Columbus, Ga. — Columbus households earn more than those in Montgomery and Birmingham, homes cost far less than in Huntsville and Auburn, and rent is about the same in all five cities, according to U.S. Census Bureau figures.

With an estimated 202,171 residents, Columbus is the second-largest of the five, behind only Huntsville. It also has more veterans than any of them.

The five cities side by side

Population figures are July 1, 2025, estimates. Income, housing, education, poverty and veteran figures are 2020-2024 American Community Survey estimates, in 2024 dollars. All figures cover city limits only.

Who's growing?

Huntsville is the biggest of the five with 233,627 residents, followed by Columbus. Birmingham (195,893) and Montgomery (195,300) are nearly tied for third.

Growth is where the cities split. Columbus and Birmingham have each lost 2.3% of their population since 2020, and Montgomery has lost 2.6%. Huntsville grew 8.7%, and Auburn grew fastest at 11.1%.

Columbus is the youngest of the five: 24.9% of residents are under 18, compared with 24% in Montgomery and less than 20% in Birmingham, Huntsville and Auburn.

Paychecks: Columbus in the middle

The median Columbus household earns $58,073. That's $1,262 more than in Montgomery and $12,022 more than in Birmingham.

Huntsville leads at $74,714, or $16,641 more than Columbus. Auburn is second at $63,668.

Per-person income tells a similar story: $33,739 in Columbus, $33,458 in Montgomery, $32,216 in Birmingham, $46,854 in Huntsville and $37,018 in Auburn.

Columbus' poverty rate, 19%, is lower than Montgomery's (21.5%) and Birmingham's (24.7%) but higher than Huntsville's (12.6%). Auburn, home to Auburn University, reports 25.4%. College towns often show higher poverty rates because many students earn little.

Housing: where your money goes further

The median Columbus home is worth $193,900. That's $32,000 more than in Montgomery and $35,100 more than in Birmingham.

But Columbus is a bargain next to its fast-growing neighbors. Huntsville's median home is worth $99,700 more, and Auburn's is worth $170,900 more.

Monthly costs are closer than home values suggest. Columbus homeowners with a mortgage pay a median of $1,489 a month, compared with $1,573 in Huntsville and $1,881 in Auburn.

Rent is nearly identical everywhere: from $1,089 in Montgomery to $1,171 in Huntsville, with Columbus at $1,106.

About half of Columbus homes (50.8%) are owner-occupied. That's higher than Birmingham (45.5%) but lower than Montgomery, Huntsville and Auburn.

Education, health and veterans

In Columbus, 30.5% of adults 25 and older have at least a bachelor's degree, compared with 33.8% in Montgomery, 31.1% in Birmingham, 47.2% in Huntsville and 64.1% in Auburn.

Among residents under 65, 13% in both Columbus and Montgomery lack health insurance, compared with 15% in Birmingham, 10.6% in Huntsville and 7.5% in Auburn.

Columbus stands out for veterans: 20,438, more than Huntsville (17,932), Montgomery (12,650), Birmingham (8,362) or Auburn (2,424).

Commutes are short everywhere, from 19.7 minutes on average in Huntsville to 20.9 minutes in Columbus.

What it means for Columbus

Columbus sits in the middle of the pack. It out-earns Montgomery and Birmingham, and its homes cost a fraction of what they do in Huntsville and Auburn, while renters pay about the same in all five cities.

The biggest gap is growth. Huntsville and Auburn are adding residents, while Columbus, Montgomery and Birmingham have each shrunk a bit since 2020.

How we did this

The Columbus Times compared U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts figures for Columbus, Georgia, and Montgomery, Birmingham, Huntsville and Auburn, Alabama, on Oct. 23, 2026. Population figures are July 1, 2025, estimates. Income, housing, education, poverty and veteran figures are 2020-2024 American Community Survey five-year estimates. All comparisons use city limits, not metro areas.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts (census.gov/quickfacts).