Signals
Middle River
Columbia
Climate
71 · Top 44%
vs73 · Top 36%
Physical resilience
94 · Top 6%
vs95 · Top 3%
Housing affordability
79 · Bottom 47%
vs90 · Top 32%
Schools
36 · Bottom 30%
vs77 · Top 17%
Access
94 · Top 40%
vs98 · Top 20%
Economic stability
56 · Bottom 41%
vs72 · Top 23%
Measured values
| Metric | Middle River | Columbia | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 31,712 | 104,338 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $78,398 | $131,490 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $40,486 | $64,255 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,486/sq mi | 3,267/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $271,700 | $497,400 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,636 | $2,042 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 66.4% | 64.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 32.3% | 63.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 14.7% | 7.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Average July high | 90°F | 89°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 30°F | 25°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 43.7" | 45.0" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 17 mi | 10 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 31.4 min | 30.3 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 37.2 | 39.4 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 9 | 27 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 13.31 | 13.32 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 6.4% | 23.6% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 16.5% | 31.6% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 68.9% | 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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Middle River
72
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Area Score
Columbia
84
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Area Score
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Full profiles: Middle River, MD · Columbia, MD · How this is calculated: methodology