Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Columbia, MD
VS
Inglewood, CA
🏆 Columbia leads 14 of 20 categories
Columbia
Maryland
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
102.7⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$124,537 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
—
Population
106,600
Inglewood
California
6
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$67,563
Violent Crime Index
178⚠ High
Population
106,806 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Columbia, MD
Pros
Households earn $56,974 more per year on average
Homes cost $231k less ($458,700 vs $689,700)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 4.2 pts lower (4.0%)
More college-educated — 63.6% hold a bachelor's or higher
13% cheaper overall cost of living than Inglewood
Smaller class sizes — 13.5:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,895/mo
Inglewood, CA
Pros
Milder winters — January highs near 67°F vs 43°F
Rent averages $229/mo less ($1,666 vs $1,895)
Cooler summers — July highs near 77°F vs 89°F
Cons
Median income trails Columbia by $56,974/yr
Pricier housing — median home is $689,700
Violent crime (674.6/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Key Differences at a Glance
Columbia
Cost of Living
13% cheaper
COL index 102.7 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
Columbia
Median Income
$56,974
$124,537 vs $67,563/yr
Columbia
Median Home Value
$231k less
$458,700 vs $689,700
Columbia
Unemployment
4.2 pp lower
4.0% vs 8.2% unemployment
Columbia
Summer Heat
11.4°F warmer
July avg high 88.6°F vs 77.2°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Columbia, MD | Inglewood, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 102.7⚠ High ✓ Cheaper | 115.5⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $458,700⚠ High ✓ Lower | $689,700⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,895⚠ High | $1,666⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $124,537 ✓ Higher | $67,563 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.0%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 8.2%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 29.6 min⚠ High ✓ Shorter | 30.8 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 18.5% ✓ Higher | 8.9% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | — | 175⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | — | 178⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | — | 172⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (123) ✓ Better | C (79) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 13.5:1 ✓ Smaller | 23.0:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 63.6% ✓ Higher | 22.8% |
| High School or Higher | 95.6% ✓ Higher | 77.6% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Howard County Public Schools | Inglewood Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 42.7°F | 67.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 88.6°F ✓ Warmer | 77.2°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 49.7" | 11.8" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 28.5" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 106,600 | 106,806 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 38.8 ✓ Older | 37.3 |
| Homeownership Rate | 64.3% ✓ Higher | 35.5% |
| Under 18 | 21.0% | 21.3% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 16.3% ✓ More | 13.0% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Columbia's cost of living index is 102.7 vs Inglewood's 115.5 (US average = 100).
Columbia is 13% less expensive overall.
Based on the 20 decided categories above, Columbia leads 14 of 20 categories. Columbia wins 14 and Inglewood wins 6. 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 Inglewood or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($458,700 vs $689,700 median home), income ($124,537 vs $67,563), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Columbia, MD and Inglewood, CA are about 2,310 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.