Signals
Columbia
Nashville-Davidson
Growth
73 · Top 12%
vs56 · Top 39%
Climate
75 · Top 30%
vs71 · Top 49%
Physical resilience
67 · Top 40%
vs51 · Bottom 44%
Housing affordability
69 · Bottom 32%
vs60 · Bottom 21%
Schools
6 · Bottom 1%
vs7 · Bottom 1%
Access
78 · Bottom 20%
vs95 · Top 40%
Economic stability
50 · Bottom 32%
vs59 · Bottom 48%
Measured values
| Metric | Columbia | Nashville-Davidson | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 45,441 | 690,130 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $63,719 | $77,371 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $32,500 | $49,061 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,245/sq mi | 1,451/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $308,700 | $413,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,197 | $1,586 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 63.3% | 52.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 25.4% | 48.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 14.2% | 14.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 555 | 5,005 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 12.2 | 7.3 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -12.5% | -16.2% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 89°F | 91°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 27°F | 30°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 56.8" | 50.5" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 40 mi | 7 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 30.7 min | 26.6 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 35.5 | 34.5 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 11 | 165 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 19.4% | 16.3% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 18.1% | 20.2% | 2019-20 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.
Your best match
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Columbia
59
Your Score
57
Area Score
Nashville-Davidson
57
Your Score
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Area Score
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Full profiles: Columbia, TN · Nashville-Davidson, TN · How this is calculated: methodology