Columbus, GA, known as "The Fountain City," is renowned for its rich history and vibrant cultural scene. Located in western Georgia along the Chattahoochee River, Columbus is approximately 100 miles southwest of Atlanta and 85 miles east of Montgomery, AL. This medium-sized city is known for its beautiful landscapes and historical significance.
Columbus's climate features hot, humid summers and mild winters, providing ideal conditions for year-round outdoor activities. The city boasts numerous parks and recreational areas, including the scenic RiverWalk and the expansive Columbus Botanical Garden, which offer trails, gardens, and opportunities for boating and fishing.
The cultural scene in Columbus is vibrant, with attractions like the National Infantry Museum, the Columbus Museum, and the Springer Opera House. The city hosts a variety of events and festivals throughout the year, including the Columbus Jazz Festival and the Uptown Beer & Wine Festival, celebrating the city's artistic and cultural achievements.
Education is a priority in Columbus, with institutions like Columbus State University providing higher education opportunities. The city's public and private schools are highly regarded, making Columbus an attractive place for families. The presence of major healthcare institutions, such as the Piedmont Columbus Regional Hospital, also supports a strong job market.
Living in Columbus combines the benefits of a vibrant cultural scene with a high quality of life. Residents enjoy access to excellent healthcare facilities, diverse dining options, and a range of housing choices. The city's efficient public transportation system and well-maintained infrastructure make commuting and exploring the area convenient. With its historical richness, cultural vibrancy, and welcoming atmosphere, Columbus offers a dynamic and fulfilling living experience.
Cost Of Living
The overall cost of living in this area is much lower than average. This includes everyday goods and services, as well as housing, utilities and health care.
Housing
This area has received high scores in the housing category. This could be due to a positive home affordability ratio, high appreciation rates or elevated home values.
Commute
Public transportation is not readily available in this area and the average commute time to work could also be longer than the national average.
Crime
This area is reporting high crime rates per 100,000 people and could signify that it is a dangerous place to live. Crime rates include both violent and property crimes.
Employment
A low score in the employment category could indicate that this area struggles with high unemployment rates and low household income and income per capita levels.
Schools
Lower than average education levels, poor reading and math scores, as well as the inaccessibility of local elementary and high schools could all be factors in the low schools score.
Ratings
AreaVibes conducted surveys and polls with locals who live in the area. The results were not favorable for walkability of amenities, parks, public transit and the overall sense of community in the area.
Columbus is a moderately-sized city located in the state of Georgia. The city has a population of 195,418 residents. Columbus is mostly populated by White (42%) and Black or African American (46%) ethnic groups. Single men and women might be happy to hear that in Columbus, only 48% of the population is married. If you are not a fan of long commutes, you will enjoy living in Columbus. With an average one way commute time of only 20 minutes, getting to and from work is a breeze compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Whether you’re relocating to a new area to be closer to family, friends or for a new job, living in Columbus could be a positive experience compared to other cities in Georgia if you know where to search. Don't forget to determine what matters most to you in a neighborhood. Consider factors such as safety, proximity to work or school, access to amenities (like parks, fitness facilities, grocery stores, restaurants), public transportation options, community atmosphere and the overall vibe you're looking for. The best areas in Columbus and in surrounding cities are easier to find when you are able to make informed decisions. Using data from amenities, health & safety, housing, you will see a detailed breakdown of the most important information as well as comparisons to the Georgia and national averages.
Columbus has a livability score of 62/100 and is ranked #253 in Georgia and #14,158 in the USA. If we explore each of the categories individually, we see that Columbus ranks well for cost of living (A+) and housing (B). Columbus does not rank well for the following: crime (F), education (F) and employment (D-). It might be a smart idea to take a closer look at each category to find out why.
A robust real estate market serves as a crucial economic indicator, reflecting the local area's strength, stability and the confidence of its residents. Columbus excels in the housing sector, scoring high marks based on factors such as median home and rental prices, appreciation rates and home affordability. These calculations suggest that the apartment rental and real estate market in the region is exceptionally healthy, highlighting the area's economic vitality and attractiveness to potential homebuyers and renters.
There are many factors that go into deciding if an area is the right fit for your lifestyle. Certain “must haves” like low crime, great schools and nearby amenities are all at the top of most people's lists. But before even considering if those options are attainable, we'll need to know if the real estate in Columbus is actually affordable. Median real estate prices in Columbus come in at $142,900, which is 6.2% lower than the Georgia average. The home price to income ratio compares the median home prices to the median household income. In Columbus, the home price to income ratio is 3, which is 0% lower than the Georgia average.
| Statistic | Columbus | Georgia | National |
| Average one way commute | 20min | 28min | 26min |
| Workers who drive to work | 79.7% | 79.6% | 76.4% |
| Workers who carpool | 8.5% | 10.1% | 9.3% |
| Workers who take public transit | 0.9% | 2.1% | 5.1% |
| Workers who bicycle | 0.4% | 0.2% | 0.6% |
| Workers who walk | 1.7% | 1.6% | 2.8% |
| Working from home | 6.5% | 5.1% | 4.6% |
Here are the best places to live in Georgia
Check out the 10 safest cities in Georgia
See the best places to live in Columbus
Most Dangerous Cities In The US