Head-to-Head · City Comparison
College Station, TX
VS
Columbus, GA
🏆 College Station leads 13 of 23 categories
College Station
Texas
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
90.7
Median Household Income
$52,397
Violent Crime Index
45 ✓ Safer
Population
120,451
Columbus
Georgia
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
88.8 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$54,561 ✓ Higher
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.
College Station, TX
Pros
72% less violent crime than Columbus
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.6 pts lower (4.7%)
More college-educated — 58.3% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (170.5 vs 380/100k)
Commutes run 3 min shorter each way
Living costs sit below the national average (index 90.7)
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $305,800
Columbus, GA
Pros
Homes cost $137k less ($168,400 vs $305,800)
Rent averages $91/mo less ($1,038 vs $1,129)
Living costs sit below the national average (index 88.8)
Cons
Violent crime (603.8/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Higher unemployment (7.3% vs 4.7%)
Key Differences at a Glance
College Station
Violent Crime
72% lower
170.5 vs 603.8 per 100k
College Station
Unemployment
2.6 pp lower
4.7% vs 7.3% unemployment
College Station
Summer Heat
3.6°F warmer
July avg high 95.4°F vs 91.8°F
Columbus
Cost of Living
2% cheaper
COL index 88.8 vs 90.7 (100 = US avg)
Columbus
Median Income
$2,164
$54,561 vs $52,397/yr
Columbus
Median Home Value
$137k less
$168,400 vs $305,800
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | College Station, TX | Columbus, GA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 90.7 | 88.8 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $305,800⚠ High | $168,400 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,129 | $1,038 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $52,397 | $54,561 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.7%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 7.3%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 16.9 min ✓ Shorter | 20.2 min |
| Work From Home % | 11.3% ✓ Higher | 7.0% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 48 ✓ Safer | 138⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 45 ✓ Safer | 159⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 53 ✓ Safer | 106⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (129) ✓ Better | B (101) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 14.9:1 | 14.0:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 58.3% ✓ Higher | 28.4% |
| High School or Higher | 95.3% ✓ Higher | 88.5% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | COLLEGE STATION ISD | Muscogee County |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 61.7°F ✓ Warmer | 57.5°F |
| Avg High — July | 95.4°F ✓ Warmer | 91.8°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 46.2" ✓ Drier | 51.8" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 0.5" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 120,451 | 204,572 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 22.9 | 34.9 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 36.3% | 49.5% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 16.5% | 24.8% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 6.8% | 14.1% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
College Station's cost of living index is 90.7 vs Columbus's 88.8 (US average = 100).
Columbus is 2% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, College Station leads 13 of 23 categories. College Station 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 College Station to Columbus or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($305,800 vs $168,400 median home), income ($52,397 vs $54,561), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
College Station, TX and Columbus, GA are about 685 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.
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