Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Columbus, GA
VS
Oklahoma City, OK
🏆 Columbus leads 12 of 22 categories
Columbus
Georgia
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
88.8 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$54,561
Violent Crime Index
159⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
204,572
Oklahoma City
Oklahoma
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
91.0
Median Household Income
$64,251 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
178⚠ High
Population
681,088 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Columbus, GA
Pros
11% less violent crime than Oklahoma City
Homes cost $28k less ($168,400 vs $196,700)
Living costs sit below the national average (index 88.8)
Milder winters — January highs near 58°F vs 49°F
Smaller class sizes — 14.0:1 student-teacher ratio
2% cheaper overall cost of living than Oklahoma City
Cons
Violent crime (603.8/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Median income trails Oklahoma City by $9,690/yr
Higher unemployment (7.3% vs 4.5%)
Oklahoma City, OK
Pros
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.8 pts lower (4.5%)
Households earn $9,690 more per year on average
Living costs sit below the national average (index 91.0)
More college-educated — 33.2% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Violent crime (676.0/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (2893.5/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
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
Violent Crime
11% lower
603.8 vs 676.0 per 100k
Columbus
Median Home Value
$28k less
$168,400 vs $196,700
Oklahoma City
Median Income
$9,690
$64,251 vs $54,561/yr
Oklahoma City
Unemployment
2.8 pp lower
4.5% vs 7.3% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Columbus, GA | Oklahoma City, OK |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 88.8 ✓ Cheaper | 91.0 |
| Median Home Value | $168,400 ✓ Lower | $196,700 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,038 | $1,012 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $54,561 | $64,251 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 7.3%⚠ High | 4.5%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 20.2 min ✓ Shorter | 22.0 min |
| Work From Home % | 7.0% | 8.5% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 138⚠ High ✓ Safer | 162⚠ 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 | 138⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (101) ✓ Better | C+ (87) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 14.0:1 ✓ Smaller | 16.2:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 28.4% | 33.2% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 88.5% ✓ Higher | 87.7% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Muscogee County | OKLAHOMA CITY |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 57.5°F ✓ Warmer | 49.3°F |
| Avg High — July | 91.8°F | 93.1°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 51.8" | 37.0" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.5" ✓ Less | 6.7" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 204,572 | 681,088 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 34.9 | 34.9 |
| Homeownership Rate | 49.5% | 59.5% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 24.8% | 25.0% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 14.1% ✓ More | 13.1% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Columbus's cost of living index is 88.8 vs Oklahoma City's 91.0 (US average = 100).
Columbus is 2% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Columbus leads 12 of 22 categories. Columbus wins 12 and Oklahoma City wins 10. 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 Oklahoma City or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($168,400 vs $196,700 median home), income ($54,561 vs $64,251), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Columbus, GA and Oklahoma City, OK are about 752 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.