31206 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
31903
31206
Opportunity
44 · Bottom 27%
vs43 · Bottom 26%
Growth
30 · Bottom 17%
vs40 · Bottom 33%
Climate
69 · Bottom 47%
vs75 · Top 31%
Physical resilience
73 · Top 31%
vs88 · Top 12%
Housing affordability
68 · Bottom 32%
vs60 · Bottom 22%
Schools
13 · Bottom 4%
vs12 · Bottom 3%
Access
52 · Bottom 4%
vs51 · Bottom 4%
Economic stability
18 · Bottom 2%
vs15 · Bottom 1%
Measured values
| Metric | 31903 | 31206 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 20,644 | 24,310 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $32,401 | $30,042 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $18,217 | $17,032 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,072/sq mi | 912/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $81,000 | $90,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $880 | $923 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 28.1% | 43.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.3% | 4.6% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 1.0% | 1.2% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 9.8% | 8.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 35.4% | 37.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 265 | 137 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.3 | 0.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -5.0% | -8.1% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 93°F | 94°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 32°F | 36°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 81 mi | 72 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 25.7 min | 23.4 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 32.9 | 33.6 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 7 | 5 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 14.53 | 15.48 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 4.1% | 6.4% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 9.3% | 10.8% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 100.0% | 69.1% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
31903
Elevated or high exposure: lightning.
31206
No hazard reaches elevated exposure.
Full profiles: 31903 — Columbus, GA · 31206 — Macon-Bibb County, GA · How this is calculated: methodology