Mount Juliet receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Mount Juliet
Columbia
Opportunity
83 · Top 4%
vs51 · Bottom 38%
Growth
76 · Top 8%
vs73 · Top 12%
Climate
71 · Top 49%
vs75 · Top 30%
Physical resilience
52 · Bottom 45%
vs67 · Top 40%
Housing affordability
75 · Bottom 41%
vs69 · Bottom 32%
Schools
89 · Top 4%
vs6 · Bottom 1%
Access
94 · Top 42%
vs78 · Bottom 20%
Economic stability
74 · Top 20%
vs50 · Bottom 32%
Measured values
| Metric | Mount Juliet | Columbia | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 42,073 | 45,441 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $107,068 | $63,719 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $55,220 | $32,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,606/sq mi | 1,245/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $460,100 | $308,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,011 | $1,197 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 72.1% | 63.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 2.9% | 5.1% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.6% | -0.5% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 49.5% | 25.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 6.0% | 14.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 433 | 555 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 10.3 | 12.2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -20.4% | -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 | 11 mi | 40 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 33.0 min | 30.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 39.3 | 35.5 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 13 | 11 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 56.9% | 19.4% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 45.1% | 18.1% | 2019-20 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
Mount Juliet
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Columbia
No hazard reaches elevated exposure.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Mount Juliet
77
Your Score
75
Area Score
Columbia
59
Your Score
57
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Mount Juliet, TN · Columbia, TN · How this is calculated: methodology