Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Alexandria, VA
VS
Columbus, GA
🏆 Columbus leads 13 of 23 categories
Alexandria
Virginia
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
108.6⚠ High
Median Household Income
$113,179 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
58 ✓ Safer
Population
157,594
Columbus
Georgia
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
88.8 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$54,561
Violent Crime Index
159⚠ High
Population
204,572 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Alexandria, VA
Pros
Households earn $58,618 more per year on average
64% less violent crime than Columbus
Stronger job market — unemployment is 4.1 pts lower (3.2%)
More college-educated — 66.0% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (219.1 vs 380/100k)
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $655,700
Higher rents — median is $1,983/mo
Cost of living runs 20% higher than Columbus
Property crime (2640.0/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Columbus, GA
Pros
Homes cost $487k less ($168,400 vs $655,700)
Rent averages $945/mo less ($1,038 vs $1,983)
20% cheaper overall cost of living than Alexandria
Commutes run 10 min shorter each way
Milder winters — January highs near 58°F vs 45°F
Living costs sit below the national average (index 88.8)
Cons
Median income trails Alexandria by $58,618/yr
Violent crime (603.8/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Higher unemployment (7.3% vs 3.2%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Alexandria
Median Income
$58,618
$113,179 vs $54,561/yr
Alexandria
Violent Crime
64% lower
219.1 vs 603.8 per 100k
Alexandria
Unemployment
4.1 pp lower
3.2% vs 7.3% unemployment
Columbus
Cost of Living
20% cheaper
COL index 88.8 vs 108.6 (100 = US avg)
Columbus
Median Home Value
$487k less
$168,400 vs $655,700
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Alexandria, VA | Columbus, GA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 108.6⚠ High | 88.8 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $655,700⚠ High | $168,400 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,983⚠ High | $1,038 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $113,179 ✓ Higher | $54,561 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.2% ✓ Lower | 7.3%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 30.1 min⚠ High | 20.2 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 22.1% ✓ Higher | 7.0% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 85 ✓ Safer | 138⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 58 ✓ Safer | 159⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 126⚠ High | 106⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (110) ✓ Better | B (101) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 15.1:1 | 14.0:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 66.0% ✓ Higher | 28.4% |
| High School or Higher | 93.7% ✓ Higher | 88.5% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Alexandria City Public Schools | Muscogee County |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 44.8°F | 57.5°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 89.6°F | 91.8°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 41.8" ✓ Drier | 51.8" |
| Annual Snowfall | 13.7" | 0.5" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 157,594 | 204,572 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 37.4 ✓ Older | 34.9 |
| Homeownership Rate | 42.7% | 49.5% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 18.1% | 24.8% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 12.3% | 14.1% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Alexandria's cost of living index is 108.6 vs Columbus's 88.8 (US average = 100).
Columbus is 20% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Columbus leads 13 of 23 categories. Alexandria wins 10 and Columbus wins 13. The right choice depends on your priorities — use the Pros & Cons and full table above to weigh what matters to you.
Whether you're moving from Alexandria to Columbus or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($655,700 vs $168,400 median home), income ($113,179 vs $54,561), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Alexandria, VA and Columbus, GA are about 617 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.