Columbia Ranked 36th On '2020 Top 100 Places to Live' List

COLUMBIA, MD — Livability surveyed more than 1,000 millennials about the factors that are most important to them when deciding where to live, including affordability, job opportunities, diversity and inclusion. Columbia ended up ranked 36th on Livability's “2020 Top 100 Places to Live.” Frederick ranked 47th.

“It is humbling to make this list with our neighbors in Frederick, and this is a testament to our continued investment in a quality of life. We’ve always known how special Columbia is, and it’s wonderful to see it receive the well-deserved recognition as one of the best places to live,” Howard County Executive Calvin Ball said in a statement. “Throughout the years, we’ve seen Columbia flourish as a central hub of arts and culture, inclusionary ideals and an example of sustainability and green living. Columbia truly embodies Jim Rouse’s vision as a ‘city of hope’ and we are committed to ensuring our community is the best place to live, work and play for all.”

Columbia and Frederick were ranked out of more than 1,000 cities with populations between 20,000 and 1,000,000. For each city, Livability calculated a score based on eight categories:

• Amenities
• Demographics
• Education
• Economy
• Health Care
• Housing
• Social and Civic Capital
• Transportation and Infrastructure