Columbus, Georgia, at a Glance
On the eastern banks of the Chattahoochee River, where lanky pines and water oaks shade the sandy coastal plain lies a city with a deep history and sunny future — Columbus, Georgia.
Just 90 miles from Montgomery and 110 from Atlanta, Columbus is the cultural and economic center of the bi-state region. Longstanding institutions like Fort Moore and Columbus State University along with corporate headquarters like Aflac and Synovus keep the city on solid footing while also supporting innovation in new industries.
The city’s modest size and slow population growth have helped Columbus maintain its friendly, welcoming vibe, instead of suffering from the frenetic energy that sometimes befalls boomtowns. But the city of 200,000 is looking to grow, and they are rolling out the lush, green carpet for newcomers, particularly remote workers looking to escape the big city.
Below-market housing prices make Columbus an attractive city to move to, especially for younger buyers looking to purchase their first home. But those with more established careers will find plenty to love about this city, too, with its broad range of industries and its close-knit feel. And everyone will love the historic architecture.
What new residents will find in Columbus will likely surprise them. Georgia’s second-largest city might fly under the radar, but it doesn’t take looking to see that this is a city with a tremendous arts scene, terrific food and drink and loads of family-friendly activities. White-water rafting, hiking and mountain biking will keep you busy when the weather is nice. But should the South’s famous thunderstorms force you indoors, venues like the Columbus Art Museum and the Coca-Cola Space Science Center can transport you to a world of the imagination … or even the boundaries of the known universe.
If you’re looking for an affordable, mid-size Southern city with oodles of charm, Columbus, Georgia, should be at the top of your list. Learn more about the pros and cons of life in the Fountain City below in our Moving Guide to Columbus, GA, where you’ll find information on the cost of living, the job market, popular neighborhoods and fun things to do.
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Columbus’ Low Cost of Living
With real estate prices far below the national average, Columbus’ cost of living can seem enviable to those living in higher-priced cities like Atlanta. The median home value in Columbus is just $182,300, compared to the Georgia state capital’s $420,600 and the national average of $303,400. At $1,455, the median gross rent is several hundred dollars less than the average American pays each month and nearly $1,000 below what Atlantans have grown accustomed to shelling out. But it’s hardly peanuts when you consider what Columbus residents’ annual earnings are, which may be one reason that the homeownership rate is only 50.2%.
The median household income in Columbus averaged just $56,622 between 2018 and 2023, which comes in $22,000 less than the U.S. average. But how far can those dollars go in Columbus? Well, MIT’s Living Wage Calculator estimates that a family of three — that’s two working adults and one child — living in Columbus, Georgia, reasonably need pre-tax earnings of $77,808 to afford basic household expenses. An estimated $13,283 per year will go towards housing, while $13,707 should be allocated for transportation, $9,845 for taxes, $9,716 for food, $8,033 budgeted for miscellaneous expenses, $8,418 for medical expenses, $7,452 for childcare costs, $5,031 for civic expenses and $2,323 for mobile/internet services.
Job and Education Opportunities in Columbus, Georgia
With a fraction of Atlanta’s density and a shrinking population problem to combat, Columbus is leveraging its smaller-town vibes to appeal to remote workers who have soured on Atlanta’s skyrocketing housing costs and ever-increasing traffic. Columbus is now offering attractive relocation packages to adults earning $75,000+ a year currently living 75 miles or more outside the Columbus city limits. This includes a $5,000 incentive along with other benefits, like free co-working space, networking opportunities, club memberships and coffee with the mayor, which will be worth it if it’s at Fountain City Coffee — our favorite spot — which just happens to be a couple of blocks from Skip Henderson’s office.
Workers interested in relocating to Columbus will find a healthy, well-diversified job market in the city. The biggest nonfarm industry here is the government, which supplied 23,700 jobs as of December 2024. This is no surprise as Fort Moore (formerly Fort Benning) was established in the city more than 100 years ago and is the sixth-largest military installation in the country. Nearly 13,000 active-duty military personnel are employed here, along with nearly 20,000 military trainees and more than 3,700 civilians. 26,900 families also call the base home, giving it the population of a small city all on its own.
