Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Arlington, TX
VS
Columbus, GA
🏆 Arlington leads 14 of 23 categories
Arlington
Texas
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.3⚠ High
Median Household Income
$71,736 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
127⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
393,469 ✓ Larger
Columbus
Georgia
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
88.8 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$54,561
Violent Crime Index
159⚠ High
Population
204,572
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Arlington, TX
Pros
20% less violent crime than Columbus
Households earn $17,175 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.7 pts lower (5.6%)
More college-educated — 32.4% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Violent crime (482.9/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Cost of living runs 15% higher than Columbus
Columbus, GA
Pros
Homes cost $83k less ($168,400 vs $251,300)
Rent averages $259/mo less ($1,038 vs $1,297)
15% cheaper overall cost of living than Arlington
Commutes run 7 min shorter each way
Living costs sit below the national average (index 88.8)
Cons
Violent crime (603.8/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Median income trails Arlington by $17,175/yr
Higher unemployment (7.3% vs 5.6%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Arlington
Median Income
$17,175
$71,736 vs $54,561/yr
Arlington
Violent Crime
20% lower
482.9 vs 603.8 per 100k
Arlington
Unemployment
1.7 pp lower
5.6% vs 7.3% unemployment
Arlington
Summer Heat
4.1°F warmer
July avg high 95.9°F vs 91.8°F
Columbus
Cost of Living
15% cheaper
COL index 88.8 vs 103.3 (100 = US avg)
Columbus
Median Home Value
$83k less
$168,400 vs $251,300
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Arlington, TX | Columbus, GA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 103.3⚠ High | 88.8 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $251,300 | $168,400 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,297 | $1,038 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $71,736 ✓ Higher | $54,561 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.6%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 7.3%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 26.9 min | 20.2 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 9.8% ✓ Higher | 7.0% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 122⚠ High ✓ Safer | 138⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 127⚠ High ✓ Safer | 159⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 115⚠ High | 106⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (105) ✓ Better | B (101) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 13.8:1 ✓ Smaller | 14.0:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 32.4% ✓ Higher | 28.4% |
| High School or Higher | 85.9% | 88.5% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | ARLINGTON ISD | Muscogee County |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 57.9°F ✓ Warmer | 57.5°F |
| Avg High — July | 95.9°F ✓ Warmer | 91.8°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 36.2" ✓ Drier | 51.8" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.8" | 0.5" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 393,469 ✓ Larger | 204,572 |
| Median Age | 33.1 | 34.9 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 54.9% ✓ Higher | 49.5% |
| Under 18 | 25.3% ✓ More | 24.8% |
| Over 65 | 11.1% | 14.1% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Arlington's cost of living index is 103.3 vs Columbus's 88.8 (US average = 100).
Columbus is 14% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Arlington leads 14 of 23 categories. Arlington wins 14 and Columbus wins 9. 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 Arlington to Columbus or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($251,300 vs $168,400 median home), income ($71,736 vs $54,561), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Arlington, TX and Columbus, GA are about 713 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.