Murfreesboro receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Murfreesboro
Columbia
Opportunity
77 · Top 10%
vs51 · Bottom 38%
Growth
78 · Top 7%
vs73 · Top 12%
Climate
71 · Top 49%
vs75 · Top 30%
Physical resilience
60 · Top 48%
vs67 · Top 40%
Housing affordability
68 · Bottom 31%
vs69 · Bottom 32%
Schools
80 · Top 14%
vs6 · Bottom 1%
Access
96 · Top 33%
vs78 · Bottom 20%
Economic stability
68 · Top 33%
vs50 · Bottom 32%
Measured values
| Metric | Murfreesboro | Columbia | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 161,445 | 45,441 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $80,108 | $63,719 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $39,784 | $32,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,501/sq mi | 1,245/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $402,100 | $308,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,481 | $1,197 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 52.4% | 63.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.3% | 5.1% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.4% | -0.5% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 43.0% | 25.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 8.8% | 14.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 1,489 | 555 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 9.2 | 12.2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 8.8% | -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 | 12 mi | 40 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 28.9 min | 30.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 31.6 | 35.5 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 33 | 11 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 45.8% | 19.4% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 38.9% | 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
Murfreesboro
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.
Murfreesboro
75
Your Score
73
Area Score
Columbia
59
Your Score
57
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Murfreesboro, TN · Columbia, TN · How this is calculated: methodology