Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Columbia, MD
VS
Savannah, GA
🏆 Columbia leads 11 of 20 categories
Columbia
Maryland
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
102.7⚠ High
Median Household Income
$124,537 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
—
Population
106,600
Savannah
Georgia
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
95.6 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$54,748
Violent Crime Index
5
Population
147,583 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Columbia, MD
Pros
Households earn $69,789 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 3.2 pts lower (4.0%)
More college-educated — 63.6% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $458,700
Higher rents — median is $1,895/mo
Longer commutes — 29.6 min average each way
Cost of living runs 7% higher than Savannah
Savannah, GA
Pros
Homes cost $255k less ($203,300 vs $458,700)
Rent averages $679/mo less ($1,216 vs $1,895)
Violent crime is well below the national average (20.3 vs 380/100k)
Commutes run 9 min shorter each way
Milder winters — January highs near 61°F vs 43°F
7% cheaper overall cost of living than Columbia
Cons
Median income trails Columbia by $69,789/yr
Higher unemployment (7.2% vs 4.0%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Columbia
Median Income
$69,789
$124,537 vs $54,748/yr
Columbia
Unemployment
3.2 pp lower
4.0% vs 7.2% unemployment
Savannah
Cost of Living
7% cheaper
COL index 95.6 vs 102.7 (100 = US avg)
Savannah
Median Home Value
$255k less
$203,300 vs $458,700
Savannah
Summer Heat
3.7°F warmer
July avg high 92.3°F vs 88.6°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Columbia, MD | Savannah, GA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 102.7⚠ High | 95.6 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $458,700⚠ High | $203,300 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,895⚠ High | $1,216 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $124,537 ✓ Higher | $54,748 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.0%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 7.2%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 29.6 min⚠ High | 20.5 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 18.5% ✓ Higher | 8.9% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | — | — |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | — | 5 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | — | — |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (123) ✓ Better | B+ (106) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 13.5:1 | 13.0:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 63.6% ✓ Higher | 31.1% |
| High School or Higher | 95.6% ✓ Higher | 90.0% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Howard County Public Schools | Savannah-Chatham County |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 42.7°F | 61.4°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 88.6°F | 92.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 49.7" ✓ Drier | 52.0" |
| Annual Snowfall | 28.5" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 106,600 | 147,583 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 38.8 ✓ Older | 33.5 |
| Homeownership Rate | 64.3% ✓ Higher | 45.9% |
| Under 18 | 21.0% ✓ More | 20.1% |
| Over 65 | 16.3% ✓ More | 14.7% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Columbia's cost of living index is 102.7 vs Savannah's 95.6 (US average = 100).
Savannah is 7% less expensive overall.
Based on the 20 decided categories above, Columbia leads 11 of 20 categories. Columbia wins 11 and Savannah wins 9. 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 Savannah or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($458,700 vs $203,300 median home), income ($124,537 vs $54,748), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Columbia, MD and Savannah, GA are about 553 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.