Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Columbus, GA
VS
Long Beach, CA
🏆 Columbus leads 14 of 23 categories
Columbus
Georgia
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
88.8 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$54,561
Violent Crime Index
159⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
204,572
Long Beach
California
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$78,995 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
178⚠ High
Population
462,293 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Columbus, GA
Pros
Homes cost $541k less ($168,400 vs $709,700)
Rent averages $660/mo less ($1,038 vs $1,698)
27% cheaper overall cost of living than Long Beach
11% less violent crime than Long Beach
Commutes run 10 min shorter each way
Living costs sit below the national average (index 88.8)
Cons
Median income trails Long Beach by $24,434/yr
Violent crime (603.8/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Higher unemployment (7.3% vs 6.6%)
Long Beach, CA
Pros
Households earn $24,434 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.7 pts lower (6.6%)
More college-educated — 33.7% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cooler summers — July highs near 81°F vs 92°F
Milder winters — January highs near 67°F vs 58°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $709,700
Higher rents — median is $1,698/mo
Cost of living runs 27% higher than Columbus
Violent crime (676.4/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Key Differences at a Glance
Columbus
Cost of Living
27% cheaper
COL index 88.8 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
Columbus
Violent Crime
11% lower
603.8 vs 676.4 per 100k
Columbus
Median Home Value
$541k less
$168,400 vs $709,700
Columbus
Summer Heat
10.4°F warmer
July avg high 91.8°F vs 81.4°F
Long Beach
Median Income
$24,434
$78,995 vs $54,561/yr
Long Beach
Unemployment
0.7 pp lower
6.6% vs 7.3% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Columbus, GA | Long Beach, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 88.8 ✓ Cheaper | 115.5⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $168,400 ✓ Lower | $709,700⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,038 ✓ Lower | $1,698⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $54,561 | $78,995 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 7.3%⚠ High | 6.6%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 20.2 min ✓ Shorter | 30.4 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 7.0% | 12.5% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 138⚠ High ✓ Safer | 173⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 159⚠ High ✓ Safer | 178⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 106⚠ High ✓ Safer | 166⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (101) ✓ Better | B- (91) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 14.0:1 ✓ Smaller | 23.7:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 28.4% | 33.7% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 88.5% ✓ Higher | 81.2% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Muscogee County | Long Beach Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 57.5°F | 67.4°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 91.8°F ✓ Warmer | 81.4°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 51.8" | 12.0" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.5" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 204,572 | 462,293 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 34.9 | 36.1 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 49.5% ✓ Higher | 40.6% |
| Under 18 | 24.8% ✓ More | 20.7% |
| Over 65 | 14.1% ✓ More | 12.5% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Columbus's cost of living index is 88.8 vs Long Beach's 115.5 (US average = 100).
Columbus is 27% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Columbus leads 14 of 23 categories. Columbus wins 14 and Long Beach 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 Columbus to Long Beach or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($168,400 vs $709,700 median home), income ($54,561 vs $78,995), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Columbus, GA and Long Beach, CA are about 1,920 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.