Columbia vs Wentzville
Columbia, Missouri versus Wentzville, Missouri: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Columbia and Wentzville score about the same overall (47 vs 47 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Columbia | Wentzville |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $60k | $109k |
| Cost of Living | $43k | $47k |
| Home Value | $249k | $290k |
| Monthly Rent | $997 | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.98% | 1.19% |
| Income Tax | 4.80% | 4.80% |
| Sales Tax | 8.39% | 8.39% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 11.60% | 10.72% |
| Unemployment | 4.0% | 3.3% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 31°F | 32°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 78°F | 79°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 43.2 in | 44.4 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 17.4 in | 13.5 in |
| Sunny Days | 243 days | 231 days |
| Summer Humidity | 67°F | 68°F |
| Comfortable Days | 74 days | 67 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 75.5 | 66.5 |
| Air Quality | 45 AQI | 13 AQI |
| School Quality | 54.8 | 57.2 |
| Violent Crime | 2049/100k | 1515/100k |
| Property Crime | 2616/100k | 1243/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 126,172 | 44,584 |
| Median Age | 28.8 | 35.1 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.41 | 0.22 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.93 | 1.02 |
| Political Leaning | D+13 | R+54 |
| White (%) | 73.6% | 86.6% |
| Black (%) | 11.1% | 5.9% |
| Hispanic (%) | 3.9% | 3.0% |
| Asian (%) | 6.1% | 1.8% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 5.3% | 2.7% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 16 min | 28 min |
| Walkability | 9.0/20 | 7.8/20 |
| Airport Distance | 107 mi | 27 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 88.3% | 95.8% |
| Amenities Nearby | 25.36 | 15.03 |
| 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 Columbia or Wentzville more affordable?
- Columbia has the lower cost of living: its index is $43k, compared with Columbia's $43k and Wentzville's $47k. Median rent is $997 in Columbia versus $1k in Wentzville.
- Is Columbia or Wentzville safer?
- Wentzville has the lower violent crime rate. Columbia reports 2049/100k and Wentzville reports 1515/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Columbia or Wentzville?
- The median home value is $249k in Columbia and $290k in Wentzville, so homes are more affordable in Columbia.