Should I Move To
Columbia, Missouri is home to about 126,172 people. On cost of living, it lands in the very affordable band — 17% below the national average. The median renter pays around $997 a month against a typical household income of $60,455. Our composite UrbRank Score lands at 62 out of 100 (grade C+), putting it at #102 nationally.
UrbRank Score · General
Each dimension scored 0-100 against every other US city.
Based on overall cost of living vs. other US cities.
Inverse of violent + property crime rate per 100,000 residents.
Temperate summers & winters, moderate precipitation.
Walk Score — how feasible daily errands are on foot.
Unemployment rate plus household income vs. national median.
Air quality index (EPA AQS data).
Share of residents 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.
Columbia's composite cost-of-living index lands at 83 (100 = US average), which puts it in the very affordable band. At $997/mo against $60,455 in median household income, the typical renter spends about 20% of income on housing — comfortably under the 30% rule of thumb, which is unusual. Median home value sits around $248,600.
Full cost-of-living breakdown →Climate is varied — summer averages around 87°F, winter averages around 22°F. Precipitation totals about 39 inches a year. A walker's paradise by US standards. Many people here genuinely skip car ownership. Reported crime is somewhat above average, though specific neighborhoods vary widely. AQI runs about 44 — a "good" reading.
Verdict by lifestyle profile — same data, different priorities.
Columbia reads as a moderate fit for families. The profile-weighted score is 68/100 — a B-. Its standout dimension is walkability (96/100); the soft spot is climate (32/100).
Columbia reads as a moderate fit for retirees. The profile-weighted score is 65/100 — a B-. Its standout dimension is walkability (96/100); the soft spot is climate (32/100).
Columbia reads as a moderate fit for remote workers. The profile-weighted score is 69/100 — a B-. Its standout dimension is walkability (96/100); the soft spot is climate (32/100).
Columbia reads as a moderate fit for young professionals. The profile-weighted score is 65/100 — a C+. Its standout dimension is walkability (96/100); the soft spot is climate (32/100).
Our overall score for Columbia is 62/100 — a C+, sitting at #102 in the national ranking. It's a weighted average across the seven UrbRank dimensions.
By the composite index, Columbia sits at 83 — very affordable, 17% below the national average. Median renter pays around $997 a month.
Columbia runs varied on the weather. Summer's near 87°F, winter's near 22°F; 39 inches of precipitation annually.
Walk Score: 96/100. A walker's paradise by US standards. Many people here genuinely skip car ownership.
Roughly 126,172 people live here, with 55% college-educated (bachelor's or higher) among adults 25+ with a median age of 29.
Drop Columbia into the comparison tool with any other US city and you'll get housing costs, salaries, demographics, and quality-of-life data lined up side by side. Profile-specific leaderboards (families, retirees, remote workers, young professionals) are linked from the navigation.
Every US city is scored 0-100 on seven dimensions using public data from the US Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, FBI Crime Data Explorer, EPA Air Quality System, NOAA NCEI, and Walk Score. Each dimension is a percentile rank against every other city — so a score of 80 means the city is in the top 20% nationally on that dimension.
The overall score is a weighted average. Five lifestyle profiles — general, families, retirees, remote workers, young professionals — weight the dimensions differently to reflect what each cares about. Families get more weight on safety and schools; young professionals get more weight on jobs and walkability; retirees get more weight on climate.
Compare Columbia with other Missouri cities scored on UrbRank.
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