Columbia, MO
Census place 2915670 · pop 128,548
Home of the University of Missouri, which founded the world's first journalism school in 1908.
Source ↗Sales & income are statewide.
The breakdown — worst first
U.S. median 0.43 · worse than most cities
Gini 0.50 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).
U.S. median 67.2% · worse than most cities
48.7% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.
U.S. median 12.1% · worse than most cities
19.3% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.
U.S. median 17.4% · worse than most cities
19.1% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).
U.S. median 964/100k · worse than most cities
2357 property crimes per 100k · Burglary, theft, motor-vehicle theft and arson per 100,000 residents.
U.S. median 152/100k · worse than most cities
351 violent crimes per 100k · Violent crimes (murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) per 100,000 residents.
U.S. median $67,857 · worse than most cities
$66,498 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.
U.S. median 90.0% · worse than most cities
90.5% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.
U.S. median $214,900 · worse than most cities
$284,600 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.
U.S. median 26.5% · better than most cities
24.6% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.
U.S. median 77/100 · better than most cities
87/100 FEMA risk (higher = riskier) · FEMA National Risk Index — wildfire, flood, earthquake, heat and more. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 0.99% · better than most cities
0.90% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.
U.S. median 14.6% · better than most cities
12.4% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.
U.S. median 9.3% · better than most cities
8.4% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.
U.S. median +2.4% · better than most cities
+6.0% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?
U.S. median 42 AQI · better than most cities
39 median AQI · Median air quality index — lower is cleaner air. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median $1,756/mo · better than most cities
$1,426/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).
U.S. median 36.5% · better than most cities
30.1% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).
U.S. median 1 days · better than most cities
0 unhealthy-air days per year · Days per year with unhealthy air (AQI above 100). Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 24.3% · better than most cities
56.7% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.
U.S. median 3.6% · better than most cities
2.6% unemployment · Share of the labor force out of work. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 24 min · better than most cities
16 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.
Frequently asked
- Is Columbia, MO a good place to live?
- By the numbers, Columbia scores 54/100 — a D (Meh) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 22 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is commute time and its weakest is income inequality. Missouri overall ranks #26 of 50 states. Whether it's "good" depends on what you value — re-weight the factors to score it your way.
- How safe is Columbia, MO?
- Columbia reports 351 violent crimes per 100k and 2357 property crimes per 100k — worse than most U.S. cities on violent crime.
- Is Columbia, MO expensive to live in?
- Columbia has a median home value of $284,600 and typical rent around $1,426/mo — pricier than most U.S. cities.
- What's the biggest downside of living in Columbia, MO?
- Its weakest measured area is income inequality (0.50) — 12/100, worse than most U.S. cities.
- What is Columbia, MO best at?
- Its strongest measured area is commute time (16 min) — 92/100, better than most U.S. cities. Fun fact: Home of the University of Missouri, which founded the world's first journalism school in 1908.
Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.