Missouri city profile

What Is It Like to Live in Columbia?

What it costs to live in Columbia, and how it compares with other Missouri cities, in plain numbers.

Value score

29

49th best value in Missouri

How much you get for what you pay, versus other Missouri cities.

Overall livability

47

34th overall in Missouri

Cost, safety, schools, jobs and quality of life combined.

Columbia is home to about 124,342 people. A typical home runs $215,300 and a household earns around $57,500, a price-to-income ratio of 3.8. Among Missouri's largest cities, it ranks 49th for value and 34th overall. For context, the typical Columbia home is about 17% below the statewide median of $258,000 and local household income is about 10% below the statewide median of $63,700.

Columbia at a glance

Median home price

$215,300

54th in MO of 58

Median rent

$935/mo

Median household income

$57,500

Home price to income

3.8x

Unemployment

3.9%

25th in MO of 58

School rating

4/10

31st in MO of 58

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‹ See all top Missouri cities ranked  ยท  Missouri state profile ›

More Missouri cities: Blue Springs, Independence, Kansas City, Lee's Summit, Ofallon, Springfield, St. Charles, St. Joseph, St. Louis

Sources: Home prices and rent from Zillow; income, unemployment and commute from the U.S. Census; school ratings from state education data; crime from the FBI. City rankings are within Missouri only. Updated 2026.