Metro Life Score
Columbus, IN
Below-median composite Life Score — grade C+, 40th percentile of the national corpus.
- 47.4
- Life Score / 100
- C+
- Grade (curved)
- #231
- of 387 metros
- 40%
- composite percentile
Data updated August 2026
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The verdict
Columbus is below-median composite Life Score — #231 of 387 (47.4/100, grade C+, 40th percentile). Carried by schools at 59/100; held back most by environment at 15/100.
- 40th
- composite percentile
- #231
- of 387 peers
- 54th
- cost dimension percentile
- 51st
- wages dimension percentile
Life Score shape · MID · SCHOOL-STRONG · signature composite
Columbus: mid-curve composite with a readable shape
Columbus is a mid-curve MID · SCHOOL-STRONG metro (composite #231, 47.4/100, 40th percentile). Cost MID (54th) · wages MID (51st). Strongest schools 59/100; weakest environment 15/100; dimension gap 44. According to PlainCompare's federal Life Score corpus ranking, Columbus, IN ranks #231 of 387 metros by composite Life Score (highest = #1) and #178 of 387 by cost-of-living dimension score (highest = #1). Methodology.
BEA RPP 93.0 (rent-RPP 75.5). BLS median salary $64,275, 41,930 jobs (Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators, Retail Salespersons, Machinists). HUD 2BR FMR $1,415/mo (studio $1,233).
FBI UCR (IN): 308 violent, 1321 property/100K. NCES: 15.9:1 ratio, 6.5% charter. EPA: 53 Superfund sites (IN).
Where Columbus sits among all US metros
Composite Life Score vs the national field
47 40th percentile higher than 40% of 387 US metros
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more US metros. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source PlainCompare composite of BEA, BLS, HUD, FBI, NCES, DOL, EPA data · August 2026
Dimension detail
How Columbus scores, dimension by dimension
Score Breakdown
Dimension Scores
Key Data Points
Geography used: crime, schools, childcare, and environment cards above are IN state-level when metro-specific feeds are unavailable, see the scope key at the top of this page.
Compare Columbus With...
Ranking Context
Columbus outranks 40% of U.S. metros.
| Rank | Metro | Score | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| #228 | Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL | 47.5 | C+ |
| #229 | Hot Springs, AR | 47.5 | C+ |
| #230 | Grants Pass, OR | 47.6 | C+ |
| #231 | Columbus, IN | 47.4 | C+ |
| #232 | Odessa, TX | 47.4 | C+ |
| #233 | Salem, OR | 47.3 | C+ |
| #234 | South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI | 47.3 | C+ |
IN Metro Scores
Read with Columbus
Nearest composite peers and cost poles for Columbus (MID · SCHOOL-STRONG · MID/MID), replacing the fixed Explore/Guides strip.
Odessa, TX
ABS(composite) peer at 47.4 (Δ 0.0 vs this metro); higher Life Score · grade C+ vs this page's MID · SCHOOL-STRONG · MID/MID.
Hot Springs, AR
ABS(composite) peer at 47.5 (Δ 0.1 vs this metro); higher Life Score · grade C+ vs this page's MID · SCHOOL-STRONG · MID/MID.
Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL
ABS(composite) peer at 47.5 (Δ 0.1 vs this metro); higher Life Score · grade C+ vs this page's MID · SCHOOL-STRONG · MID/MID.
Salem, OR
ABS(composite) peer at 47.3 (Δ 0.1 vs this metro); lower Life Score · grade C+ vs this page's MID · SCHOOL-STRONG · MID/MID.
Flint, MI (cost pole)
ABS(cost_score) orthogonal peer at 54/100 (Δ 0); cost stamp MID vs this metro's MID.
Oshkosh-Neenah, WI (cost pole)
ABS(cost_score) orthogonal peer at 54/100 (Δ 0); cost stamp MID vs this metro's MID.
Columbus, IN relocation guide
Stamp-branched guide for MID · SCHOOL-STRONG · MID/MID - how to read federal Life Score inputs before a move.