Living in Columbia, Missouri

City of Columbia

In recent years, Columbia has been listed among the top 20 U.S. cities on Money magazine's "Best Places to Live Now" list. The magazine said of Columbia: "This undiscovered small city (population about 80,000) and surrounding Boone County in the foothills of the Ozarks provide a refreshing pocket of prosperity halfway between St. Louis 125 miles to the east and Kansas City to the west." The magazine based its assessment on the community's low cost of living, its strong economy and low crime rate, the availability of affordable housing and outstanding health care, the excellent public schools, weather, leisure and the arts.

Health care is the dominant industry, with one in five employed residents working in a health-related profession. Columbia is home to seven hospitals and more than 500 practicing physicians. It has the highest rate of physicians per capita in the nation. Higher education and the insurance industry also are major employers.

The Columbia School District is one of only 16 in the nation selected as a model district by a National Governors Conference panel. Five of Columbia's 24 schools have been recognized as outstanding by the U.S. Department of Education. The district has 18 elementary, three junior high and two senior high schools. Columbia schools have earned a AAA rating, the highest possible in Missouri.

Columbia offers an appealing blend of urban and rural life. With two private colleges - Stephens College and Columbia College - in addition to the University, Columbia has an active cultural life. The University's Museum of Art and Archaeology has one of the state's largest collections.

Music lovers enjoy performances at the Missouri Symphony Society and appearances by acclaimed ballet, dance and choral groups. A variety of plays and musicals are staged at the University's Rhynsburger Theater. Stephens College offers outstanding productions at its Playhouse and Warehouse theaters, and there are two excellent community theaters offering a wide variety of performances.

Kansas City and St. Louis are major-league sports cities, and MU fields 18 NCAA Division I teams. Men's basketball has been dominant in recent years, with the team often holding a national ranking. The Parks and Recreation Department sponsors a number of city-league teams for children and adults. And because it's in the foothills of the Ozark Mountains, Columbia is only a few hours' drive from scenic lakes and streams that are ideal for float trips, camping and back-packing.

The city of Columbia maintains 40 parks with more than 1,400 acres of park land. The MKT/Nature Fitness Trail is one of the community's most popular facilities. Community theater productions are staged in the city's Nifong Park.

The Community

The area surrounding Columbia offers an interesting blend of urban and rural life with strong academic overtones. Approximately 112,000 people live and work in the rolling and wooded hills of Boone County; more than 30,000 of the residents are students at the University of Missouri-Columbia, Stephens College or Columbia College.

University of Missouri

The University of Missouri is one university with four campuses - Columbia, Kansas City, Rolla and St. Louis. Established in 1839 at Columbia, it is the first state university west of the Mississippi River. Designated a land-grant university in 1870, MU conducts traditional teaching and research programs on campuses and extends educational benefits throughout Missouri.

The University of Missouri-Columbia is the oldest and largest of the four campuses that make up the University of Missouri System. There are 18 schools and colleges enrolling approximately 26,000 students. Known as MU or Mizzou, it is the home of the Mizzou Tigers athletic teams.

Besides the world's oldest School of Journalism, founded in 1908, MU possesses highly regarded colleges and schools in agriculture, arts and science, business and public administration, education, engineering, fine arts, health related professions, human environmental sciences, law, library and informational science, medicine, natural resources, nursing, social work, and veterinary medicine.

Part of the campus is a national historic landmark. Francis Quadrangle was the setting for the University's original building and the famed 19th century Gothic columns that are a symbol of the university.

Activities abound with nationally ranked sports teams, live theater, music, dance and other cultural productions. The city and campus share a rich interwoven history of traditions and progress that make Columbia a stimulating place to spend a residency or a lifetime.