Signals
Ozark
Columbus
Growth
42 · Bottom 37%
vs37 · Bottom 29%
Climate
71 · Top 34%
vs69 · Top 40%
Physical resilience
47 · Bottom 38%
vs44 · Bottom 35%
Housing affordability
97 · Top 42%
vs92 · Bottom 43%
Access
97 · Top 9%
vs88 · Top 29%
Economic stability
19 · Bottom 9%
vs21 · Bottom 11%
Measured values
| Metric | Ozark | Columbus | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 49,599 | 67,863 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $54,963 | $51,117 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $30,913 | $29,086 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 88/sq mi | 57/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $143,500 | $150,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $889 | $916 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 61.9% | 63.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 20.4% | 25.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 18.7% | 18.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 27 | 143 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.5 | 2.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 28.6% | 7.5% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 93°F | 90°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 40°F | 33°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 53.9" | 57.2" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 12 mi | 14 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 24.3 min | 23.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 37.7 | 38.2 | 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.
Physical risk tradeoff
Ozark
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane, cold wave.
Columbus
Elevated or high exposure: tornado, earthquake.
Full profiles: Ozark, AL Micro Area · Columbus, MS Micro Area · How this is calculated: methodology