Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Columbia, MO
VS
Little Rock, AR
🏆 Columbia leads 12 of 23 categories
Columbia
Missouri
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
89.3
Median Household Income
$60,455 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
91 ✓ Safer
Population
126,172
Little Rock
Arkansas
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
89.1 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$58,697
Violent Crime Index
440⚠ High
Population
202,218 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Columbia, MO
Pros
79% less violent crime than Little Rock
More college-educated — 55.3% hold a bachelor's or higher
Living costs sit below the national average (index 89.3)
Smaller class sizes — 12.8:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
Little Rock, AR
Pros
Homes cost $43k less ($205,800 vs $248,600)
Living costs sit below the national average (index 89.1)
Milder winters — January highs near 51°F vs 39°F
Cons
Violent crime (1672.0/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (5214.3/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Key Differences at a Glance
Columbia
Median Income
$1,758
$60,455 vs $58,697/yr
Columbia
Violent Crime
79% lower
347.5 vs 1672.0 per 100k
Both cities
Cost of Living
≈ Equal
Both near 89.3 on the COL index
Little Rock
Median Home Value
$43k less
$205,800 vs $248,600
Little Rock
Summer Heat
3.1°F warmer
July avg high 91.7°F vs 88.6°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Columbia, MO | Little Rock, AR |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 89.3 | 89.1 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $248,600 | $205,800 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $997 ✓ Lower | $1,006 |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $60,455 ✓ Higher | $58,697 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.0%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 4.4%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 16.5 min ✓ Shorter | 18.3 min |
| Work From Home % | 7.6% | 8.8% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 99 ✓ Safer | 363⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 91 ✓ Safer | 440⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 110⚠ High ✓ Safer | 248⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (123) ✓ Better | B+ (104) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 12.8:1 ✓ Smaller | 15.0:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 55.3% ✓ Higher | 44.1% |
| High School or Higher | 95.4% ✓ Higher | 92.4% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | COLUMBIA 93 | LITTLE ROCK SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 39.3°F | 50.5°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 88.6°F | 91.7°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 44.8" ✓ Drier | 52.4" |
| Annual Snowfall | 17.4" | 3.8" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 126,172 | 202,218 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 28.8 | 36.6 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 48.8% | 54.4% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 19.0% | 23.5% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 11.1% | 15.0% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Columbia's cost of living index is 89.3 vs Little Rock's 89.1 (US average = 100).
Little Rock is 0% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Columbia leads 12 of 23 categories. Columbia wins 12 and Little Rock wins 11. 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 Little Rock or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($248,600 vs $205,800 median home), income ($60,455 vs $58,697), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Columbia, MO and Little Rock, AR are about 292 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.