Smyrna receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Smyrna
Columbia
Opportunity
79 · Top 9%
vs51 · Bottom 38%
Growth
83 · Top 3%
vs73 · Top 12%
Climate
71 · Top 49%
vs75 · Top 30%
Physical resilience
60 · Top 48%
vs67 · Top 40%
Housing affordability
77 · Bottom 44%
vs69 · Bottom 32%
Schools
55 · Top 45%
vs6 · Bottom 1%
Access
97 · Top 29%
vs78 · Bottom 20%
Economic stability
68 · Top 34%
vs50 · Bottom 32%
Measured values
| Metric | Smyrna | Columbia | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 56,692 | 45,441 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $81,926 | $63,719 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $36,868 | $32,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,660/sq mi | 1,245/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $358,300 | $308,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,461 | $1,197 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 57.4% | 63.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.0% | 5.1% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.4% | -0.5% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 27.8% | 25.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 12.5% | 14.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 964 | 555 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 17.0 | 12.2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 14.9% | -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 | 3 mi | 40 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 28.9 min | 30.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 34.1 | 35.5 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 17 | 11 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 40.5% | 19.4% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 31.1% | 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
Smyrna
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Columbia
No hazard reaches elevated exposure.
Full profiles: Smyrna, TN · Columbia, TN · How this is calculated: methodology