As Columbus’ second-largest industry, trade, transportation and utilities employs 19,200 individuals — a decline of 1.5% over the past year — and education and health services employs 18,200, showing gains of 4%. Professional and business services, leisure and hospitality, manufacturing and financial activities all employ more than 10,000 individuals each — an unusual balance for any city, particularly one of this size.
Powering these impressive workforces are an abundance of local and regional universities, from Columbus State University — part of the University of Georgia System — and the Mercer University School of Medicine to UGA’s flagship in Athens, Georgia Southern (in Statesboro), the Savannah College of Art & Design and Auburn University.
Columbus Neighborhoods That Feel Like Home
Like many Southern cities, Columbus’s streets are lined with charming houses of every imaginable style, from strait-laced, mid-centuries to elaborate Georgian wonders. But whether you’re looking for a cozy, quirky bungalow or a high-ceilinged condo with a river view, Columbus has a neighborhood for nearly every vibe and price point.
Let’s start in the heart of it all — Uptown. Columbus isn’t a city that turns everything on its head, but down is sometimes up in Columbus — downtown is usually referred to as Uptown, giving the business and cultural district a distinctly optimistic glow. This is the most densely provisioned area of the city, and you can hop from museums and parks to luncheonettes and swanky cocktail bars with ease. If loft living is your jam, you’ll find historic industrial buildings with spacious digs to sprawl in, alongside nifty rentals and condos. However, newer high-rises have cropped up with the latest in contemporary styles. There are plenty of single-family homes on the southern end of the district, too, so if you’re looking for a walkable neighborhood in town, Uptown is it.
For those seeking a balance between residential vibes and urban ones, Midtown Columbus may suit your family best. Many of these near-town neighborhoods are designated historic districts, thanks to the many architectural gems that lie within them. You’ll find spots with charming appellations like Historic Averett Woods and Waverly Terrace, but there’s also Historic Boogerville, which kills the vibe. Ah well, all cities have something to regret. Even in Boogerville (where we have seen neither snoots nor spooky spirits), you’d be hard-pressed to find more gorgeous homes — pink clapboard Victorians, robin’s egg Craftsmans and dusky Spanish Colonial revivals. Don’t be surprised if you bump into a famous residence now and again, either. Carson McCullers Center for Writers and Musicians is tucked away here on Stark Avenue, so if you’re hoping a little greatness might rub off on you, visit the home to see where the literary wonder got her start.
North Columbus is a traditionally suburban district, where the airport and all local highways converge. Families looking for maximum space and minimal historic maintenance will find a wide array of styles and spaces to suit their needs. Along the Chattahoochee River, you’ll find near palaces that could easily accommodate several generations of family members (or one anti-social, nuclear clan that wants to limit human interaction), as well as normal-sized homes that center the singular landscape of the region. Away from the waterfront, you’ll find that most homes have pleasing setbacks from the road, so even if you live on a busier thoroughfare, you’ll be insulated from traffic sounds, making for a soothing retreat. These spacious lots are also great for home gardeners and active kiddos who need wide-open spaces to play.
Explore Columbus: Things to Do and See
Many cities of Columbus’ size fall short when it comes to recreation, but this one rises to the challenge. Whether you are looking for relaxation, adventure or inspiration, Columbus is filled with the wild, the wondrous and the unwound.
Columbus is, perhaps, an unexpected hotbed for the arts. Musicians from Ma Rainey to Robert Cray made this city a music legend, while visual artists like Alma Thomas, Bo Bartlett and Amy Sherald — portraitist to First Lady Michelle Obama — have cemented Columbus’ place in the painters’ canon. You can experience their works for yourself at institutions like the Columbus Museum of Art (CMA), the Bo Bartlett Center, the Corn Center for the Visual Arts at CSU and the Columbus Museum (COMU).
If theater is more your style, the RiverCenter for the Performing Arts has a great lineup for 2025. You can LOL to Ali Siddiq’s stand-up, be transported by Neil deGrasse Tyson’s tales of outer space or get down with the Grand Funk Railroad.
