COMPARING TWO PLACES
Columbia vs Petal
PLACE A
Columbia, Pennsylvania
VS
PLACE B
Petal, Mississippi
Columbia is 12% smaller than Petal. Petal earns more, with a median household income $20,313 higher. Petal has grown faster since 2000 (5% vs -2%).
COLUMBIAPETALDIFFERENCE
Total population10,31411,694−12% vs Petal
Population density4,273692+3,581
Population growth-1.9%5.3%−7.2 pts
Median age41.837.0+4.8
Male54.6%46.8%+7.8 pts
Female45.4%53.2%−7.8 pts
Foreign-born3.4%3.4%+0.0 pts
White, non-Hispanic66.1%72.8%−6.7 pts
Black7.7%16.1%−8.5 pts
Hispanic / Latino22.9%5.5%+17.4 pts
Asian0.0%1.7%−1.7 pts
Other3.4%3.9%−0.6 pts
Median household income$54,437$74,750−$20,313
Per capita income$33,896$30,999+$2,897
Poverty rate21.4%11.1%+10.3 pts
Income inequality (Gini)0.4500.405+0.0
Bachelor's degree or higher17.4%27.8%−10.4 pts
Graduate degree5.4%9.5%−4.1 pts
Unemployment rate3.2%3.6%−0.5 pts
Labor force participation60.4%60.4%Even
Median home value$196,500$174,900+$21,600
Median gross rent$1,075$1,047+$28
Owner-occupied52.8%70.0%−17.3 pts
Housing vacancy rate7.5%7.7%−0.2 pts
Rent-burdened households56.9%40.0%+16.9 pts
Average commute23.721.5+2.2
Worked from home5.9%5.0%+1.0 pts
Public transit to work0.6%0.0%+0.6 pts
Uninsured5.3%10.5%−5.2 pts
Population, 1990 – 2025