Columbia, MD: Money Magazine Top 10 Places to Live for 2014

(Updated: Columbia named #1 in 2016)

For the fifth consecutive time since 2006, Columbia/Ellicott City, MD has been named to the Top 10 in Money Magazine's list of "Best Places to Live in America."

This record of consistency is only more remarkable when you realize that it is the only community in that timespan to remain in the Top Ten each year, with some other highly-ranked communities falling completely out of the Top 50.

As you know, Emerson is on the southern boundary of Columbia and shares the same top-rated Howard County school district and library system.

This ranking comes out every other year because Money evaluates small cities (between 50,000 and 300,000) and small towns under 50,000 in alternating years, and doesn't rank large cities.

The ratings take into account such factors as the local economies, housing, schools, crime rates, amenities, and also intangibles such as a sense of community.

The rankings for the combined cities of Columbia and Ellicott City since 2006 have been as follows:

• 2016: #1
• 2014: #6
• 2012: #8
• 2010: #2
• 2008: #8
• 2006: #4

Other Maryland and DC Metro communities making the Top 50 on this year's list include Reston, VA (#10), Rockville, MD (#24), Bowie, MD (#28), and Dale City, VA (#37). 

McKinney, TX took the top spot this year.

Historical Top Ten Rankings:

Rank	2006	2008	2010	2012	2014	2016
1	Fort Collins, CO	Plymouth, MN	Eden Prairie, MN	Carmel, IN	McKinney, TX	Columbia, MD
2	Naperville, IL	Fort Collins, CO	Columbia/Ellicott City, MD	McKinney, TX	Maple Grove, MN	Eden Prairie, MN
3	Sugar Land, TX	Naperville, IL	Newton, MA	Eden Prairie, MN	Carmel, IN	Plano, TX
4	Columbia/Ellicott City, MD	Irvine, CA	Bellevue, WA	Newton, MA	Castle Rock, CO	West Des Moines, IA
5	Cary, NC	Franklin Township, NJ	McKinney, TX	Redmond, WA	Kirkland, WA	Parsippany-Troy Hills, NJ
6	Overland Park, KS	Norman, OK	Fort Collins, CO	Irvine, CA	Columbia/Ellicott City, MD	Highlands Ranch, CO
7	Scottsdale, AZ	Round Rock, TX	Overland Park, KS	Reston, VA	Clarkstown, NY	Clarkstown, NY
8	Boise, ID	Columbia/Ellicott City, MD	Fishers, IN	Columbia/Ellicott City, MD	Ames, IA	Weston, FL
9	Fairfield, CT	Overland Park, KS	Ames, IA	Overland Park, KS	Rochester Hills, MI	Beaverton, OR
10	Eden Prairie, MN	Fishers, IN	Rogers, AR	Chapel Hill, NC	Reston, VA	Naperville, IL

Links to Related External Articles:

• Howard Cities Rank Among Top 10 'Best Places to Live' (Baltimore Sun)
• Four MD Communities Named 'Best Places to Live' (WJZ-TV Baltimore)