Signals
Elko
Columbus
Growth
57 · Top 39%
vs54 · Top 44%
Climate
52 · Bottom 5%
vs57 · Bottom 17%
Physical resilience
1 · Bottom 1%
vs27 · Bottom 16%
Housing affordability
95 · Top 49%
vs100 · Top 27%
Access
45 · Bottom 9%
vs66 · Bottom 31%
Economic stability
74 · Top 20%
vs94 · Top 2%
Measured values
| Metric | Elko | Columbus | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 55,632 | 45,357 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $85,882 | $75,378 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $38,959 | $36,056 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 3/sq mi | 42/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $297,500 | $210,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,158 | $923 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 71.7% | 72.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 17.8% | 21.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 10.3% | 9.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 139 | 197 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.5 | 4.3 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 25.2% | -50.9% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 92°F | 86°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 16°F | 12°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 10.0" | 27.0" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 81 mi | 59 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 30.4 min | 17.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 36.1 | 37.1 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Elko
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire, earthquake.
Columbus
Elevated or high exposure: hail, strong wind, tornado.
Full profiles: Elko, NV Micro Area · Columbus, NE Micro Area · How this is calculated: methodology