Signals
Gillette
Columbus
Growth
46 · Bottom 43%
vs54 · Top 44%
Climate
55 · Bottom 12%
vs57 · Bottom 17%
Physical resilience
47 · Bottom 37%
vs27 · Bottom 16%
Housing affordability
99 · Top 33%
vs100 · Top 27%
Access
44 · Bottom 9%
vs66 · Bottom 31%
Economic stability
83 · Top 10%
vs94 · Top 2%
Measured values
| Metric | Gillette | Columbus | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 47,240 | 45,357 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $89,869 | $75,378 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $40,799 | $36,056 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 10/sq mi | 42/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $279,100 | $210,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,009 | $923 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 77.7% | 72.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 23.3% | 21.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 9.4% | 9.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 33 | 197 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.7 | 4.3 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 43.5% | -50.9% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 87°F | 86°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 14°F | 12°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 13.6" | 27.0" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 82 mi | 59 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 22.5 min | 17.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 36.3 | 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
Gillette
Elevated or high exposure: hail, wildfire, earthquake.
Columbus
Elevated or high exposure: hail, strong wind, tornado.
Full profiles: Gillette, WY Micro Area · Columbus, NE Micro Area · How this is calculated: methodology