Accolades

Schools.com named Columbia as the No. 3 Best College Town in the country. (September 2018)

Smartasset named Columbia the No. 5 Least Stressed City in America. (August 2018)

Apartment Guide ranked Columbia as the No. 9 Most Affordable Town in America. (August 2018)

Forbes listed Columbia as one of the Best Places to Retire in 2018. (April 2018)

Insurify ranked Columbia as the No. 2 Greenest City in Missouri. (March 2018)

Smartasset named Columbia the No. 3 Best Places for Working Women. (December 2017)

The Penny Hoarder named Columbia as the 15th Best Cities for Millennials That They Can Actually Afford. (August 2017)

GoodCall ranked Columbia as 69th Best Places to Buy a Forever Home. (February 2017)

Smartasset named Columbia as the No. 2 Best Places for Working Women. (November 2016)

Entreprenuer.com ranked Columbia as No. 8 for The 15 Best U.S. Cities for Entrepreneurs to Live and Launch. (July 2016)

Thrillist.com named Columbia the No. 7 Least Stressed Cities in the country. (July 2016)

American Institute for Economic Research listed Columbia as No. 6 for the Top 10 Best Job Destinations for College Grads. (May 2016)

Schools.com named Columbia as No. 11 on the list of The 25 Best Small College Towns. (April 2016)

LawnStarter listed Columbia as #11 in the 12 College Towns That Are ‘Growing Like a Weed.’ (March 2016)

Smartasset ranked Columbia at the 6th best City For Working Parents. (March 2016)

NerdWallet named Columbia the fifth Best Midsize Cities for Women in the Workforce. (January 2016)

Governor Jay Nixon announced that Missouri leads the nation in new business creation. (October 2015)

Wallethub announced Columbia has the 32nd Fastest Growing Economy. (October 2015)

The Fiscal Times stated Columbia is one of the Best College Towns for Students. (April 2015)

Forbes named Columbia as one of the Top Places to Retire. (March 2015)

The American Institute for Economic Research named Columbia the #8 College Town in the nation. (November 2014)

Best College Reviews reported Columbia as the 29th Best College Town in America. (August 2014)

Forbes.com announced Columbia is the sixth Best Small Place for Business and Careers. (July 2014)

Movoto named Columbia as the #3 Most Exciting Place in Missouri. (May 2014)

Pro-Fascinate named Columbia and the University of Missouri as having the 8th Most Beautiful College Campus. (February 2014)

NerdWallet announced that Columbia is the #3 Best City for Job Seekers in Missouri. (January 2014)

Milken Institute named Columbia as the #1 Best-Performing Small City. (December 2013)

Livability named Columbia the fourth Top College Town. (August 2013)

SpareFoot reported Columbia as being the #6 Fastest-Growing College Town. (August 2013)

Cities Journal named Columbia the #1 Small City in Missouri. (March 2013)

Forbes.com said Columbia is one of the Top 25 Places to Retire. (March 2013)

Milken Institute named Columbia as the 10th Best-Performing Small City. (December 2012)

America’s Promise Alliance reported Columbia as one of the 100 Best Communities for Young People. (September 2012)

Milken Institute named Columbia as the 10th Best-Performing Small City. (December 2012)

Southern Living announced Columbia as the 15th best South’s Best College Town. (August 2012)

Forbes reported Columbia as the 16th City with the Lowest Unemployment Rate. (August 2012)

Multifamily Executive named Columbia as the #5 City with Youngest Population. (July 2012)

Milken Institute named Columbia the #4 Best City for Successful Aging with high scores in health care and a strong tax base. (July 2012)

Forbes announced that PARADE Magazine named Columbia the #1 Hardest Working City in America. (April 2012)

For the 5th year in a row, Columbia, Missouri was included in the Forbes Top 10 list of Best Small Places for Business and Careers. Factors included the cost of doing business, job growth and educational attainment. (June 29, 2011)

Kansas City Star reported that Boone County, Missouri, home to Columbia and the University of Missouri, was one of the nation’s top 10 counties for employment growth between September 2009 and September 2010. (March 30, 2011)

In 2011, NewGeography put Columbia, Missouri #20 on their list of Best Small Cities for Job Growth.

Southern Living magazine included Columbia, Missouri in their list of “The South’s Best College Towns.” (August 23, 2011)

In 2011, according to St Louis Today, Columbia has gained a reputation as being more than a college town, allowing it to appeal to recent graduates.

In 2010, Richard Florida adds Columbia to his Creative Class List citing Columbia as a great place for college graduates to live, work and enjoy life.

In 2009, the University of Missouri was named a Community-Engaged Campus by the Carnegie Foundation.

In 2009, Forbes ranked Columbia the 8th Best College Sports Town in America.

Forbes ranked Columbia 13th in its 2008 Smartest Cities in America study, based on education levels of residents in the Columbia metro area.