Columbia, MOBest Places to Live in the US in 2022

Education, health care, life sciences, insurance and finance. The largest employer in Columbia is the University of Missouri and its affiliated hospitals, labs and clinics. Shelter Insurance and Veterans United Home Loans are also headquartered here.

University of Missouri, Columbia College & Stephens College

Columbia truly has four distinct seasons where winters can be quite chilly and summers get hot – think highs in the upper-80s in July and August and lows in the lower-20s from December through February. On average, Columbia sees 19 inches of annual snowfall.

It’s hard to beat a state park for outdoor fun, and Columbia has two – Finger Lakes and Rock Bridge Memorial. Both offer hiking and biking trails, with Finger Lakes taking it up a notch with more than 70 miles of off-road ATV trails and a motocross track. 

Columbia is a fast-growing city with lots to offer its relocating workers. Its Chamber of Commerce website provides an array of resources for individuals and businesses moving into the area. Most of Columbia has access to high-speed internet at a reasonable cost. The cost of living is well below the national average. Coworking spaces include The Hatchery and The Work Station.

Owned by bestselling author Alex George, downtown’s Skylark Bookshop is a bibliophile’s dream, where the stocked shelves are complemented by a host of events, including monthly book club meetings, evenings with authors and the personalized Skylark Reading Spa.

Shelter Gardens, tucked behind the insurance giant’s corporate headquarters, has the feel of a secret garden with more than 300 species of trees, 15,000 flowering plants, sculptures, a waterfall and reflecting pool, a rock garden, a gazebo, and a sensory garden. Bonus weekend plans: During June and July, enjoy Concerts in the Gardens on Sunday evenings.

Check out the ever-changing exhibitions at the Columbia Art League for a visual treat. And don’t miss CAL’s Art in the Park for two days of fine arts, crafts, music, food and fun during the first weekend of June each year.

Located in The District, On the Rocks is famous for low-priced (but delicious) martini options, signature cocktails and jumbo shots. 

The University of Missouri is an academic and historic treasure with a renowned journalism program. A few famous alumni include Tennessee Williams, Brad Pitt, John Hamm, Sheryl Crow and a host of national news figures from Jim Lehrer to Elizabeth Vargas.

A strong economy, a low cost of living and plenty of cultural offerings for residents make Columbia a best places to live in Missouri.

Columbia, MO, takes pride in its low-cost living, state-of-the-art healthcare, and convenient access to the metro areas of St. Louis and Kansas City, as well as the state capital, Jefferson City, and popular vacation destination Lake of the Ozarks. The Columbia, MO real estate market is one of the most stable in the Midwest, with abundant, affordable housing in safe, well-founded neighborhoods. The median sale price of homes for sale in Columbia, MO, is around $271K, and the supply ranges from starter homes in traditional family communities and modern condos with golf course views to the contemporary-style new builds of areas like Breckenridge Park. If Columbia, MO, sounds like the ideal place for you, contact a local eXp real estate agent.