Quick facts
Columbus overview
Columbus (orange) and the other large cities of United States
Columbus lies in Ohio in United States at 39.96°N, 83°W, about 235 m above sea level. The local time zone is America/New_York (UTC-4); GeoNames classifies it as a regional capital.
It is smaller than Austin (974,447) and larger than Charlotte (911,311). The largest city in United States is New York City with 8,804,190 people; the capital, Washington, has 689,545.
The national capital, Washington, is about 526 km away; the nearest large city is Dayton, 104 km from Columbus.
United States as a whole has a live population of 349,544,454 (+0.5% a year) and ranks #3 of 238 countries — see the United States population page for the full statistics and the United States atlas for provinces, terrain and society maps.
Cities near Columbus
| City | Distance | Population |
|---|---|---|
| Dayton Ohio | 104 km | 135,512 |
| Cincinnati Ohio | 160 km | 311,097 |
| Meads Kentucky | 174 km | 288,649 |
| Akron Ohio | 177 km | 197,542 |
| Toledo Ohio | 195 km | 265,638 |
Largest cities in United States
| # | City | Region | Population |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York City | New York | 8,804,190 |
| 2 | Los Angeles | California | 3,820,914 |
| 3 | Chicago | Illinois | 2,664,452 |
| 4 | Houston | Texas | 2,314,157 |
| 5 | Phoenix | Arizona | 1,650,070 |
| 6 | Philadelphia | Pennsylvania | 1,573,916 |
| 7 | San Antonio | Texas | 1,526,656 |
| 8 | San Diego | California | 1,404,452 |
| 9 | Dallas | Texas | 1,326,087 |
| 10 | Jacksonville | Florida | 1,009,833 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Columbus?
Columbus has about 913,175 inhabitants according to the latest official census or estimate compiled by GeoNames. This is the city proper; the metropolitan area is larger.
Is Columbus the capital of United States?
No. The capital of United States is Washington (689,545 people), about 526 km away. Columbus is the 14th largest city of the country and a regional capital.
How big is Columbus compared with the rest of United States?
Its 913,175 residents are 0.3% of the 349,544,454 people living in United States today. New York City is larger with 8,804,190 people.
Where is Columbus?
In Ohio, United States, at latitude 39.96 and longitude -83, 235 m above sea level. Nearby large cities include Dayton (104 km), Cincinnati (160 km), Meads (174 km).
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Cite or link to this page
Glostats. (2026). Columbus Population 2026 — United States. Retrieved October 20, 2026, from https://glostats.com/cities/united-states/columbus/<a href="https://glostats.com/cities/united-states/columbus/">Columbus Population 2026 — United States</a> — GlostatsFigures on this page may be quoted, charted or republished as long as the page is credited with a link. Terms · Download the data as CSV · Embed a live counter.
City populations are GeoNames figures (CC BY 4.0): the latest official census or estimate for the city proper — the municipality, not the wider metropolitan area — so they can differ from "metro area" numbers you see elsewhere. Country populations are live Glostats estimates from the UN World Population Prospects. Distances are great-circle distances between city centres. Page generated 2026-10-20. More about our data.