Columbus vs Macon
The short version
- Overall prices are about the same in both metro areas (BEA 2024).
- The median home costs $174,500 in Macon and $193,900 in Columbus.
- Households earn more in Columbus ($58,073 vs $51,234 median).
- Macon is growing faster: +0.1% since 2020 vs -2.3%.
Side by side
| Columbus, GA | Macon, GA | |
|---|---|---|
| People | ||
| Population (2025) | 202,171 | 157,556 |
| Growth since 2020 | -2.3% | +0.1% |
| People per square mile | 934 | 632 |
| Median age | 35.4 | 36.8 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 31% | 26% |
| Money and housing | ||
| Median household income | $58,073 | $51,234 |
| Median home value | $193,900 | $174,500 |
| Home value to income | 3.3× | 3.4× |
| Median rent (with utilities) | $1,106 | $1,066 |
| Metro price level (US = 100) | 89.3 | 88.5 |
| Housing price level (US = 100) | 61.2 | 58.9 |
| $75,000 elsewhere equals | $67,000 | $66,400 |
| Homeowners | 51% | 51% |
| Top state income tax | 5.19% | 5.19% |
| Combined sales tax | 7.56% | 7.56% |
| Work and commute | ||
| Average commute (minutes) | 20.9 | 22.2 |
| Work from home | 12% | 10% |
| Take public transit | 1% | 1% |
| Unemployment (2020-24 avg) | 6.3% | 8.1% |
| Poverty rate | 19% | 24.7% |
| Weather | ||
| January high / low | 59° / 38° | 59° / 36° |
| July high / low | 93° / 74° | 94° / 72° |
| Precipitation per year | 49 in | 47 in |
| Snowfall per year | 1 in | 0 in |
| Days 90°F or hotter | 80 | 85 |
| Nights below freezing | 28 | 44 |
| Comfortable months | 4 | 5 |
| Risks, air and home prices | ||
| Natural hazard risk (FEMA, county) | Relatively Moderate | Relatively Low |
| FEMA risk score (lower is safer) | 81.6 | 78.5 |
| Good air days, 2025 | 53% | 43% |
| Home prices, past year | +1.4% | +2.7% |
| Home prices, past 5 years | +42.5% | +53% |
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: Columbus: April to May and October to November. Macon: March to May and October to November.
Full monthly tables: Columbus weather by month and Macon weather by month.
What $75,000 is worth
A $75,000 salary in an average-priced US city buys about the same as $67,000 in Columbus and $66,400 in Macon. Moving from Columbus to Macon, you would need about $74,400 to match a $75,000 salary.
Moving between Columbus and Macon
IRS county-to-county migration, 2022 to 2023 tax years, for the counties that contain each city. See where else people move from Columbus and Macon.
Which would you pick?
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