Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Columbus, GA
VS
San Angelo, TX
🏆 It's a dead heat — 11 categories each
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
San Angelo
Texas
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
90.9
Median Household Income
$65,040 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
57 ✓ Safer
Population
99,422
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Columbus, GA
Pros
Living costs sit below the national average (index 88.8)
More college-educated — 28.4% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cooler summers — July highs near 92°F vs 97°F
Smaller class sizes — 14.0:1 student-teacher ratio
2% cheaper overall cost of living than San Angelo
Cons
Violent crime (603.8/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Median income trails San Angelo by $10,479/yr
Higher unemployment (7.3% vs 3.2%)
San Angelo, TX
Pros
64% less violent crime than Columbus
Stronger job market — unemployment is 4.1 pts lower (3.2%)
Violent crime is well below the national average (218.2 vs 380/100k)
Households earn $10,479 more per year on average
Living costs sit below the national average (index 90.9)
Cons
Property crime (2486.0/100k) 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 90.9 (100 = US avg)
San Angelo
Median Income
$10,479
$65,040 vs $54,561/yr
San Angelo
Violent Crime
64% lower
218.2 vs 603.8 per 100k
San Angelo
Unemployment
4.1 pp lower
3.2% vs 7.3% unemployment
San Angelo
Summer Heat
5.6°F warmer
July avg high 97.4°F vs 91.8°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Columbus, GA | San Angelo, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 88.8 ✓ Cheaper | 90.9 |
| Median Home Value | $168,400 ✓ Lower | $171,700 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,038 | $1,037 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $54,561 | $65,040 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 7.3%⚠ High | 3.2% ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 20.2 min | 17.7 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 7.0% | 7.0% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 138⚠ High | 82 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 159⚠ High | 57 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 106⚠ High ✓ Safer | 118⚠ 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 | 15.5:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 28.4% ✓ Higher | 24.4% |
| High School or Higher | 88.5% ✓ Higher | 86.1% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Muscogee County | SAN ANGELO ISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 57.5°F | 61.1°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 91.8°F | 97.4°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 51.8" | 22.6" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.5" ✓ Less | 1.3" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 204,572 ✓ Larger | 99,422 |
| Median Age | 34.9 ✓ Older | 34.7 |
| Homeownership Rate | 49.5% | 64.0% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 24.8% ✓ More | 23.2% |
| Over 65 | 14.1% | 15.9% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Columbus's cost of living index is 88.8 vs San Angelo's 90.9 (US average = 100).
Columbus is 2% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, It's a dead heat — 11 categories each. Columbus wins 11 and San Angelo wins 11. 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 San Angelo or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($168,400 vs $171,700 median home), income ($54,561 vs $65,040), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Columbus, GA and San Angelo, TX are about 915 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.