Atlanta and Columbus receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
Atlanta
Columbus
Opportunity
85 · Top 1%
vs79 · Top 10%
Growth
64 · Top 25%
vs64 · Top 23%
Climate
74 · Top 32%
vs68 · Bottom 45%
Physical resilience
83 · Top 13%
vs77 · Top 21%
Housing affordability
63 · Bottom 42%
vs78 · Top 31%
Access
90 · Bottom 16%
vs99 · Top 22%
Economic stability
51 · Bottom 38%
vs54 · Bottom 49%
Measured values
| Metric | Atlanta | Columbus | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 505,268 | 914,802 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $85,652 | $66,082 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $65,718 | $37,860 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 3,734/sq mi | 4,129/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $439,600 | $252,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,711 | $1,295 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 46.4% | 44.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.7% | 3.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 1.3% | 0.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 59.2% | 38.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 16.9% | 18.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 5,975 | 6,848 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 12.0 | 7.6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -16.9% | -21.7% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 90°F | 85°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 34°F | 22°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 48.1" | 41.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 9 mi | 5 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 28.3 min | 23.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 34.2 | 33.2 | 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.
Full profiles: Atlanta, GA · Columbus, OH · How this is calculated: methodology