31210 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
31909
31210
Opportunity
62 · Top 35%
vs66 · Top 27%
Growth
30 · Bottom 17%
vs40 · Bottom 33%
Climate
72 · Top 43%
vs75 · Top 31%
Physical resilience
73 · Top 31%
vs84 · Top 17%
Housing affordability
87 · Top 39%
vs87 · Top 39%
Schools
77 · Top 17%
vs67 · Top 30%
Access
52 · Bottom 4%
vs56 · Bottom 5%
Economic stability
58 · Bottom 47%
vs51 · Bottom 35%
Measured values
| Metric | 31909 | 31210 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 39,364 | 33,288 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $69,166 | $78,447 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $40,406 | $51,917 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,105/sq mi | 805/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $221,300 | $285,800 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,316 | $1,348 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 49.5% | 54.7% | 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 | 36.6% | 49.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 12.9% | 12.9% | 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 | 38°F | 36°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 48.8" | 46.9" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 80 mi | 64 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 22.1 min | 23.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 34.5 | 38.1 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 8 | 7 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 14.79 | 14.53 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 45.0% | 37.7% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 53.0% | 41.5% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 68.0% | 45.3% | 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
31909
Elevated or high exposure: lightning.
31210
No hazard reaches elevated exposure.
Full profiles: 31909 — Columbus, GA · 31210 — Macon-Bibb County, GA · How this is calculated: methodology