About
Topping Money Magazine’s 2016 list of the “100 Best Places to Live,” Columbia is one of the most popular locales in the area. A master-planned community founded in the 1960s, Columbia is comprised of ten “villages,” each with several neighborhoods offering a variety of home styles, recreation activities, schools, and shopping options. The village concept was designed to offer a small town feel to residents, while still providing the amenities of a larger community. Each village has its own style and all have a mix of property types, including townhomes, single family homes, and apartments.
The Columbia Association provides a nearly endless list of amenities—golf courses, an equestrian center, fitness clubs, outdoor concerts, a nature center, a farmer’s market, a dog park, and an ice rink, to name a few—but there is a cost to having these amenities at your doorstep. In addition to property costs and HOA fees Columbia residents are required to pay an annual assessment based on property value, and there are additional fees for the use of some facilities. Most residents find the increased quality of life worth the cost, but be sure you fully understand the financial obligations that come with living in Columbia.
Columbia is also a regional business hub with 2,500 businesses operating in the area, and the Columbia Mall is a major retail center. Career-minded spouses have plenty of employment opportunities to consider.
Neighbors
Columbia was designed to be a paragon of diversity and strives to have housing suitable for a variety of budgets
Neighborhood Feel
Townhomes, single family homes, condominiums, and apartments are all found on Columbia’s beautifully landscaped streets. Some were built in the 1960s and 1970s when the community originated, and there is also more recent construction.
