Goodlettsville receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Goodlettsville
Columbia
Opportunity
75 · Top 15%
vs51 · Bottom 38%
Growth
49 · Bottom 48%
vs73 · Top 12%
Climate
71 · Top 49%
vs75 · Top 30%
Physical resilience
53 · Bottom 45%
vs67 · Top 40%
Housing affordability
63 · Bottom 24%
vs69 · Bottom 32%
Access
92 · Bottom 49%
vs78 · Bottom 20%
Economic stability
65 · Top 40%
vs50 · Bottom 32%
Measured values
| Metric | Goodlettsville | Columbia | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 17,597 | 45,441 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $70,758 | $63,719 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $42,275 | $32,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,222/sq mi | 1,245/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $381,900 | $308,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,385 | $1,197 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 60.5% | 63.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.2% | 5.1% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.4% | -0.5% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 33.1% | 25.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 9.7% | 14.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 57 | 555 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 3.2 | 12.2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 50.0% | -12.5% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 91°F | 89°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 30°F | 27°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 50.5" | 56.8" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 14 mi | 40 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 28.9 min | 30.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.5 | 35.5 | 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.
Your best match
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Goodlettsville
67
Your Score
65
Area Score
Columbia
59
Your Score
57
Area Score
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Full profiles: Goodlettsville, TN · Columbia, TN · How this is calculated: methodology