Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Arlington, VA
VS
Columbus, GA
🏆 Arlington leads 13 of 23 categories
Arlington
Virginia
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
108.6⚠ High
Median Household Income
$137,387 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
67 ✓ Safer
Population
235,845 ✓ Larger
Columbus
Georgia
10
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, VA
Pros
Households earn $82,826 more per year on average
58% less violent crime than Columbus
More college-educated — 76.8% hold a bachelor's or higher
Stronger job market — unemployment is 4.5 pts lower (2.8%)
Violent crime is well below the national average (254.4 vs 380/100k)
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $833,300
Higher rents — median is $2,227/mo
Cost of living runs 20% higher than Columbus
Longer commutes — 27.7 min average each way
Columbus, GA
Pros
Homes cost $665k less ($168,400 vs $833,300)
Rent averages $1189/mo less ($1,038 vs $2,227)
20% cheaper overall cost of living than Arlington
Commutes run 8 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 Arlington by $82,826/yr
Violent crime (603.8/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Higher unemployment (7.3% vs 2.8%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Arlington
Median Income
$82,826
$137,387 vs $54,561/yr
Arlington
Violent Crime
58% lower
254.4 vs 603.8 per 100k
Arlington
Unemployment
4.5 pp lower
2.8% vs 7.3% unemployment
Columbus
Cost of Living
20% cheaper
COL index 88.8 vs 108.6 (100 = US avg)
Columbus
Median Home Value
$665k less
$168,400 vs $833,300
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Arlington, VA | Columbus, GA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 108.6⚠ High | 88.8 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $833,300⚠ High | $168,400 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,227⚠ High | $1,038 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $137,387 ✓ Higher | $54,561 |
| Unemployment Rate | 2.8% ✓ Lower | 7.3%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 27.7 min⚠ High | 20.2 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 27.0% ✓ Higher | 7.0% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 73 ✓ Safer | 138⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 67 ✓ Safer | 159⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 83 ✓ Safer | 106⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (121) ✓ Better | B (101) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 12.8:1 ✓ Smaller | 14.0:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 76.8% ✓ Higher | 28.4% |
| High School or Higher | 95.3% ✓ Higher | 88.5% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Arlington County 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 | 47.2" ✓ Drier | 51.8" |
| Annual Snowfall | 13.7" | 0.5" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 235,845 ✓ Larger | 204,572 |
| Median Age | 35.3 ✓ Older | 34.9 |
| Homeownership Rate | 42.2% | 49.5% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 18.1% | 24.8% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 11.3% | 14.1% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Arlington'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, Arlington leads 13 of 23 categories. Arlington wins 13 and Columbus wins 10. 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 ($833,300 vs $168,400 median home), income ($137,387 vs $54,561), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Arlington, VA and Columbus, GA are about 619 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.