Best for affordability: Union, South Carolina
Union, South Carolina looks like the easiest place here to live with less financial drag. It comes out ahead on home price and tax burden.
Demand-Backed Comparison
Compare Columbia vs Union on cost, climate, safety, and daily life
People have logged this comparison 1 times on WhyThere. The cards open full city pages. The charts and matrix below are the fast side-by-side read on housing, climate, walkability, safety, schools, parks, and day-to-day tradeoffs.
ColumbiaUnion
What Stands Out
A quick read on this comparison
Deterministic summaries based on the data in view.
Biggest tradeoff: Columbia, Illinois
Columbia, Illinois is the sharpest split in this comparison: strong on climate comfort, weaker on affordability.
Potential dealbreaker: Columbia, Illinois
Columbia, Illinois needs a closer look before you get too attached, especially on tax burden.
Comparison Matrix
| City | ||
|---|---|---|
| Route | ||
| General Info | ||
| Population | 136,754 | 8,045 |
| Elevation | 0 ft(0 m) | 643 ft(196 m) |
| Housing & Wealth | ||
| Median Home | $332,040 | $128,222 |
| Median Rent | N/A | N/A |
| Median Income | $54,095 | $78,954 |
| Climate & Risks | ||
| Sunny Days | 313 days/yr | 307 days/yr |
| Avg. High | 75°F | 72°F |
| Comfort Score | 81/100Great | 78/100Great |
| Temp Swing | 34°F | 37°F |
| Annual Rainfall | 48"(122 cm) | 46"(117 cm) |
| Annual Snowfall | 0"(0 cm) | 0"(0 cm) |
| Air Quality | AQI 44 (Avg)20 days > 100 | AQI 44 (Avg)14 days > 100 |
| Infrastructure & Lifestyle | ||
| Walk Score | 65 | N/A |
| Transit Score | 56 | N/A |
| Safety Score | 100 / 100 | 47 / 100 |
| School Rating | 9/10 | 4.9/10 |
| Internet Access | Fiber: 11%Cable: 75% | 0Cable: 77% |
| Demographics | ||
| Median Age | 28.3 years | 35.2 years |
| College Educated | 45% | 36% |
| Remote Workers | 8% | 15% |
| Nature Access | ||
| Local Nature & Reserves | Finding... | Finding... |
| Scouting & Local Help | ||
Plan a first lookWays to plan a first visit or connect with a relevant local partner. | Featured Local Partner ADYour logo Partner spot available For organizations that can help someone land in Columbia | Featured Local Partner ADYour logo Partner spot available For organizations that can help someone land in Union |
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