Columbia, Tennessee
AffordabilityAffordability: grade C, better than 27% of US places
WeatherWeather: grade F, better than 8% of US places
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade F, better than 9% of US places
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade B+, better than 72% of US places
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade D, better than 25% of US places
- top 8% for income tax
- top 9% for estimated total tax burden
- bottom 2% for violent crime
Columbia is a mid-size city in Tennessee with about 42,000 residents. It grades B+ for getting around and F for weather. Standout strengths include income tax, estimated total tax burden, and property tax rate. It rates lower on sales tax and violent crime.
- The median home value in Columbia is $236k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Median household income in Columbia is $58k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Median gross rent in Columbia is $1k a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Columbia has a violent crime rate of 3153/100k, per the FBI Uniform Crime Reports.
- The average one-way commute in Columbia is 26 min, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
Climate
Hot, humid summers · Cool winters · Wet
cold
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warm
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68%43%clearovercast
Precipitation 5.2 in3.9 in
muggy 95%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$58k43rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$52kbetter than 26% of US places
Home Value$236k68th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$1kbetter than 35% of US places
Monthly Owner Costs$11kbetter than 3% of US places
Property Tax Rate0.59%better than 82% of US places
Income Tax0.00%better than 92% of US places
Sales Tax9.55%better than 2% of US places
Estimated total tax burden5.54%better than 92% of US places
Unemployment3.4%better than 55% of US places
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)40°F71st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)80°F75th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation56.3 in91st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall0.9 inbetter than 79% of US places
Sunny Days183 daysbetter than 11% of US places
Summer Humidity68°Fbetter than 24% of US places
Comfortable Days70 daysbetter than 23% of US places
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk61.6better than 56% of US places
Air Quality43 AQIbetter than 66% of US places
School Quality31.6better than 4% of US places
Violent Crime3153/100kbetter than 2% of US places
Property Crime2109/100kbetter than 17% of US places
Community
Population42,47497th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age36.227th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.4376th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio0.8826th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningR+3763rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)68.8%30th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)17.1%89th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)9.7%72nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)0.4%61st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)4.0%62nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time26 minbetter than 46% of US places
Walkability7.2/20better than 63% of US places
Airport Distance38 mibetter than 76% of US places
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access88.5%better than 59% of US places
Amenities Nearby8.71better than 14% of US places
Park & Nature AccessModeratebetter than 38% of US places
Data sources
- EPA Air Quality (AQI)
- EPA Smart Location Database
- EPI Family Budget Calculator
- FAA airport enplanements
- FBI Uniform Crime Reports
- FEMA National Risk Index
- MIT Election Data Lab (2020)
- NCES School Finance Survey
- NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA nClimGrid
- OpenStreetMap
- Tax Foundation + state revenue depts
- U.S. Census ACS (5-Year)
- USGS Protected Areas (PAD-US)
Similar places
Frequently asked questions
- Is Columbia an affordable place to live?
- Columbia is relatively expensive. Its cost-of-living index is $52k, better than 26% of comparable areas. Median rent is $1k.
- Is Columbia safe?
- Columbia is higher-crime than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 3153/100k (better than 2%). Property crime is 2109/100k.
- What is the weather like in Columbia?
- Columbia averages 80°F in July and 40°F in January, with 56.3 in of annual precipitation and about 183 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Columbia?
- Public-school quality in Columbia is below average, scoring better than 4% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Columbia?
- The average one-way commute in Columbia is 26 min.