3 Maryland Towns Named 'Best Places To Live In America' By Money

COLUMBIA, MD — Three Maryland towns made Money magazine's coveted list of Best Places To Live In America for 2019.

The new rankings, released Monday, were derived from more than 80 types of data tied to the economy, cost of living, diversity of population, education, housing, health and safety, amenities, and ease of living. Reporters also researched each community, interviewed residents and checked out neighborhoods.

The magazine's writers looked only at cities with populations of 50,000 or greater. Any place that had more than double the national crime risk, less than 85 percent of its state’s median household income, or a lack of ethnic diversity was eliminated. Places that made the list last year were not included in this year’s ranking.

Columbia is No. 20 on the list, Germantown is No. 42, and Bowie at No. 100.

No. 1 on the list was Clarksville, Tennessee, which is within commuting distance of Nashville and has a red-hot real estate market with millennials snapping up houses. The rest of the top 5 places are Round Rock, Texas; Fishers, Indiana; the Fulton River District in Illinois; and Country Club Heights, North Carolina.

Columbia — no stranger to best lists because of the strong school system and low crime rate — is described by the magazine as a planned development built in the 1960s and known for great socioeconomic and racial diversity. Its population is approximately 47% white, 24% black, 14% Asian, and 10% Hispanic.

Here's how Money describes Columbia:

"The community is made up of 10 villages and has strong schools and robust economic growth. The average graduation rate in Columbia is a high 92.3%. Over the past 10 years, the area’s economy has grown by 17.6% — and is still showing no signs of slowing down. Residents also bring home comfortable salaries — the median household income is $107,913, according to MONEY's data analysis — and appear to want to settle down, as 64% of residents own their homes.

For nature enthusiasts, Columbia is home to Lake Kittamaqundi, a 27-acre reservoir. Located in Downtown Columbia, people can walk along its trails, paddle boat, kayak, picnic, or simply enjoy the peacefulness and stunning views.

The lakefront at Lake Kittamaqundi hosts festivals, live music, and outdoor movie nights, among other events. It's also home to the annual Columbia Lakefront Summer Festival. And the outdoor amphitheater Merriweather Post Pavilion is a great spot to catch major tours coming through town.

In addition to the lake, the downtown area has an abundance of restaurants and shops, including four department stores at the sprawling Mall in Columbia."

Columbia ranked 8th in the nation on Niche's 2019 Best Cities To Live in America list.

Downtown Columbia's Facebook page describes the city as "known for our flourishing business environment, quality education, outdoor activities, state-of-the-art community amenities, luxury residences, and popular mall. We’re a destination for music and the arts and home to the newly renovated Merriweather Post Pavilion. This vibrant, established community is thriving, growing, and will soon be among the area’s new urban destinations. More excitement is coming with expanded downtown neighborhood districts connected by pedestrian paths and walkways."

See the full top 100 list here.