Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Columbia, MD
VS
Goodyear, AZ
🏆 Goodyear leads 11 of 20 categories
Columbia
Maryland
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
102.7⚠ High
Median Household Income
$124,537 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
—
Population
106,600 ✓ Larger
Goodyear
Arizona
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
101.2⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$97,307
Violent Crime Index
48
Population
97,542
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Columbia, MD
Pros
Households earn $27,230 more per year on average
More college-educated — 63.6% hold a bachelor's or higher
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.5 pts lower (4.0%)
Cooler summers — July highs near 89°F vs 107°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
Goodyear, AZ
Pros
Violent crime is well below the national average (182.2 vs 380/100k)
Homes cost $63k less ($396,100 vs $458,700)
Milder winters — January highs near 67°F vs 43°F
Rent averages $184/mo less ($1,711 vs $1,895)
Cons
Median income trails Columbia by $27,230/yr
Higher unemployment (5.5% vs 4.0%)
Hot summers — July highs average 107°F
Key Differences at a Glance
Columbia
Median Income
$27,230
$124,537 vs $97,307/yr
Columbia
Unemployment
1.5 pp lower
4.0% vs 5.5% unemployment
Goodyear
Cost of Living
2% cheaper
COL index 101.2 vs 102.7 (100 = US avg)
Goodyear
Median Home Value
$63k less
$396,100 vs $458,700
Goodyear
Summer Heat
18.8°F warmer
July avg high 107.4°F vs 88.6°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Columbia, MD | Goodyear, AZ |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 102.7⚠ High | 101.2⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $458,700⚠ High | $396,100⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,895⚠ High | $1,711⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $124,537 ✓ Higher | $97,307 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.0%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.5%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 29.6 min⚠ High ✓ Shorter | 29.7 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 18.5% ✓ Higher | 16.2% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | — | 57 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | — | 48 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | — | 70 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (123) ✓ Better | C+ (88) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 13.5:1 ✓ Smaller | 19.9:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 63.6% ✓ Higher | 33.7% |
| High School or Higher | 95.6% ✓ Higher | 92.5% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Howard County Public Schools | Incito Schools (91326) |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 42.7°F | 66.8°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 88.6°F | 107.4°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 49.7" | 8.0" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 28.5" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 106,600 ✓ Larger | 97,542 |
| Median Age | 38.8 | 40.4 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 64.3% | 77.8% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 21.0% | 22.8% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 16.3% | 18.0% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Columbia's cost of living index is 102.7 vs Goodyear's 101.2 (US average = 100).
Goodyear is 2% less expensive overall.
Based on the 20 decided categories above, Goodyear leads 11 of 20 categories. Columbia wins 9 and Goodyear 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 Columbia to Goodyear or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($458,700 vs $396,100 median home), income ($124,537 vs $97,307), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Columbia, MD and Goodyear, AZ are about 2,008 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.