Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Columbus, GA
VS
Knoxville, TN
🏆 Columbus leads 16 of 22 categories
Columbus
Georgia
16
wins
Cost of Living Index
88.8 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$54,561 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
159⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
204,572 ✓ Larger
Knoxville
Tennessee
6
wins
Cost of Living Index
92.8
Median Household Income
$48,309
Violent Crime Index
195⚠ High
Population
191,857
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Columbus, GA
Pros
18% less violent crime than Knoxville
Households earn $6,252 more per year on average
Homes cost $16k less ($168,400 vs $184,200)
Living costs sit below the national average (index 88.8)
Milder winters — January highs near 58°F vs 48°F
4% cheaper overall cost of living than Knoxville
Cons
Violent crime (603.8/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Higher unemployment (7.3% vs 4.8%)
Knoxville, TN
Pros
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.5 pts lower (4.8%)
Living costs sit below the national average (index 92.8)
More college-educated — 33.1% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Violent crime (740.3/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (2721.3/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Median income trails Columbus by $6,252/yr
Cost of living runs 4% higher than Columbus
Key Differences at a Glance
Columbus
Cost of Living
4% cheaper
COL index 88.8 vs 92.8 (100 = US avg)
Columbus
Median Income
$6,252
$54,561 vs $48,309/yr
Columbus
Violent Crime
18% lower
603.8 vs 740.3 per 100k
Columbus
Median Home Value
$16k less
$168,400 vs $184,200
Columbus
Summer Heat
3.5°F warmer
July avg high 91.8°F vs 88.3°F
Knoxville
Unemployment
2.5 pp lower
4.8% vs 7.3% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Columbus, GA | Knoxville, TN |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 88.8 ✓ Cheaper | 92.8 |
| Median Home Value | $168,400 ✓ Lower | $184,200 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,038 ✓ Lower | $1,043 |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $54,561 ✓ Higher | $48,309 |
| Unemployment Rate | 7.3%⚠ High | 4.8%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 20.2 min ✓ Shorter | 20.5 min |
| Work From Home % | 7.0% | 9.1% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 138⚠ High ✓ Safer | 169⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 159⚠ High ✓ Safer | 195⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 106⚠ High ✓ Safer | 130⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (101) | B (103) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 14.0:1 | — |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 28.4% | 33.1% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 88.5% | 90.2% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Muscogee County | Knox County |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 57.5°F ✓ Warmer | 47.9°F |
| Avg High — July | 91.8°F ✓ Warmer | 88.3°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 51.8" ✓ Drier | 55.8" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.5" ✓ Less | 4.6" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 204,572 ✓ Larger | 191,857 |
| Median Age | 34.9 ✓ Older | 33.4 |
| Homeownership Rate | 49.5% ✓ Higher | 46.2% |
| Under 18 | 24.8% ✓ More | 18.2% |
| Over 65 | 14.1% | 14.2% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Columbus's cost of living index is 88.8 vs Knoxville's 92.8 (US average = 100).
Columbus is 4% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Columbus leads 16 of 22 categories. Columbus wins 16 and Knoxville wins 6. 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 Columbus to Knoxville or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($168,400 vs $184,200 median home), income ($54,561 vs $48,309), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Columbus, GA and Knoxville, TN are about 245 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.