31906 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
31906
31903
Opportunity
55 · Top 49%
vs45 · Bottom 29%
Growth
28 · Bottom 15%
vs28 · Bottom 15%
Climate
72 · Top 45%
vs69 · Bottom 47%
Physical resilience
73 · Top 32%
vs73 · Top 32%
Housing affordability
74 · Bottom 47%
vs68 · Bottom 39%
Access
49 · Bottom 3%
vs52 · Bottom 3%
Economic stability
22 · Bottom 3%
vs18 · Bottom 2%
Measured values
| Metric | 31906 | 31903 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 20,400 | 20,644 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $44,965 | $32,401 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $30,249 | $18,217 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,968/sq mi | 2,072/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $179,500 | $81,000 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $923 | $880 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 47.2% | 28.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.3% | 4.3% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 1.0% | 1.0% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 33.6% | 9.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 25.4% | 35.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 265 | 265 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.3 | 1.3 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -5.0% | -5.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 93°F | 93°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 38°F | 32°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 84 mi | 81 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 23.6 min | 25.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.0 | 32.9 | 2024 ACS 5-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
31906
Elevated or high exposure: lightning.
31903
Elevated or high exposure: lightning.
Full profiles: 31906 — Columbus, GA · 31903 — Columbus, GA · How this is calculated: methodology