Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Columbia, MD
VS
Yakima, WA
🏆 Columbia leads 13 of 20 categories
Columbia
Maryland
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
102.7⚠ High
Median Household Income
$124,537 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
—
Population
106,600 ✓ Larger
Yakima
Washington
7
wins
Cost of Living Index
101.6⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$55,734
Violent Crime Index
143⚠ High
Population
96,764
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Columbia, MD
Pros
Households earn $68,803 more per year on average
More college-educated — 63.6% hold a bachelor's or higher
Stronger job market — unemployment is 4.1 pts lower (4.0%)
Smaller class sizes — 13.5:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $458,700
Higher rents — median is $1,895/mo
Longer commutes — 29.6 min average each way
Yakima, WA
Pros
Homes cost $215k less ($243,300 vs $458,700)
Rent averages $881/mo less ($1,014 vs $1,895)
Commutes run 12 min shorter each way
Cons
Median income trails Columbia by $68,803/yr
Violent crime (544.3/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Higher unemployment (8.1% vs 4.0%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Columbia
Median Income
$68,803
$124,537 vs $55,734/yr
Columbia
Unemployment
4.1 pp lower
4.0% vs 8.1% unemployment
Yakima
Cost of Living
1% cheaper
COL index 101.6 vs 102.7 (100 = US avg)
Yakima
Median Home Value
$215k less
$243,300 vs $458,700
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Columbia, MD | Yakima, WA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 102.7⚠ High | 101.6⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $458,700⚠ High | $243,300 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,895⚠ High | $1,014 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $124,537 ✓ Higher | $55,734 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.0%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 8.1%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 29.6 min⚠ High | 17.9 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 18.5% ✓ Higher | 5.3% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | — | 125⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | — | 143⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | — | 97 |
| 🎓 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 | 17.7:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 63.6% ✓ Higher | 19.3% |
| High School or Higher | 95.6% ✓ Higher | 77.2% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Howard County Public Schools | Yakima School District |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 42.7°F ✓ Warmer | 39.6°F |
| Avg High — July | 88.6°F ✓ Warmer | 88.3°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 49.7" | 8.6" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 28.5" | 20.3" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 106,600 ✓ Larger | 96,764 |
| Median Age | 38.8 ✓ Older | 33.9 |
| Homeownership Rate | 64.3% ✓ Higher | 53.1% |
| Under 18 | 21.0% | 27.8% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 16.3% ✓ More | 15.8% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Columbia's cost of living index is 102.7 vs Yakima's 101.6 (US average = 100).
Yakima is 1% less expensive overall.
Based on the 20 decided categories above, Columbia leads 13 of 20 categories. Columbia wins 13 and Yakima wins 7. 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 Yakima or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($458,700 vs $243,300 median home), income ($124,537 vs $55,734), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Columbia, MD and Yakima, WA are about 2,239 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.