Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Cary, NC
VS
Columbus, GA
🏆 Cary leads 12 of 23 categories
Cary
North Carolina
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
98.0
Median Household Income
$125,317 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
19 ✓ Safer
Population
174,880
Columbus
Georgia
11
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.
Cary, NC
Pros
Households earn $70,756 more per year on average
88% less violent crime than Columbus
More college-educated — 70.3% hold a bachelor's or higher
Stronger job market — unemployment is 3.9 pts lower (3.4%)
Violent crime is well below the national average (71.0 vs 380/100k)
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $477,400
Higher rents — median is $1,538/mo
Cost of living runs 9% higher than Columbus
Columbus, GA
Pros
Homes cost $309k less ($168,400 vs $477,400)
Rent averages $500/mo less ($1,038 vs $1,538)
9% cheaper overall cost of living than Cary
Living costs sit below the national average (index 88.8)
Milder winters — January highs near 58°F vs 51°F
Cons
Median income trails Cary by $70,756/yr
Violent crime (603.8/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Higher unemployment (7.3% vs 3.4%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Cary
Median Income
$70,756
$125,317 vs $54,561/yr
Cary
Violent Crime
88% lower
71.0 vs 603.8 per 100k
Cary
Unemployment
3.9 pp lower
3.4% vs 7.3% unemployment
Columbus
Cost of Living
9% cheaper
COL index 88.8 vs 98.0 (100 = US avg)
Columbus
Median Home Value
$309k less
$168,400 vs $477,400
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Cary, NC | Columbus, GA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 98.0 | 88.8 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $477,400⚠ High | $168,400 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,538⚠ High | $1,038 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $125,317 ✓ Higher | $54,561 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.4% ✓ Lower | 7.3%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 22.8 min | 20.2 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 28.3% ✓ Higher | 7.0% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 36 ✓ Safer | 138⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 19 ✓ Safer | 159⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 63 ✓ Safer | 106⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (118) ✓ Better | B (101) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 15.3:1 | 14.0:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 70.3% ✓ Higher | 28.4% |
| High School or Higher | 96.8% ✓ Higher | 88.5% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Wake County Schools | Muscogee County |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 50.9°F | 57.5°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 89.0°F | 91.8°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 50.3" ✓ Drier | 51.8" |
| Annual Snowfall | 4.8" | 0.5" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 174,880 | 204,572 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 39.4 ✓ Older | 34.9 |
| Homeownership Rate | 66.8% ✓ Higher | 49.5% |
| Under 18 | 24.5% | 24.8% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 13.2% | 14.1% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Cary's cost of living index is 98.0 vs Columbus's 88.8 (US average = 100).
Columbus is 9% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Cary leads 12 of 23 categories. Cary wins 12 and Columbus wins 11. 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 Cary to Columbus or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($477,400 vs $168,400 median home), income ($125,317 vs $54,561), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Cary, NC and Columbus, GA are about 413 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.