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Columbia vs Franklin

Columbia, Tennessee versus Franklin, Tennessee: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.

Overall livability

Columbia

Mixed · objective livability44/100

Franklin

Mixed · objective livability47/100

Columbia and Franklin score about the same overall (44 vs 47 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.

Factor-by-factor comparison

FactorColumbiaFranklin
Affordability
Median Household Income$58k$107k
Cost of Living$52k$74k
Home Value$236k$574k
Monthly Rent$1k$2k
Monthly Owner Costs$1k$2k
Property Tax Rate0.59%0.48%
Income Tax0.00%0.00%
Sales Tax9.55%9.55%
Estimated total tax burden5.54%5.74%
Unemployment3.4%2.6%
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)40°F39°F
Summer Temp (Jul)80°F80°F
Annual Precipitation56.3 in53.8 in
Annual Snowfall0.9 in1.7 in
Sunny Days183 days183 days
Summer Humidity68°F68°F
Comfortable Days70 days69 days
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk61.668.4
Air Quality43 AQI49 AQI
School Quality31.638.5
Violent Crime3153/100k822/100k
Property Crime2109/100k1037/100k
Community
Population42,47483,630
Median Age36.237.8
Racial Diversity0.430.38
Male/Female Ratio0.880.91
Political LeaningR+37R+27
White (%)68.8%75.8%
Black (%)17.1%6.3%
Hispanic (%)9.7%5.8%
Asian (%)0.4%8.7%
Other / Multiracial (%)4.0%3.4%
Getting Around
Commute Time26 min25 min
Walkability7.2/209.0/20
Airport Distance38 mi18 mi
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access88.5%95.4%
Amenities Nearby8.7126.78
Park & Nature AccessModerateExcellent

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 Franklin more affordable?
Columbia has the lower cost of living: its index is $52k, compared with Columbia's $52k and Franklin's $74k. Median rent is $1k in Columbia versus $2k in Franklin.
Is Columbia or Franklin safer?
Franklin has the lower violent crime rate. Columbia reports 3153/100k and Franklin reports 822/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
Are homes cheaper in Columbia or Franklin?
The median home value is $236k in Columbia and $574k in Franklin, so homes are more affordable in Columbia.
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