Decennial Census and American Community Survey. Download chart data Link to inflation calculator Back to top

Source: U.S. Census Bureau Decennial Census and American Community Survey. Download chart data Link to inflation calculator Back to top

Source: Certificate of Real Estate Value, Minnesota Department of Revenue. Download chart data

Source: U.S. Census Bureau Decennial Census and American Community Survey. Download chart data Back to top

Source: U.S. Census Bureau Decennial Census and American Community Survey. The universe is residents age 16 and over who worked outside the home. Download chart data Back to top

Source: U.S. Census Bureau Decennial Census and American Community Survey. Download chart data Back to top

Commuting Patterns for Columbus

Top ten workplaces of people who live in Columbus

Top ten residences of people who work in Columbus

Note: Workplaces and residences not in the top 10 are counted in "Other". Source: U.S. Census Bureau Local Employment-Household Dynamics. Download chart data: Commuteshed - Laborshed Back to top

Generalized Land Use in Columbus

Source: Metropolitan Council Generalized Land Use Historical Data Set Download chart data Back to top

Source: Metropolitan Council Generalized Land Use Historical Data Set Download chart data Back to top

Features Affecting Development in Columbus

Source: Metropolitan Council Generalized Land Use Inventories, Metropolitan Urban Service Areas (MUSA), Steep Slopes, National Wetland Inventory, U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency Q3 Flood Zones , and Metro Wetlands and Wet Areas. Download chart data Back to top

Regional Planned Land Use in Columbus for 2040

Source: Metropolitan Council Regional Planned Land Use Data Set Land Use Definitions (pdf) Download chart data Back to top

Regional Planned Land Use in Columbus for 2040

Source: Metropolitan Council Regional Planned Land Use Data Set Land Use Definitions (pdf) Download chart data Back to top

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau Decennial Census, Metropolitan Council Annual Estimates, and Metropolitan Council Forecasts.
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Source: U.S. Census Bureau Decennial Census or American Community Survey.
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Source: U.S. Census Bureau Decennial Census or American Community Survey.
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Source: U.S. Census Bureau Decennial Census or American Community Survey.

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Sources: U.S. Census Bureau Decennial Census and Metropolitan Council Annual Estimates.
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Source: U.S. Census Bureau Decennial Census or American Community Survey.
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Source: Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development, 2nd quarter data; Metropolitan Council staff have estimated some data points.
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Source: Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development, 2nd quarter data; Metropolitan Council staff have estimated some data points.
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Source: Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development, 2nd quarter data; Metropolitan Council staff have estimated some data points; and Metropolitan Council Forecasts.
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Source: Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development, 2nd quarter data. Data are not adjusted for inflation.
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Source: Local Area Unemployment Statistics, Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development. Current year data average monthly data year-to-date.

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Source: U.S. Census Bureau Decennial Census and American Community Survey
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Source: U.S. Census Bureau Decennial Census and American Community Survey
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Source: U.S. Census Bureau Decennial Census and American Community Survey
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Source: U.S. Census Bureau Decennial Census and Metropolitan Council Housing Stock Estimates.
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Source: Metropolitan Council Affordable Housing Production Survey.
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Source: U.S. Census Bureau Decennial Census and American Community Survey.
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Source: U.S. Census Bureau Decennial Census and American Community Survey.
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Source: U.S. Census Bureau Decennial Census and American Community Survey.
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Source: U.S. Census Bureau Decennial Census and American Community Survey.
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Source: Certificate of Real Estate Value, Minnesota Department of Revenue.
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Source: U.S. Census Bureau Decennial Census and American Community Survey.
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Source: U.S. Census Bureau Decennial Census and American Community Survey. The universe is residents age 16 and over who worked outside the home.
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Source: U.S. Census Bureau Decennial Census and American Community Survey.
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Top ten workplaces of people who live in
Columbus

Top ten residences of people who work in
Columbus

Note: Workplaces and residences not in the top 10 are counted in "Other".
Source: U.S. Census Bureau Local Employment-Household Dynamics.
Download chart data: Commuteshed - Laborshed
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Source: Metropolitan Council Generalized Land Use Historical Data Set
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Source: Metropolitan Council Generalized Land Use Historical Data Set
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Source: Metropolitan Council Generalized Land Use Inventories, Metropolitan Urban Service Areas (MUSA), Steep Slopes, National Wetland Inventory, U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency Q3 Flood Zones , and Metro Wetlands and Wet Areas.
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Source: Metropolitan Council Regional Planned Land Use Data Set
Land Use Definitions (pdf)
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Source: Metropolitan Council Regional Planned Land Use Data Set
Land Use Definitions (pdf)
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