Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Columbia, MD
VS
Shreveport, LA
🏆 It's a dead heat — 10 categories each
Columbia
Maryland
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
102.7⚠ High
Median Household Income
$124,537 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
—
Population
106,600
Shreveport
Louisiana
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
87.1 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$45,967
Violent Crime Index
323⚠ High
Population
186,183 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Columbia, MD
Pros
Households earn $78,570 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 5.2 pts lower (4.0%)
More college-educated — 63.6% hold a bachelor's or higher
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
Cost of living runs 16% higher than Shreveport
Longer commutes — 29.6 min average each way
Shreveport, LA
Pros
Homes cost $290k less ($168,900 vs $458,700)
Rent averages $950/mo less ($945 vs $1,895)
Commutes run 10 min shorter each way
16% cheaper overall cost of living than Columbia
Milder winters — January highs near 58°F vs 43°F
Living costs sit below the national average (index 87.1)
Cons
Median income trails Columbia by $78,570/yr
Violent crime (1228.5/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (3990.5/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (9.2% vs 4.0%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Columbia
Median Income
$78,570
$124,537 vs $45,967/yr
Columbia
Unemployment
5.2 pp lower
4.0% vs 9.2% unemployment
Shreveport
Cost of Living
16% cheaper
COL index 87.1 vs 102.7 (100 = US avg)
Shreveport
Median Home Value
$290k less
$168,900 vs $458,700
Shreveport
Summer Heat
5.7°F warmer
July avg high 94.3°F vs 88.6°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Columbia, MD | Shreveport, LA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 102.7⚠ High | 87.1 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $458,700⚠ High | $168,900 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,895⚠ High | $945 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $124,537 ✓ Higher | $45,967 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.0%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 9.2%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 29.6 min⚠ High | 19.2 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 18.5% ✓ Higher | 4.7% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | — | 270⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | — | 323⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | — | 190⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (123) ✓ Better | B- (94) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 13.5:1 ✓ Smaller | 15.2:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 63.6% ✓ Higher | 26.6% |
| High School or Higher | 95.6% ✓ Higher | 87.5% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Howard County Public Schools | Caddo Parish |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 42.7°F | 58.4°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 88.6°F | 94.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 49.7" ✓ Drier | 51.4" |
| Annual Snowfall | 28.5" | 0.9" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 106,600 | 186,183 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 38.8 ✓ Older | 37.1 |
| Homeownership Rate | 64.3% ✓ Higher | 53.8% |
| Under 18 | 21.0% | 23.8% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 16.3% | 17.1% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Columbia's cost of living index is 102.7 vs Shreveport's 87.1 (US average = 100).
Shreveport is 16% less expensive overall.
Based on the 20 decided categories above, It's a dead heat — 10 categories each. Columbia wins 10 and Shreveport 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 Columbia to Shreveport or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($458,700 vs $168,900 median home), income ($124,537 vs $45,967), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Columbia, MD and Shreveport, LA are about 1,054 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.