Best Places to Live in Columbia, Missouri

Columbia, Missouri is a vibrant city in the heart of Mid-Missouri. It's home to the University of Missouri, making it an ideal destination for both students and visiting families alike. Boasting its own symphony orchestra, plenty of amazing restaurants, and outdoor recreational activities like the Katy Trail and Rock Bridge Memorial State Park, there's something for everyone to enjoy in Columbia. From art galleries to festivals and concerts, Columbia is an arts-filled community that celebrates culture year-round. Whether you are looking for a place to call home or just some entertainment, Columbia won't disappoint! College town - North-central Missouri midway between St. Louis and Kansas City.

State: Missouri
County: Boone County
Metro Area: Columbia Metro Area
City: Columbia

Zip Codes: 65203 65202 65201 65215
Cost of Living: -10.2% lower
Time zone: Central Standard Time (CST)
Elevation: 887 ft above sea level

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Columbia, Mo Housing Market

Least Expensive Homes	Homes Over 2,000 Sq. Ft.
Most Expensive Homes	Homes less than 10 yrs old
All Single Family Homes

Pros
College-town amenities
Educational attainment
Cost of living

Cons
Isolation
Hot, humid summers
Summer doldrums

What Bert Has To Say About Columbia Metro Area

Columbia is home to the University of Missouri and two smaller colleges. The area has a distinct college-town feel and most of the amenities that you would expect in a college town. Columbia also has an economic base in the insurance and medical technology industries. The downtown is clean and lively, the population is friendly and progressive; some say it is the Midwest with just a slight hint of the South. For a town with this profile, Columbia features a low cost of living and promising future job growth projections. There are plenty of recreational opportunities on and off campus, including a large state-of-the-art water park, but some complain things get pretty slow (and hot and sticky) in summers when the students leave town.

Highlights

ECONOMY

The unemployment rate in Columbia is 3.0% (U.S. avg. is 6.0%). Recent job growth is Positive. Columbia jobs have increased by 0.3%. More Economy

COST OF LIVING

Compared to the rest of the country, Columbia's cost of living is 10.2% lower than the U.S. average. More Cost of Living or Compare Columbia's Cost of Living

WEATHER & CLIMATE

September, May and June are the most pleasant months in Columbia, while January and December are the least comfortable months. Today's Weather | Climate Averages

VOTING

In the last Presidential election, Boone county remained strongly Democratic, 54.8% to 42.3%. More Voting Stats

POPULATION

Columbia's population is 124,342 people. Since 2020, it has had a population growth of 13.4%. Learn More...

TRANSPORTATION

Average Commute time is 16.5 minutes. The National Average is 26.4 minutes. Learn More...

REAL ESTATE

The median home cost in Columbia is Real Estate: $269,200. Home appreciation the last 10 years has been 10.8%.

SCHOOLS

Columbia public schools spend $12,556 per student. The average school expenditure in the U.S. is $12,383. There are about 13.7 students per teacher in Columbia. More Education

Best Places to Live in Columbia Rankings

#52	America's Best and Worst Cities for Crime (Smallest Metro Areas)
#103	America's Most (and Least) Stressful Cities (117 Smallest Metro Areas)
#118	Best Green Cities
#189	2005 Best Places to Live

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Housing Market in Columbia

It's a good time to buy in Columbia. Home Appreciation is up 10.8% in the last 12 months.
The median home price in Columbia is $269,200.

Schools: See Local Schools

Real Estate: See Homes

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Reviews for Columbia 40 Reviews

No water park here - 10/14/2021
I've live in CoMo for 20 yrs. NOT sure about this state of the art water park??!! There are great parks but nothing else for families. NO zoo, museum, and definitely no... Read More

Jodi | Columbia, MO | Reply | No Replies

Start Your Review of Columbia

Not a good place to settle. - 11/25/2020
I lived there for a year and hated every minute. Columbia reminded me of the San Francisco of the Midwest. It is overrun with homeless people. Law enforcement is... Read More

Nathan | Edinburg, IL | Reply | 1 Reply

A Liberal Paradise - 10/4/2020
I've lived in Columbia for 10 years. I went to college here, left, and then returned to take care of my parents. These reviews amuse me. I will be leaving Columbia, but... Read More

Lydia | Columbia, MO | Reply | 1 Reply

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ZIP CODES IN COLUMBIA, MISSOURI

65203 65202 65201 65215

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United States / Missouri / Columbia Metro Area / Boone County / Columbia / Zip Codes