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Columbus, GA

Census place 1319000 · pop 203,711

D−40/ 100
🫤 Rough
D−
in GA
📍 Georgia ranks #30 of 50 states →
🏆 Rent$1,259/mo · top 15%
🚽 Crime612/100k · bottom 11%
💡 Did you know?

Home to Fort Moore (formerly Fort Benning), one of the U.S. Army's largest installations and "Home of the Infantry."

Source ↗
Taxes
0.86% property · US 0.99%7.49% sales · US 7.00%5.19% flat income · US 4.63%

Sales & income are statewide.

Google Maps ↗Zillow ↗Wikipedia ↗

The breakdown — worst first

Violent crime rate612/100k11

U.S. median 152/100k · worse than most cities

612 violent crimes per 100k · Violent crimes (murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) per 100,000 residents.

Income inequality0.4914

U.S. median 0.43 · worse than most cities

Gini 0.49 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).

Homeownership50.8%17

U.S. median 67.2% · worse than most cities

50.8% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.

Adult obesity40.3%18

U.S. median 36.5% · worse than most cities

40.3% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).

Uninsured adults14.8%18

U.S. median 9.3% · worse than most cities

14.8% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.

Poverty rate19.0%20

U.S. median 12.1% · worse than most cities

19.0% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.

Poor mental health19.1%20

U.S. median 17.4% · worse than most cities

19.1% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).

Property crime rate2272/100k23

U.S. median 964/100k · worse than most cities

2272 property crimes per 100k · Burglary, theft, motor-vehicle theft and arson per 100,000 residents.

Physical inactivity30.3%24

U.S. median 26.5% · worse than most cities

30.3% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.

Adult smoking16.1%25

U.S. median 14.6% · worse than most cities

16.1% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.

Median household income$58,07325

U.S. median $67,857 · worse than most cities

$58,073 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.

Air quality (AQI)County-level49 AQI27

U.S. median 42 AQI · worse than most cities

49 median AQI · Median air quality index — lower is cleaner air. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Unhealthy air daysCounty-level7 days28

U.S. median 1 days · worse than most cities

7 unhealthy-air days per year · Days per year with unhealthy air (AQI above 100). Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Broadband access89.2%33

U.S. median 90.0% · worse than most cities

89.2% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.

Unemployment rateCounty-level3.8%43

U.S. median 3.6% · worse than most cities

3.8% unemployment · Share of the labor force out of work. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Bachelor's degree or higher30.5%51

U.S. median 24.3% · better than most cities

30.5% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.

Population growth (5yr)+4.1%58

U.S. median +2.4% · better than most cities

+4.1% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?

Property-tax burden0.86%58

U.S. median 0.99% · better than most cities

0.86% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.

Commute time21 min70

U.S. median 24 min · better than most cities

21 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.

Housing cost$193,90073

U.S. median $214,900 · better than most cities

$193,900 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.

Natural disaster riskCounty-level69/10076

U.S. median 77/100 · better than most cities

69/100 FEMA risk (higher = riskier) · FEMA National Risk Index — wildfire, flood, earthquake, heat and more. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Rent$1,259/mo85

U.S. median $1,756/mo · better than most cities

$1,259/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).

Frequently asked

Is Columbus, GA a good place to live?
By the numbers, Columbus scores 40/100 — a D− (Rough) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 22 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is rent and its weakest is violent crime rate. Georgia overall ranks #30 of 50 states. Whether it's "good" depends on what you value — re-weight the factors to score it your way.
How safe is Columbus, GA?
Columbus reports 612 violent crimes per 100k and 2272 property crimes per 100k — worse than most U.S. cities on violent crime.
Is Columbus, GA expensive to live in?
Columbus has a median home value of $193,900 and typical rent around $1,259/mo — more affordable than most U.S. cities.
What's the biggest downside of living in Columbus, GA?
Its weakest measured area is violent crime rate (612/100k) — 11/100, worse than most U.S. cities.
What is Columbus, GA best at?
Its strongest measured area is rent ($1,259/mo) — 85/100, better than most U.S. cities. Fun fact: Home to Fort Moore (formerly Fort Benning), one of the U.S. Army's largest installations and "Home of the Infantry."

Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.