Columbia and Ellicott City nabbed an enviable ranking as the fourth-best area to live in the nation from Money magazine.
“There?s a real sense of pride,” said Joshua Kaufman, Howard County School Board chairman.
The magazine rated the top 100 places to live based on factors such as health, climate, cost of living, culture, education and housing prices. Fort Collins, Colo., received the top spot in the nation.
Columbia was chosen for its convenience and abundance of parkland, and Ellicott City stood out for its historic charm, according to the magazine.
Those who live in the area say it is the active public and stellar school system that make the area one of the greatest places to live.
“Our schools are what makes this area successful,” Kaufman said. “They are the magnet that draws in the businesses and brings in highly-educated professionals from all over the world.”
A total of 94.6 percent of children in Ellicott City and Columbia use Howard County public schools, which are ranked the best in the state.
Kaufman added that the community involvement is what helps make the school system so great.
“This is a great place to live because there is an active community that really cares,” said Howard County Council Member Calvin Ball, who represents parts of Columbia and Ellicott City. “They work to make our neighborhoods a little better.”
The way developer Jim Rouse planned the city of Columbia has allowed residents to make their voice heard, said Barbara Russell, a Columbia Association?s board of directors member. “Our neighborhoods and villages give a small-town atmosphere to Columbia. It is laid out in such a way that we can build community.”
“Columbia has developed into a really wonderful place to live,” she added.
The magazine listed only one problem with life in Columbia and Ellicott City:The commute.
The median commute in the area is 26 minutes, and 24.1 percent of people who live in Ellicott City or Columbia commute 45 minutes or longer to work.
Columbia and Ellicott City:
» Median household income: $79,783
» Job growth from 2000 to 2005: 11.58 percent
» Median home price: $329,000
» Test scores for reading: 15.6 percent above state average
» Test scores for math: 26.6 percent above state average
» Bars within 15 miles: 197
» Libraries within 15 miles: 55
» Museums within 30 miles: 30
lgreenback@baltimoreexaminer.com
