Elizabethtown receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Elizabethtown
Columbia
Opportunity
81 · Top 7%
vs70 · Top 22%
Growth
33 · Bottom 21%
vs36 · Bottom 26%
Climate
69 · Bottom 45%
vs64 · Bottom 32%
Physical resilience
64 · Top 45%
vs62 · Top 47%
Housing affordability
97 · Top 14%
vs80 · Bottom 49%
Access
98 · Top 19%
vs93 · Top 45%
Economic stability
73 · Top 22%
vs41 · Bottom 18%
Measured values
| Metric | Elizabethtown | Columbia | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 11,925 | 10,278 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $76,105 | $54,437 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $40,293 | $33,896 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 4,497/sq mi | 4,258/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $238,700 | $196,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,174 | $1,075 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 58.2% | 52.8% | 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 | 31.4% | 17.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 7.6% | 21.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 2 | 5 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.2 | 0.5 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 87°F | 86°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 23°F | 22°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 44.2" | 42.1" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 9 mi | 18 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 24.0 min | 25.6 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 34.9 | 41.8 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 5 | 4 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 14.89 | 13.53 | 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
Elizabethtown
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Columbia
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Elizabethtown
73
Your Score
71
Area Score
Columbia
64
Your Score
64
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Elizabethtown, PA · Columbia, PA · How this is calculated: methodology