Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Columbia, MD
VS
West Jordan, UT
🏆 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
West Jordan
Utah
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
98.5 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$99,002
Violent Crime Index
77
Population
116,383 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Columbia, MD
Pros
More college-educated — 63.6% hold a bachelor's or higher
Households earn $25,535 more per year on average
Smaller class sizes — 13.5:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,895/mo
Pricier housing — median home is $458,700
Longer commutes — 29.6 min average each way
Cost of living runs 4% higher than West Jordan
West Jordan, UT
Pros
Rent averages $406/mo less ($1,489 vs $1,895)
Commutes run 5 min shorter each way
Homes cost $47k less ($412,100 vs $458,700)
4% cheaper overall cost of living than Columbia
Cons
Median income trails Columbia by $25,535/yr
Snowy winters — about 56" of snow per year
Key Differences at a Glance
Columbia
Median Income
$25,535
$124,537 vs $99,002/yr
West Jordan
Cost of Living
4% cheaper
COL index 98.5 vs 102.7 (100 = US avg)
West Jordan
Median Home Value
$47k less
$412,100 vs $458,700
West Jordan
Summer Heat
4.9°F warmer
July avg high 93.5°F vs 88.6°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Columbia, MD | West Jordan, UT |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 102.7⚠ High | 98.5 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $458,700⚠ High | $412,100⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,895⚠ High | $1,489⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $124,537 ✓ Higher | $99,002 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.0%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 4.2%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 29.6 min⚠ High | 24.6 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 18.5% ✓ Higher | 15.0% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | — | 72 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | — | 77 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | — | 65 |
| 🎓 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 | 21.7:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 63.6% ✓ Higher | 27.8% |
| High School or Higher | 95.6% ✓ Higher | 91.8% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Howard County Public Schools | Jordan District |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 42.7°F ✓ Warmer | 40.0°F |
| Avg High — July | 88.6°F | 93.5°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 49.7" | 20.2" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 28.5" ✓ Less | 55.8" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 106,600 | 116,383 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 38.8 ✓ Older | 32.6 |
| Homeownership Rate | 64.3% | 77.4% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 21.0% | 28.7% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 16.3% ✓ More | 8.8% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Columbia's cost of living index is 102.7 vs West Jordan's 98.5 (US average = 100).
West Jordan is 4% less expensive overall.
Based on the 20 decided categories above, Columbia leads 11 of 20 categories. Columbia wins 11 and West Jordan 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 West Jordan or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($458,700 vs $412,100 median home), income ($124,537 vs $99,002), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Columbia, MD and West Jordan, UT are about 1,853 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.