Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Columbus, GA
VS
Norman, OK
🏆 Norman leads 12 of 23 categories
Columbus
Georgia
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
88.8 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$54,561
Violent Crime Index
159⚠ High
Population
204,572 ✓ Larger
Norman
Oklahoma
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
91.0
Median Household Income
$62,849 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
68 ✓ Safer
Population
127,701
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Columbus, GA
Pros
Homes cost $57k less ($168,400 vs $224,900)
Living costs sit below the national average (index 88.8)
Milder winters — January highs near 58°F vs 50°F
Smaller class sizes — 14.0:1 student-teacher ratio
2% cheaper overall cost of living than Norman
Cons
Violent crime (603.8/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Median income trails Norman by $8,288/yr
Higher unemployment (7.3% vs 5.8%)
Norman, OK
Pros
57% less violent crime than Columbus
Violent crime is well below the national average (260.2 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.5 pts lower (5.8%)
More college-educated — 45.6% hold a bachelor's or higher
Households earn $8,288 more per year on average
Living costs sit below the national average (index 91.0)
Cons
Cost of living runs 2% higher than Columbus
Key Differences at a Glance
Columbus
Cost of Living
2% cheaper
COL index 88.8 vs 91.0 (100 = US avg)
Columbus
Median Home Value
$57k less
$168,400 vs $224,900
Norman
Median Income
$8,288
$62,849 vs $54,561/yr
Norman
Violent Crime
57% lower
260.2 vs 603.8 per 100k
Norman
Unemployment
1.5 pp lower
5.8% vs 7.3% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Columbus, GA | Norman, OK |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 88.8 ✓ Cheaper | 91.0 |
| Median Home Value | $168,400 ✓ Lower | $224,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,038 | $1,004 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $54,561 | $62,849 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 7.3%⚠ High | 5.8%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 20.2 min ✓ Shorter | 22.6 min |
| Work From Home % | 7.0% | 9.3% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 138⚠ High | 84 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 159⚠ High | 68 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 106⚠ High ✓ Safer | 108⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (101) | B+ (104) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 14.0:1 ✓ Smaller | 16.6:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 28.4% | 45.6% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 88.5% | 94.0% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Muscogee County | NORMAN |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 57.5°F ✓ Warmer | 49.9°F |
| Avg High — July | 91.8°F | 92.5°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 51.8" | 37.6" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.5" ✓ Less | 4.1" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 204,572 ✓ Larger | 127,701 |
| Median Age | 34.9 ✓ Older | 31.0 |
| Homeownership Rate | 49.5% | 52.4% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 24.8% ✓ More | 18.1% |
| Over 65 | 14.1% ✓ More | 13.4% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Columbus's cost of living index is 88.8 vs Norman's 91.0 (US average = 100).
Columbus is 2% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Norman leads 12 of 23 categories. Columbus wins 11 and Norman wins 12. 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 Norman or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($168,400 vs $224,900 median home), income ($54,561 vs $62,849), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Columbus, GA and Norman, OK are about 739 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.