01 · the cities
Columbus
Columbus is on the Chattahoochee River, with the longest urban whitewater course in the world (since 2013) running right through downtown for rafting and surfing waves. Fort Moore (formerly Fort Benning) is the city's anchor. The Riverwalk stretches for miles. The downtown has come back nicely with restaurants and breweries. Smaller and friendlier than the city's industrial reputation suggests.
full dispatch→Baton Rouge
Baton Rouge is LSU football, the Mississippi River bending past downtown, and the kind of food (gumbo, jambalaya, boudin, po'boys) that makes you want to lie down after lunch. The Louisiana state capitol is the tallest in the country, a 34-story Art Deco tower that looks more like a Manhattan office building. Cajun warmth runs through everything, with a slightly more buttoned-up daily pace than New Orleans.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$1,264/mo
$1,361/mo
$97/mo more than Columbus (7%)
Median home price
Median home price
$208k
$250k
$42k more than Columbus
State income tax
State income tax
5.5%
3.0%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$6,612/mo
$6,722/mo
Baton Rouge has $110/mo more gross after rent at $100k
Gross left after rent reflects state income tax but not federal, based on $100k salary. Enter your salary to find your ideal city.
03 · the weather
Pleasant days/yr
Pleasant days/yr
177 days
187 days
10 more than Columbus
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
39 days
25 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
2 days
1 days
days below 20°F per year
Columbus has 14 more days above 95°F each year than Baton Rouge.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
47 / 100
50 / 100
3.0 pts ahead of Columbus
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
1 routes
4 routes
3 more direct routes than Columbus
Metro size
Metro size
329k metro
874k metro
Columbus has 1.5x more events per month than Baton Rouge.
the verdict
2
Columbus
categories won
6
Baton Rouge
categories won
Baton Rouge leads on weather and lifestyle and wins overall.
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