Two Missouri cities on list of 100 Best Places to Live
- September 18, 2014
Columbia and Springfield have been named to Livability’s list of the top 100 Best Places to Live in the U.S.
Columbia—home to the University of Missouri—is ranked at No. 50 with a LivScore of 631. According to the Livability, Columbia has a median population of 109,008, a median household income of $43,084 and a median home price of $168,100.
“[Columbia] displays much public art and attracts a progressive music culture, and residents have access to top health care with six individual hospitals that include Harry S. Truman Memorial Veterans’ Hospital,” the report stated.
Springfield is ranked at No. 85 with a LivScore of 613. According to Livability, Springfield has a median population of 106,246, a median household income of $33,379 and a median home price of $106,500.
“Known as the Birthplace of Route 66, Springfield features an active economy based on manufacturing, health care and retail, and the city houses several universities including Missouri State, Drury and Evangel,” the report stated. “Springfield has a growing tourism industry, with its convention and visitors bureau spending $1 million annually to market the community as a destination.”
Livability analyzed over 2,000 small to mid-sized U.S. cities with populations between 20,000 and 350,000 people. The LivScore for each city is a composite of more than 40 data points grouped into eight categories: amenities, demographics, economy, education, health care, housing, social and civic capital and transportation.
Livability is a leading online resource for researching communities. The publish monthly and annual lists of cities, defining the best places to live in America and serves as a trusted partner to cities, businesses and economic development organizations nationally.
See the full list