Columbus vs New Albany
Columbus, Indiana versus New Albany, Indiana: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Columbus edges out New Albany on overall objective livability (53 vs 49 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Columbus | New Albany |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $75k | $54k |
| Cost of Living | $50k | $46k |
| Home Value | $212k | $161k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $927 |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $1k | $1k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.86% | 0.78% |
| Income Tax | 5.20% | 3.95% |
| Sales Tax | 7.00% | 7.00% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 9.94% | 8.58% |
| Unemployment | 4.0% | 4.9% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 30°F | 35°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 75°F | 79°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 47.3 in | 48.0 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 16.3 in | 4.3 in |
| Sunny Days | 168 days | 176 days |
| Summer Humidity | 65°F | 67°F |
| Comfortable Days | 82 days | 75 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 76.1 | 72.9 |
| Air Quality | 47 AQI | 53 AQI |
| School Quality | 46.7 | 45.9 |
| Violent Crime | 10/100k | 1320/100k |
| Property Crime | 118/100k | 3118/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 50,896 | 37,598 |
| Median Age | 35.8 | 38.0 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.40 | 0.30 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.03 | 0.91 |
| Political Leaning | R+27 | R+14 |
| White (%) | 72.7% | 80.9% |
| Black (%) | 2.1% | 8.5% |
| Hispanic (%) | 8.9% | 5.0% |
| Asian (%) | 12.7% | 1.1% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 3.5% | 4.5% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 18 min | 21 min |
| Walkability | 9.2/20 | 10.7/20 |
| Airport Distance | 42 mi | 11 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 91.5% | 80.4% |
| Amenities Nearby | 16.11 | 40.69 |
| Park & Nature Access | Excellent | Excellent |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Columbus or New Albany more affordable?
- New Albany has the lower cost of living: its index is $46k, compared with Columbus's $50k and New Albany's $46k. Median rent is $1k in Columbus versus $927 in New Albany.
- Is Columbus or New Albany safer?
- Columbus has the lower violent crime rate. Columbus reports 10/100k and New Albany reports 1320/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Columbus or New Albany?
- The median home value is $212k in Columbus and $161k in New Albany, so homes are more affordable in New Albany.