Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Columbus, GA
VS
St. Paul, MN
🏆 Columbus leads 15 of 23 categories
Columbus
Georgia
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
88.8 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$54,561
Violent Crime Index
159⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
204,572
St. Paul
Minnesota
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
104.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$69,919 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
163⚠ High
Population
308,806 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Columbus, GA
Pros
Homes cost $97k less ($168,400 vs $264,900)
16% cheaper overall cost of living than St. Paul
Milder winters — January highs near 58°F vs 24°F
Rent averages $136/mo less ($1,038 vs $1,174)
Living costs sit below the national average (index 88.8)
Cons
Violent crime (603.8/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Median income trails St. Paul by $15,358/yr
Higher unemployment (7.3% vs 5.0%)
St. Paul, MN
Pros
Households earn $15,358 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.3 pts lower (5.0%)
More college-educated — 42.8% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cooler summers — July highs near 83°F vs 92°F
Cons
Violent crime (617.7/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Cost of living runs 16% higher than Columbus
Property crime (2834.1/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Snowy winters — about 40" of snow per year
Key Differences at a Glance
Columbus
Cost of Living
16% cheaper
COL index 88.8 vs 104.5 (100 = US avg)
Columbus
Violent Crime
2% lower
603.8 vs 617.7 per 100k
Columbus
Median Home Value
$97k less
$168,400 vs $264,900
Columbus
Summer Heat
9.2°F warmer
July avg high 91.8°F vs 82.6°F
St. Paul
Median Income
$15,358
$69,919 vs $54,561/yr
St. Paul
Unemployment
2.3 pp lower
5.0% vs 7.3% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Columbus, GA | St. Paul, MN |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 88.8 ✓ Cheaper | 104.5⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $168,400 ✓ Lower | $264,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,038 ✓ Lower | $1,174 |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $54,561 | $69,919 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 7.3%⚠ High | 5.0%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 20.2 min ✓ Shorter | 23.1 min |
| Work From Home % | 7.0% | 15.4% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 138⚠ High ✓ Safer | 152⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 159⚠ High ✓ Safer | 163⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 106⚠ High ✓ Safer | 135⚠ 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 | 14.8:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 28.4% | 42.8% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 88.5% ✓ Higher | 88.2% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Muscogee County | Saint Paul Public Schools |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 57.5°F ✓ Warmer | 23.9°F |
| Avg High — July | 91.8°F ✓ Warmer | 82.6°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 51.8" | 29.2" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.5" ✓ Less | 40.4" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 204,572 | 308,806 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 34.9 ✓ Older | 33.1 |
| Homeownership Rate | 49.5% | 53.0% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 24.8% ✓ More | 24.0% |
| Over 65 | 14.1% ✓ More | 11.8% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Columbus's cost of living index is 88.8 vs St. Paul's 104.5 (US average = 100).
Columbus is 16% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Columbus leads 15 of 23 categories. Columbus wins 15 and St. Paul wins 8. 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 St. Paul or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($168,400 vs $264,900 median home), income ($54,561 vs $69,919), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Columbus, GA and St. Paul, MN are about 966 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.