Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Columbia, MD
VS
Garland, TX
🏆 Columbia leads 12 of 20 categories
Columbia
Maryland
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
102.7⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$124,537 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
—
Population
106,600
Garland
Texas
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.3⚠ High
Median Household Income
$71,044
Violent Crime Index
61
Population
244,026 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Columbia, MD
Pros
Households earn $53,493 more per year on average
More college-educated — 63.6% hold a bachelor's or higher
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.2 pts lower (4.0%)
Cooler summers — July highs near 89°F vs 94°F
Smaller class sizes — 13.5:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $458,700
Higher rents — median is $1,895/mo
Garland, TX
Pros
Homes cost $230k less ($229,000 vs $458,700)
Rent averages $474/mo less ($1,421 vs $1,895)
Violent crime is well below the national average (232.7 vs 380/100k)
Milder winters — January highs near 56°F vs 43°F
Cons
Median income trails Columbia by $53,493/yr
Higher unemployment (5.2% vs 4.0%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Columbia
Cost of Living
1% cheaper
COL index 102.7 vs 103.3 (100 = US avg)
Columbia
Median Income
$53,493
$124,537 vs $71,044/yr
Columbia
Unemployment
1.2 pp lower
4.0% vs 5.2% unemployment
Garland
Median Home Value
$230k less
$229,000 vs $458,700
Garland
Summer Heat
5.7°F warmer
July avg high 94.3°F vs 88.6°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Columbia, MD | Garland, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 102.7⚠ High ✓ Cheaper | 103.3⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $458,700⚠ High | $229,000 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,895⚠ High | $1,421⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $124,537 ✓ Higher | $71,044 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.0%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.2%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 29.6 min⚠ High ✓ Shorter | 29.7 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 18.5% ✓ Higher | 9.4% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | — | 75 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | — | 61 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | — | 95 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (123) ✓ Better | C+ (89) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 13.5:1 ✓ Smaller | 15.0:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 63.6% ✓ Higher | 24.1% |
| High School or Higher | 95.6% ✓ Higher | 78.6% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Howard County Public Schools | GARLAND ISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 42.7°F | 55.9°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 88.6°F | 94.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 49.7" | 41.8" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 28.5" | 0.2" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 106,600 | 244,026 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 38.8 ✓ Older | 34.4 |
| Homeownership Rate | 64.3% ✓ Higher | 62.0% |
| Under 18 | 21.0% | 25.8% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 16.3% ✓ More | 12.4% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Columbia's cost of living index is 102.7 vs Garland's 103.3 (US average = 100).
Columbia is 1% less expensive overall.
Based on the 20 decided categories above, Columbia leads 12 of 20 categories. Columbia wins 12 and Garland wins 8. 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 Columbia to Garland or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($458,700 vs $229,000 median home), income ($124,537 vs $71,044), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Columbia, MD and Garland, TX are about 1,184 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.