NAICS 51

Information in Columbus, GA

Metro Market Score 31.6 (Favorable), ranked #70 of 294 metros. 115 establishments, 1,004 jobs.

Metro Market Score 31.6

Favorable 0-35

Moderate 35-48

Challenging 48-60

Difficult 60+

Favorable

ⓘ Lower is better. Relative to national information average.

Columbus ranks in the top quartile for information market conditions, driven by above-average employment growth. With a market score of 31.6, conditions are relatively favorable compared to most metros.

Industry Concentration

48.3

LQ: 0.46

Rank #142 of 294 metros

Wage Competitiveness

22.4

$63,617 avg wage

Growth Trend

↑ 65.3

Employment growth index

Rank #103 of 294 metros

Wage Pressure

17.4

YoY wage change index

115 Information Firms in Columbus

115

Establishments

+11.7% YoY

1,004

Total Employment

+0.0% YoY

$63,617

Average Annual Wage

+0.0% YoY

0.46

Location Quotient

Below national avg

Within Georgia

#3 of 5

information metros in state

Georgia state rank

#39 of 51

for information entry risk

vs State Median

0.0

matches median (31.6)

Columbus vs Georgia Statewide

How this metro's information market compares to Georgia overall. The state ranks #39/51 for entry risk.

Measure	Columbus	GA Statewide
Overall Score	31.6 Favorable	48.9 Elevated
Score Type	Metro Market Score	Entry Risk Score
Rank	#70 of 294 metros	#39 of 51 states

Metro and state scores use different methodologies (metro has 4 QCEW-based metrics; state adds BDS survival and momentum data). Direct score comparisons are approximate.

Other Industries in Columbus

Retail Trade 30.9 Other Services 39.8

Information in Other Georgia Metros

Dalton 15.1 #7/294 Gainesville 31.6 #69/294 Savannah 36.8 #93/294 Rome 43.4 #142/294

Information Metros With Similar Conditions

Metros within 5 points of Columbus's 31.6 score. Useful when comparing markets with comparable entry profiles.

Gainesville, GA 31.6 #69/294 Decatur, AL 31.4 #68/294 Napa, CA 31.3 #67/294 Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA 31.9 #71/294 Longview, TX 31.2 #66/294 Flint, MI 31.9 #72/294 Kennewick-Richland, WA 31.1 #65/294 Duluth, MN 30.9 #64/294 Michigan City-La Porte, IN 32.3 #73/294 Erie, PA 32.4 #74/294

Information in States Bordering Georgia

State-level entry risk for information in adjacent states. Use this to weigh cross-border options.

Alabama 32.1 #5/51 North Carolina 45.3 #28/51 South Carolina 46.3 #29/51 Florida 46.5 #30/51 Tennessee 48.1 #37/51

Browse Information in Other States

State-level entry risk reports for information across all 51 markets, sorted by rank.

About Metro Market Score: A weighted composite of industry concentration (25%), wage competitiveness (25%), wage pressure (20%), and employment growth trend (30%). Lower scores indicate more favorable conditions. For Columbus's information sector, the industry concentration component (48.3) has the strongest pull on the composite. Metro scores use QCEW data only (no BDS survival data at metro level). Read full methodology →

Data Sources

Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW), Bureau of Labor Statistics. MSA-level establishment counts, employment, wages, and location quotients for the Columbus, GA-AL MSA area.

Data period: 2024. Last updated: April 2026.

Metro Market Assessment