Smart Movers Club

    Moving to Columbus, GA

    Is Columbus a good place to live?

    Watch Columbus

    Columbus ranks #37 of 48 Georgia cities with 25,000+ people on the Smart Movers livability score (38/100), which weighs home affordability, unemployment, education and population growth. Population fell 0.1% in the latest Census year.

    Median home value
    $182,300
    +8.3% vs prior year
    Median rent
    $1,072
    per month
    Household income
    $56,622
    median
    Unemployment
    6.5%
    lower is better

    Cost of living in Columbus

    The median home value in Columbus is $182,300 and median rent is $1,072 a month, against a median household income of $56,622. Homes cost about 3.2× a year of income (under 3× is considered affordable).

    Columbus crime rate

    City-level FBI figures vary by agency; across Georgia the 2025 rate was 301 violent and 1,404 property crimes per 100,000 people — #29 highest of 50 states. The full report breaks down local trends.

    Moving to Columbus, GA

    Columbus has about 204,383 residents, 6.5% unemployment and 18% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher.

    Compare Columbus with

    Columbus vs AtlantaColumbus vs AugustaColumbus vs Macon-Bibb CountyColumbus vs SavannahColumbus vs AthensColumbus vs South FultonColumbus vs Sandy SpringsColumbus vs Roswell

    More: Where to move in Georgia · Best counties in Georgia

    Sources: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year estimates (2023, compared with 2022); FBI Crime Data Explorer.

    Home listings, local news, migration, schools, resources and the Smart Movers Grade & Verdict.

    See the full Smart Movers Club report