Columbus, MS
Census place 2815380 · pop 23,348
Sales & income are statewide.
The breakdown — worst first
U.S. median 26.5% · worse than most cities
39.1% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.
U.S. median $67,857 · worse than most cities
$42,235 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.
U.S. median 90.0% · worse than most cities
82.4% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.
U.S. median 0.43 · worse than most cities
Gini 0.51 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).
U.S. median 14.6% · worse than most cities
18.6% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.
U.S. median 67.2% · worse than most cities
47.8% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.
U.S. median 36.5% · worse than most cities
41.3% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).
U.S. median +2.4% · worse than most cities
-3.1% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?
U.S. median 12.1% · worse than most cities
21.3% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.
U.S. median 9.3% · worse than most cities
13.1% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.
U.S. median 17.4% · worse than most cities
18.2% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).
U.S. median 24.3% · worse than most cities
26.2% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.
U.S. median 0.99% · better than most cities
0.95% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.
U.S. median 3.6% · better than most cities
3.5% unemployment · Share of the labor force out of work. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 77/100 · better than most cities
78/100 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.
U.S. median $1,756/mo · better than most cities
$1,386/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).
U.S. median 24 min · better than most cities
19 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.
U.S. median $214,900 · better than most cities
$125,700 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.
U.S. median 152/100k · better than most cities
0 violent crimes per 100k · Violent crimes (murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) per 100,000 residents.
U.S. median 964/100k · better than most cities
0 property crimes per 100k · Burglary, theft, motor-vehicle theft and arson per 100,000 residents.
Not measured for Columbus: Air, Bad air. Not every public source covers every city — EPA air monitors and Zillow rent only reach some places, and national crime data is still being added.
Frequently asked
- Is Columbus, MS a good place to live?
- By the numbers, Columbus scores 52/100 — a D (Meh) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 20 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is property crime rate and its weakest is physical inactivity. Mississippi overall ranks #27 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, MS?
- Columbus reports 0 violent crimes per 100k and 0 property crimes per 100k — better than most U.S. cities on violent crime.
- Is Columbus, MS expensive to live in?
- Columbus has a median home value of $125,700 and typical rent around $1,386/mo — more affordable than most U.S. cities.
- What's the biggest downside of living in Columbus, MS?
- Its weakest measured area is physical inactivity (39.1%) — 3/100, worse than most U.S. cities.
- What is Columbus, MS best at?
- Its strongest measured area is property crime rate (0/100k) — 97/100, better than most U.S. cities.
Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.