Columbus State University has several sites of interest on its campus, including the Carson McCullers Center for Writers and Musicians, which celebrates the work of Fountain City’s most famous author. If you have eye-rolling kids in tow who have not yet developed an appreciation, they will undoubtedly prefer a trip to CSU’s Coca-Cola Space Science Center instead. Between the wow-inducing observatory and the whoa-inducing flight simulators, the CCSSC is a side-eye-elimination station for the parents of chronically unimpressed kids. Prepare to see their jaws drop.
Of course, Columbus’ fun is hardly restricted to the great indoors. The roaring Chattahoochee River makes this prime adventuring territory for thrill-seekers and escapists. The Chattahoochee RiverWalk extends for 15 miles on this impressive waterway, and joggers, cyclists and languid pedestrians can all have fun here. Those who want to feel the rush of the rapids up close can book a rafting trip with Whitewater Express, which leads family-friendly floats in calm waters and adrenaline-pumping rides through class V surf — one excursion is aptly named The Carnage.
If you’d rather lower your blood pressure, Columbus has plenty of places to relax. Pack a picnic lunch and head out to Flat Rock Park or stroll the immaculate grounds of the Columbus Botanical Garden. Or take an oddball day trip out to Pasaquan — one of the most unusual and largest artist-built environments in the country. Billed as a “Mock-Pre-Columbian Psychedelic Wonderland,” the phantasmagoric vision of its creator, Eddie Owens Martin — better known as St. EOM — is made manifest in this imaginative compound on the grounds of his childhood homestead, a farm in nearby Buena Vista. The venue is now on the National Register of Historic Places and maintained by CSU for all to enjoy.
One of the purest delights of moving to Columbus is all the great food in town. Near-ancient establishments like the Dinglewood Pharmacy — whose 107-year-old soda fountain is still open — are at the top of our must-eat list. The “scrambled” variety of their Dinglewood dogs drowns a whole wienie — bun and all — in a bowl of spicy chili before topping it with whatever floats your frankfurter boat. Anyone who gets all their vaccines before dining should treat themselves to an orange dream shake for dessert.
Minnie’s Uptown Restaurant is also getting up there — this relative young’un has been frying up the tastiest chicken in the city for 37 years running. They’re only open for lunch, but you won’t need dinner after you fill up on all the Southern staples here. Save room for a slice of red velvet cake.
Newer favorites on our list include The Animal Farm — try the wild GA shrimp burger — and Millhouse — for a splurgy night of dining with a view.
Tips for a Smooth Move to Columbus, Georgia
Is your family all set to move to Columbus, GA? Are you weighing the pros and cons of moving by yourself or hiring a professional mover? Working with America’s Most-Trusted Mover can keep your move hassle-free. Follow Mayflower’s tips on selecting the right professional moving company for your type of move.
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The best first step in any move is getting organized. Bookmark our moving checklist to stay a step ahead of the game. If you’re making a long-distance move to Columbus, Georgia, you’ll want to work with a company that can tailor their services to your needs. Mayflower’s nationwide network of long-distance movers makes moving a breeze. We are licensed for interstate moves, and our customizable, full-service moving packages can cover all the services you might need, from packing and unpacking to storage, debris removal and even shipping your car.
If your family is moving locally within the city of Columbus or the state of Georgia, our interstate Georgia agents/movers can help you with local moves independently under their businesses and brands.
No matter how you move to Columbus, Mayflower’s moving blog can help you move smartly. Learn how to reduce clutter in your home before you move. We even have tips on helping your family settle in after you move. Get our latest articles in Welcome HOME magazine, Mayflower’s digital guide.
Still considering other cities? Learn about other great destinations in the country in our state guides and city guides.
Because you want your move to go smoothly, you’ll want to make sure you’re working with the best full-service moving company. Since 1927, Mayflower has been the nation’s most trusted mover, and we will be there for your family Every Step of the Way®. See why millions families have selected Mayflower for their move.
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