College Station vs Columbia
The short version
- College Station is cheaper overall: prices in its metro run 3% lower than in the Columbia area (BEA 2024).
- The median home costs $264,300 in Columbia and $346,700 in College Station.
- Households earn more in Columbia ($55,529 vs $50,900 median).
- College Station has the warmer winter: January highs of 62°F vs 57°F.
- College Station has more scorching days: 117 a year at 90°F or hotter vs 81.
- Texas has no state income tax on wages; South Carolina's top rate is 6%.
Side by side
| College Station, TX | Columbia, SC | |
|---|---|---|
| People | ||
| Population (2025) | 127,472 | 147,035 |
| Growth since 2020 | +5.8% | +7.5% |
| People per square mile | 2,492 | 1,062 |
| Median age | 22.9 | 28.6 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 57% | 46% |
| Money and housing | ||
| Median household income | $50,900 | $55,529 |
| Median home value | $346,700 | $264,300 |
| Home value to income | 6.8× | 4.8× |
| Median rent (with utilities) | $1,194 | $1,204 |
| Metro price level (US = 100) | 91.0 | 93.7 |
| Housing price level (US = 100) | 75.1 | 79.5 |
| $75,000 elsewhere equals | $68,200 | $70,200 |
| Homeowners | 35% | 46% |
| Top state income tax | None | 6% |
| Combined sales tax | 8.2% | 7.49% |
| Work and commute | ||
| Average commute (minutes) | 17.4 | 17.7 |
| Work from home | 12% | 12% |
| Take public transit | 3% | 1% |
| Unemployment (2020-24 avg) | 5.1% | 7.5% |
| Poverty rate | 29.2% | 24% |
| Weather | ||
| January high / low | 62° / 41° | 57° / 35° |
| July high / low | 95° / 75° | 93° / 72° |
| Precipitation per year | 42 in | 45 in |
| Snowfall per year | 0 in | 1 in |
| Days 90°F or hotter | 117 | 81 |
| Nights below freezing | 16 | 46 |
| Comfortable months | 5 | 5 |
| Risks, air and home prices | ||
| Natural hazard risk (FEMA, county) | Relatively Moderate | Relatively Moderate |
| FEMA risk score (lower is safer) | 88.4 | 93.1 |
| Good air days, 2025 | 69% | 58% |
| Home prices, past year | -2.2% | +3.6% |
| Home prices, past 5 years | +42.4% | +51.6% |
Highlighted cells are the better value where "better" is clear (lower prices, higher income, shorter commutes). Sources: Census Bureau 2025 estimates and ACS 2020-2024, BEA 2024, NOAA 1991-2020, Tax Foundation 2026.
Weather, month by month
Most comfortable months: College Station: February to April and November to December. Columbia: March to May and September to October.
Full monthly tables: College Station weather by month and Columbia weather by month.
What $75,000 is worth
A $75,000 salary in an average-priced US city buys about the same as $68,200 in College Station and $70,200 in Columbia. Moving from College Station to Columbia, you would need about $77,200 to match a $75,000 salary.
Which would you pick?
One vote per person. Results show after you vote.