Elizabethtown receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Columbia
Elizabethtown
Opportunity
70 · Top 22%
vs81 · Top 7%
Growth
36 · Bottom 26%
vs33 · Bottom 21%
Climate
64 · Bottom 32%
vs69 · Bottom 45%
Physical resilience
62 · Top 47%
vs64 · Top 45%
Housing affordability
80 · Bottom 49%
vs97 · Top 14%
Access
93 · Top 45%
vs98 · Top 19%
Economic stability
41 · Bottom 18%
vs73 · Top 22%
Measured values
| Metric | Columbia | Elizabethtown | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 10,278 | 11,925 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $54,437 | $76,105 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $33,896 | $40,293 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 4,258/sq mi | 4,497/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $196,500 | $238,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,075 | $1,174 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 52.8% | 58.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.2% | 3.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 3.3% | 3.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 17.4% | 31.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 21.4% | 7.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 5 | 2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.5 | 0.2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 86°F | 87°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 22°F | 23°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 42.1" | 44.2" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 18 mi | 9 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 25.6 min | 24.0 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 41.8 | 34.9 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 4 | 5 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 13.53 | 14.89 | 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
Columbia
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Elizabethtown
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Your best match
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Columbia
64
Your Score
64
Area Score
Elizabethtown
73
Your Score
71
Area Score
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Full profiles: Columbia, PA · Elizabethtown, PA · How this is calculated: methodology