| | Columbus, NE | Sterling, CO | United States |
| Population | 23,954 | 13,976 | 329,725,481 |
| Female Population | 50.8% | 43.4% | 50.5% |
| Male Population | 49.2% | 56.6% | 49.5% |
| Median Age | 37.2 | 37 | 38.4 |
| space3 | | | |
| Population - 2010 | 22,334 | 14,828 | 309,327,143 |
| Population - 2000 | 20,971 | 11,360 | 285,036,114 |
| Population - 1990 | 19,480 | 10,362 | 251,960,433 |
| Pop. 2000 to Now | 12.5% | 23.9% | 15.6% |
| Pop. 1990 to Now | 21.1% | 35.9% | 30.8% |
| space4 | | | |
| Population Density | 2,346.1 | 1,835.3 | 93.4 |
| Land Area | 10.2 | 7.6 | 3,531,905.4 |
| Water Area | 0.2 | 0.0 | 264,836.8 |
| space | | | |
| Est. Total Population By Age | | | |
| | Columbus, NE | Sterling, CO | United States |
| Age 0 to 4 | 7.7% | 6.5% | 5.9% |
| Age 5 to 9 | 7.6% | 4.9% | 6.1% |
| Age 10 to 14 | 7.2% | 5.0% | 6.6% |
| Age 15 to 17 | 3.6% | 3.1% | 3.9% |
| Age 18 to 20 | 2.3% | 5.7% | 4.0% |
| Age 21 to 24 | 5.1% | 4.9% | 5.2% |
| Age 25 to 34 | 12.9% | 17.0% | 13.8% |
| Age 35 to 44 | 14.0% | 13.5% | 12.9% |
| Age 45 to 54 | 10.3% | 12.4% | 12.6% |
| Age 55 to 59 | 6.4% | 3.8% | 6.7% |
| Age 60 to 64 | 6.2% | 5.6% | 6.3% |
| Age 65 to 74 | 8.9% | 9.6% | 9.6% |
| Age 75 to 84 | 5.4% | 5.3% | 4.5% |
| Age 85 and over | 2.5% | 2.6% | 1.9% |
| space1 | | | |
| Race | | | |
| | Columbus, NE | Sterling, CO | United States |
| White | 73.0% | 70.0% | 59.4% |
| Black | 0.6% | 1.4% | 12.2% |
| Asian | 0.7% | 0.4% | 5.6% |
| Native American | 0.3% | 0.8% | 0.6% |
| Hawaiian, Pacific Islander | 0.0% | 1.4% | 0.2% |
| Other | 0.0% | 0.1% | 0.4% |
| Two or More Races | 1.6% | 5.2% | 3.2% |
| Hispanic | 23.8% | 20.7% | 18.4% |
| space2 | | | |
| Marriage & Family | | | |
| | Columbus, NE | Sterling, CO | United States |
| Married Population | 55.6% | 42.3% | 49.8% |
| Currently Married | 53.4% | 40.9% | 48.0% |
| Married but Separated | 2.1% | 1.3% | 1.8% |
| Single Population | 44.4% | 57.7% | 50.2% |
| Never Married | 28.2% | 33.6% | 33.8% |
| Divorced | 8.1% | 17.4% | 10.8% |
| Widowed | 8.2% | 6.7% | 5.6% |
| space5 | | | |
| Household Size | 2.45 | 2.59 | 2.60 |
| Households | 9,655 | 5,050 | 124,010,992 |
| Family Households | 6,043 | 2,609 | 80,755,759 |
| Married couple, w/children | 34.7% | 36.0% | 30.5% |
| Married couple, no children | 43.4% | 36.8% | 42.9% |
| Non Family Households | 3,612 | 2,441 | 43,255,233 |
| Single householder, w/children | 16.0% | 15.0% | 15.8% |
| Single householder, no children | 6.0% | 12.2% | 10.8% |