Columbia, Tennessee
AffordabilityAffordability: grade C, better than 41% 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.
Official websitecolumbiatn.com (opens in new tab)
Climate
Hot, humid summers · Cool winters · Wet
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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$1kbetter than 48% 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
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.
- What is the median home value in Columbia?
- The median home value in Columbia is $236k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Columbia?
- Median household income in Columbia is $58k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Columbia?
- Median gross rent in Columbia is $1k a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- 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.
Places near Columbia
Compare Columbia
Explore Tennessee
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)