Source-led head-to-head · 2024 ACS
Moving from Columbus to Los Angeles
The 2024 ACS 5-year estimates highlight significant cost and scale trade-offs between Columbus, Georgia, and Los Angeles, California. Columbus offers a population of 203,711 with a median household income of $58,073, a median gross rent of $1,106 per month, and a median home value of $193,900, paired with a derived 22-minute commute. Conversely, Los Angeles hosts 3,857,263 residents with a higher median income of $81,939, but requires substantially more financial outlay, featuring a median gross rent of $1,933 per month and a median home value of $921,200, alongside a 33-minute commute. Furthermore, Los Angeles factors in a simplified 9.30% state individual income-tax reference, whereas Columbus lacks an approved state income tax reference. Both share a uniform $1,250 monthly non-housing baseline, and citywide metrics omit neighborhood safety, schools, weather, insurance, and job quality.
Corridor Direction & Trade-off Delta
⇄ Switch to Los Angeles → ColumbusMoving from Columbus to Los Angeles
Median Rent Impact
+$827/mo
Moving to Los Angeles costs ~$9,924 more/yr in rent.
State Tax Treatment
+9.3%
~$9,300 more state tax on a $100k salary in California.
Daily Commute Difference
+11 min / day
Difference of ~92 hours per year spent commuting based on 2024 ACS midpoint averages.
Your move
Compare the life behind the offer.
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Search all 32,330 U.S. Census places directly below.Instant results use official 2024 ACS place data. Places with incomplete required signals remain visible in search but cannot be selected.
Directional estimate using ACS citywide benchmarks. Verified profiles may include a simplified state-tax reference; automatically added profiles exclude state tax until an official reference is approved. Exact tax, benefits, debt, housing, insurance, and personal circumstances may materially change the result.
LIVE VERDICTCOL → LAX
35/ 100
The offer needs work
The destination absorbs more of the offer.Estimated annual life delta−$7,956after essentials; unverified state tax excluded
Best gainA large labor market with a household-income benchmark above New York's
Watch closelyA $921,200 ownership benchmark and a conservative marginal California tax reference
The short answer
In the uniform one-person renting baseline, Columbus is about $9,924 lower per year. This is not a verdict by itself: replace city medians with the actual offer, address, household, benefits, insurance, and tax details before deciding.
Columbus household income$58,073
Los Angeles household income$81,939
Columbus gross rent$1,106
Los Angeles gross rent$1,933
Housing, income, and tax reference
| Metric | Columbus | Los Angeles |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 ACS population | 203,711 | 3,857,263 |
| Median household income | $58,073 | $81,939 |
| Median gross rent | $1,106 | $1,933 |
| Median owner-occupied home value | $193,900 | $921,200 |
| State-tax treatment | Excluded | 9.3% simplified |
Time and daily routine
The commute-time distribution produces a weighted one-way estimate of about 22 minutes in Columbus and 33 minutes in Los Angeles. This citywide estimate cannot capture a specific route, remote-work schedule, or transit choice, so the calculator converts it into an explicit time difference instead of hiding it in a subjective lifestyle score.
Decision checklist
- Median gross rent differences
- Median home value gap
- Derived one-way commute duration
- Household income and tax context
What each city wins
Columbus
Median owner-occupied home value of $193,900. Watch derived one-way commute estimate of 22 minutes.
Los Angeles
A large labor market with a household-income benchmark above New York's. Watch a $921,200 ownership benchmark and a conservative marginal california tax reference.
Frequently asked questions
How do median gross rents compare between Columbus and Los Angeles?
According to the 2024 ACS 5-year estimates, the median gross rent in Columbus is $1,106 per month, whereas in Los Angeles, the median gross rent is significantly higher at $1,933 per month.
What are the median owner-occupied home values for both cities?
The 2024 ACS 5-year estimates report a median owner-occupied home value of $193,900 in Columbus, compared to $921,200 in Los Angeles.
Source boundary: Core figures come from the 2024 ACS five-year tables linked on each city profile. Commute is derived from B08303 midpoint weighting. A state-tax value without an approved official reference is excluded and disclosed. This comparison becomes index-eligible only after its unique analysis clears the content quality gate.