COLUMBUS, MN REALTOR · LOCAL GUIDE

LIVING IN COLUMBUS

Columbus spent most of its history as Columbus Township, a rural corner of northeast Anoka County. In 2006 residents incorporated it as a city, largely in response to concerns that neighboring Forest Lake was planning to annex parts of the township. The result is a city in name with a lot of open country in practice — a mix of residential, rural and commercial land rather than a traditional suburban grid.

A big share of Columbus is public land. The Carlos Avery Wildlife Management Area covers much of the north-central and west-central parts of the city, and Lamprey Pass WMA is here too. Coon Lake Regional Park, run by Anoka County, has a boat launch, swimming beach, playground, picnic pavilion, trails and a veterans memorial on Coon Lake, which is shared with East Bethel and Ham Lake. Anoka County’s Columbus Lake Conservation Area protects nearly all of the Columbus Lake shoreline and half a mile of Rice Creek, which flows through the city.

For commuters, Columbus has a rare advantage: Interstate 35 splits into I-35E and I-35W at the “Forest Lake Split” in the city’s southeast corner, so you can head toward St. Paul or Minneapolis without backtracking. Downtown St. Paul is roughly 30 minutes away and downtown Minneapolis a bit more, depending on traffic. Near the freeway you’ll find Running Aces, a 5/8-mile harness racing track that opened in 2008.

Homes here tend to come with room — acreage, wooded lots and properties near the lakes and wildlife areas — which is why buyers who want space but still need a reasonable commute keep Columbus on their list. Because so much of the city is protected wildlife land and rural property, it feels far more spread out than its freeway access would suggest, and no two properties are quite alike.

COLUMBUS AT A GLANCE

Population: 4,159
Size: 47.7 sq mi
Incorporated: 2006 (as a city)
Schools: Forest Lake ISD 831
Lakes: Coon Lake · Columbus Lake
Commute: I-35 · I-35E · I-35W
County: Anoka
Known for: Running Aces racetrack
Drive to MSP Airport: about 50 minutes (35 miles), off-peak
Drive to Downtown Minneapolis: about 40 minutes (27 miles), off-peak
Drive to Downtown St. Paul: about 40 minutes (28 miles), off-peak

COLUMBUS SCHOOLS

Columbus is served by the Forest Lake Area School System (ISD 831), a district that covers about 220 square miles across all or part of Columbus, Forest Lake, Hugo, Lino Lakes, Ham Lake, East Bethel, Scandia, Wyoming and other communities. Columbus Elementary is one of the district’s elementary schools, and older students go on to Forest Lake Area High School, the district’s single high school.

Because Columbus is spread across nearly 48 square miles, bus routes and school assignments can vary by location, so I always double-check the assigned schools for a specific address.

What the percentages mean: the percentage beside each school below is the share of Columbus’s children of that school’s age who live in its attendance area — ages 5–10 for elementary, 11–13 for middle and 14–17 for high school (about 257, 161 and 207 children in the 2020 Census). District percentages use all children ages 5–17. It shows where the city’s kids are assigned; it is not a test score or a rating. Students per grade is each school’s 2025–26 enrollment divided by the number of grades it serves.

School districts serving Columbus: Forest Lake (ISD 831) — all of the city’s school-age children.

HOW COLUMBUS’S SCHOOL DISTRICTS COMPARE STATEWIDE

Forest Lake (ISD 831): reading 50% and math 50% proficient on the 2025–26 state tests — test-score rank #115 of 326 Minnesota districts; 4-year graduation rate 85% (class of 2025), #255 of 317

Proficient = share of tested students who met or exceeded Minnesota’s grade-level standards (MCA, MTAS and Alternate MCA, all tested grades). Test-score rank = position among Minnesota school districts (charter schools not included) by the average of reading and math proficiency; school ranks compare each school with all Minnesota public schools at the same level. Ranks are calculated by Minnesota Chuck from Minnesota Department of Education data and are not an official state rating.

ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS SERVING COLUMBUS

Columbus Elementary: Forest Lake (ISD 831) — about 71% of Columbus’s children that age; grades K–5, about 66 students per grade; reading 56%, math 68% proficient (2025–26), #197 of 893 Minnesota elementary schools
Lino Lakes Elementary: Forest Lake (ISD 831) — about 21% of Columbus’s children that age; grades K–5, about 62 students per grade; reading 54%, math 47% proficient (2025–26), #401 of 893 Minnesota elementary schools
Linwood Elementary: Forest Lake (ISD 831) — about 8% of Columbus’s children that age; grades K–5, about 62 students per grade; reading 53%, math 53% proficient (2025–26), #362 of 893 Minnesota elementary schools
Forest View Elementary: Forest Lake (ISD 831) — under 1% of Columbus’s children that age; grades K–5, about 82 students per grade; reading 36%, math 33% proficient (2025–26), #687 of 893 Minnesota elementary schools

MIDDLE SCHOOLS SERVING COLUMBUS

Forest Lake Middle School: Forest Lake (ISD 831) — all of Columbus’s children that age; grades 6–8, about 438 students per grade; reading 52%, math 50% proficient (2025–26), #80 of 264 Minnesota middle schools

HIGH SCHOOLS SERVING COLUMBUS

Forest Lake High School: Forest Lake (ISD 831) — all of Columbus’s children that age; grades 9–12, about 460 students per grade; reading 42%, math 41% proficient (2025–26), #153 of 435 Minnesota high schools; 4-year graduation 89%

Sources: Minnesota Department of Education, School Attendance Areas, SY2025-26; Minnesota Department of Education 2025–26 assessment results and graduation rates (Minnesota Report Card); U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census (children by age, by census block); Minnesota Department of Education 2025–26 enrollment. Boundaries can change, so confirm the assigned school with the district for a specific address.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What school district is Columbus, MN in?

Columbus is in the Forest Lake Area School System (ISD 831). The district operates Columbus Elementary, and students continue to Forest Lake Area High School, which serves the entire district. The district covers roughly 220 square miles across Columbus, Forest Lake, Hugo, Lino Lakes and neighboring communities.

What county is Columbus, MN in?

Columbus is in Anoka County, in the northeast corner of the county. It borders Forest Lake, Lino Lakes, Ham Lake, East Bethel and Wyoming, and was Columbus Township until it incorporated as a city in 2006. Much of the city is open land, including the Carlos Avery Wildlife Management Area and Coon Lake Regional Park.

How far is Columbus from Minneapolis, St. Paul and MSP Airport?

Driving from the center of Columbus at off-peak times, downtown Minneapolis is about 27 miles (roughly 40 minutes), downtown St. Paul is about 28 miles (roughly 40 minutes) and MSP Airport is about 35 miles (roughly 50 minutes). Rush-hour traffic adds time, and drives vary with which part of Columbus you start from.

What is there to do in Columbus?

Columbus has a lot of open space: the Carlos Avery and Lamprey Pass wildlife management areas, Coon Lake Regional Park with a beach, boat launch and trails, and the Columbus Lake Conservation Area. Running Aces, a harness racing track, has been operating near I-35 since 2008.

Is Columbus a good place to buy a home?

Columbus suits buyers who want room — acreage, wooded lots and homes near Coon Lake and Columbus Lake — while staying close to I-35. Rural homes need extra due diligence on wells, septic and lot lines, and I can help you work through those details and price a property with confidence.

NEARBY CITIES I SERVE

Lino Lakes · Forest Lake · Ham Lake · East Bethel · Wyoming · Hugo · Centerville · Blaine · Circle Pines · Stacy

Thinking about buying or selling in Columbus? Use the form at the top of this page, or call or text me at 763-218-2573. — Chuck Glasser, Realtor®, RE/MAX Results