Signals
Lake Shore
Columbia
Climate
78 · Top 22%
vs73 · Top 36%
Physical resilience
94 · Top 5%
vs95 · Top 3%
Housing affordability
93 · Top 25%
vs90 · Top 32%
Schools
58 · Top 42%
vs77 · Top 17%
Access
97 · Top 22%
vs98 · Top 20%
Economic stability
67 · Top 36%
vs72 · Top 23%
Measured values
| Metric | Lake Shore | Columbia | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 18,249 | 104,338 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $130,689 | $131,490 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $62,711 | $64,255 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,359/sq mi | 3,267/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $473,600 | $497,400 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,806 | $2,042 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 90.9% | 64.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 36.4% | 63.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 6.4% | 7.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Average July high | 86°F | 89°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 30°F | 25°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 44.0" | 45.0" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 11 mi | 10 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 33.5 min | 30.3 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 42.1 | 39.4 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 12 | 27 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 15.27 | 13.32 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 13.7% | 23.6% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 25.1% | 31.6% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 35.9% | 34.1% | 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.
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Lake Shore
81
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Area Score
Columbia
84
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Area Score
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Full profiles: Lake Shore, MD · Columbia, MD · How this is calculated: methodology