Columbus, MS vs Meridian, MS

Side-by-side comparison from the latest government data.

MetricColumbus, MSMeridian, MS
Population23,34834,137
Median Household Income$42,235$36,562
Median Rent$897/mo$910/mo
Median Home Value$125,700$107,900
Cost of Living (US = 100)——
Renters Paying 30%+ of Income43.6%47.9%
Poverty Rate21.3%34.3%
Unemployment Rate4.4%3.9%
Violent Crime Rate /100k470554
Property Crime Rate /100k1,6691,640
Median AQI—35
Good AQI Days /yr——
Summer Highs93°F92°F
Winter Lows38°F38°F
Snowfall0 in/yr1 in/yr
Avg Commute19 min18.9 min
Hospitals14
Avg Hospital Rating3.0 / 52.5 / 5
Students per Teacher13.913.6
College Degree Rate26.2%21.8%
Foreign-Born %2.6%2.4%
Population Growth (2020–2025)-5.3%-4.8%

Green = clearly better (more than 5% apart). Population, growth, weather, hospital count and foreign-born share aren’t scored.