Macon-Bibb County and Columbus receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
Macon-Bibb County
Columbus
Opportunity
55 · Bottom 47%
vs58 · Top 46%
Growth
43 · Bottom 36%
vs33 · Bottom 21%
Climate
75 · Top 30%
vs72 · Top 43%
Physical resilience
85 · Top 17%
vs73 · Top 33%
Housing affordability
79 · Bottom 48%
vs85 · Top 42%
Schools
31 · Bottom 24%
vs41 · Bottom 37%
Access
52 · Bottom 4%
vs51 · Bottom 4%
Economic stability
27 · Bottom 5%
vs39 · Bottom 16%
Measured values
| Metric | Macon-Bibb County | Columbus | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 156,578 | 203,711 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $51,234 | $58,073 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $31,699 | $33,739 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 628/sq mi | 941/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $174,500 | $193,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,066 | $1,106 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 51.4% | 50.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.6% | 4.3% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 1.2% | 1.0% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 26.3% | 30.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 24.7% | 19.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 137 | 265 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.9 | 1.3 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -8.1% | -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 | 71 mi | 82 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 23.7 min | 22.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 36.8 | 35.4 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 42 | 55 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 14.30 | 14.37 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 18.3% | 23.5% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 24.6% | 31.2% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 61.0% | 83.9% | 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
Macon-Bibb County
No hazard reaches elevated exposure.
Columbus
Elevated or high exposure: lightning.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Macon-Bibb County
56
Your Score
60
Area Score
Columbus
56
Your Score
59
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Macon-Bibb County, GA · Columbus, GA · How this is calculated: methodology