Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Columbia, SC
VS
Montgomery, AL
🏆 Montgomery leads 16 of 23 categories
Columbia
South Carolina
7
wins
Cost of Living Index
92.9
Median Household Income
$54,095
Violent Crime Index
203⚠ High
Population
136,754
Montgomery
Alabama
16
wins
Cost of Living Index
90.8 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$54,166 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
156⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
199,819 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Columbia, SC
Pros
More college-educated — 44.8% hold a bachelor's or higher
Living costs sit below the national average (index 92.9)
Smaller class sizes — 12.1:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Violent crime (769.9/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (3232.6/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (7.9% vs 7.2%)
Cost of living runs 2% higher than Montgomery
Montgomery, AL
Pros
Homes cost $84k less ($141,900 vs $226,200)
23% less violent crime than Columbia
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.7 pts lower (7.2%)
Living costs sit below the national average (index 90.8)
Rent averages $79/mo less ($1,026 vs $1,105)
2% cheaper overall cost of living than Columbia
Cons
Violent crime (594.6/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Key Differences at a Glance
Montgomery
Cost of Living
2% cheaper
COL index 90.8 vs 92.9 (100 = US avg)
Montgomery
Violent Crime
23% lower
594.6 vs 769.9 per 100k
Montgomery
Median Home Value
$84k less
$141,900 vs $226,200
Montgomery
Unemployment
0.7 pp lower
7.2% vs 7.9% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Columbia, SC | Montgomery, AL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 92.9 | 90.8 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $226,200 | $141,900 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,105 | $1,026 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $54,095 | $54,166 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 7.9%⚠ High | 7.2%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 17.4 min ✓ Shorter | 19.9 min |
| Work From Home % | 8.3% ✓ Higher | 6.3% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 183⚠ High | 136⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 203⚠ High | 156⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 154⚠ High | 106⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (115) ✓ Better | B- (93) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 12.1:1 ✓ Smaller | 17.6:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 44.8% ✓ Higher | 33.1% |
| High School or Higher | 91.2% ✓ Higher | 87.6% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Richland 01 | Montgomery County |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 56.3°F | 60.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 92.5°F | 94.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 48.7" ✓ Drier | 54.6" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.4" | 0.3" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 136,754 | 199,819 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 28.3 | 36.1 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 47.0% | 53.5% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 17.0% | 23.7% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 10.7% | 15.3% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Columbia's cost of living index is 92.9 vs Montgomery's 90.8 (US average = 100).
Montgomery is 2% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Montgomery leads 16 of 23 categories. Columbia wins 7 and Montgomery wins 16. 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 Montgomery or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($226,200 vs $141,900 median home), income ($54,095 vs $54,166), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Columbia, SC and Montgomery, AL are about 331 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.