Macon-Bibb County receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Macon-Bibb County
Columbus
Opportunity
55 · Bottom 49%
vs50 · Bottom 40%
Growth
48 · Bottom 47%
vs34 · Bottom 26%
Climate
75 · Top 21%
vs72 · Top 32%
Physical resilience
80 · Top 15%
vs65 · Top 37%
Housing affordability
91 · Bottom 40%
vs88 · Bottom 32%
Access
54 · Bottom 16%
vs50 · Bottom 13%
Economic stability
22 · Bottom 12%
vs33 · Bottom 25%
Measured values
| Metric | Macon-Bibb County | Columbus | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 234,943 | 325,615 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $59,526 | $59,336 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $33,652 | $33,493 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 136/sq mi | 117/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $188,300 | $197,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,044 | $1,069 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 61.9% | 57.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.2% | 4.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 1.2% | 0.4% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 24.3% | 28.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 20.7% | 18.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 484 | 623 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.1 | 1.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -10.5% | -5.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 94°F | 93°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 36°F | 38°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 46.9" | 48.8" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 68 mi | 84 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 26.2 min | 24.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.6 | 36.5 | 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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Macon-Bibb County
61
Your Score
65
Area Score
Columbus
56
Your Score
59
Area Score
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Full profiles: Macon-Bibb County, GA Metro Area · Columbus, GA-AL Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology