Lebanon receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Columbus
Lebanon
Opportunity
67 · Top 27%
vs78 · Top 13%
Growth
37 · Bottom 30%
vs43 · Bottom 39%
Climate
68 · Top 44%
vs64 · Bottom 44%
Physical resilience
59 · Top 46%
vs79 · Top 16%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 27%
vs99 · Top 32%
Access
78 · Top 46%
vs90 · Top 23%
Economic stability
84 · Top 9%
vs82 · Top 12%
Measured values
| Metric | Columbus | Lebanon | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 83,536 | 144,186 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $79,901 | $78,425 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $41,608 | $39,628 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 205/sq mi | 398/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $232,800 | $242,000 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,127 | $1,110 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 69.3% | 71.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.6% | 3.6% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.4% | 4.2% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 34.1% | 24.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 10.5% | 10.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 150 | 313 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.8 | 2.2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -30.6% | -41.4% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 86°F | 86°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 22°F | 22°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 43.1" | 42.1" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 41 mi | 20 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 23.0 min | 23.9 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 37.5 | 41.1 | 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
Columbus
Elevated or high exposure: tornado, earthquake.
Lebanon
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Full profiles: Columbus, IN Metro Area · Lebanon, PA Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology