Columbia one of Americas most livable cities

[The_sandlapper]

This is actually kind of old and I have posted it on another site, but incase some new comers to the forum haven't seen it before I figured I'd post it here as well. I thought this was pretty good news at the time when I first heard it & still do, Columbia has come a long way and is still making things happen!

"Each of this year's 30 Most Livable Communities have developed innovative approaches to prepare for the New Economy through the creative strategies, actions, and visions of their leadership."

You

[DrumCorpsAlum]

Columbia does have a lot to offer. Everything but the mountains and the ocean, however those aren't far away, which adds to it's coolness.

[Spartan]

Columbia is a well rounded city, which is why it is great The only complaint I have is that there isn't a Rush's downtown somewhere.

[The_sandlapper]

I've always said the city has all of the right ingredients. I think now it and others are starting to realize this as well.

[The_sandlapper]

Here is an article from USA Today that addresses the topic of most livable towns.

Most livable? Depends on your definition

By Haya El Nasser, USA TODAY

People who think 200 inches of snow a year sounds about as pleasant as a root canal would not find Michigan's Upper Peninsula livable. But winter sports aficionados who dream of hitting the slopes on their lunch hour may find Marquette, a small university town, one of the USA's best places to live.

So does Partners for Livable Communities, a non-profit group that identifies what it calls the nation's most livable places every decade. (Related Web site: America's Most Livable Communities)

Many books and magazines rank the nation's best cities based on everything from climate and safety to cost of living and the quality of public schools. The Partners list recognizes communities that have done the best job of adapting to changing times. It tries to reflect the latest thinking among urban planners, researchers and mayors. The group's 2004 winners, to be honored April 20 in Washington, D.C., show how the definition of livability has changed in the past 30 years.

A small, isolated community such as Marquette, for example, would not have made the cut decades ago, before the Internet linked the most out-of-the-way places to the rest of the globe.

Twenty-nine other cities, towns and regions from Tulsa and St. Paul to Roanoke, Va., and Elkhart, Ind., join Marquette on the Partners list.

Whether large or small, they share common attributes, including civic participation from community groups, universities or foundations. In Marquette County, for example, residents who have no health insurance get free care from doctors, pharmacies, hospitals and clinics participating in a countywide coalition. Another attraction: Dog-sledding races start on Main Street and skiers can hop on chair lifts in the middle of town.

Many of this decade's livable places have made a dramatic turnaround, says Robert McNulty, president of Partners, a research group that promotes economic and community development.

"It's the attractiveness, the architecture, the design," he says of the qualities that set some cities apart from others. "It's cities that embody the creative economy. It's cities that don't leave anyone behind. It's regionalism. It's cities run by a team of different players

[vicupstate]

One of those surveys was funded by most of the cities it named as it's best. It may have been this one or another one.

Most of these surveys don't hold water with me because the criteria changes every year. One year a city can rank at the top, the very next year the same city can be ranked near the bottom. Not much value in that. The better idea is to rank cities in a Consumer Reports - type format. Rank all cities based on a laundry list of varied criteria. Then you can judgee based on the things that matter most to you as an individual or company.

[The_sandlapper]

Can't please everyone I guess. I know forbes has ranked Columbia pretty high the past two years #17 in (2003), & #28 (2004). It was also the 5th most creative mid-sized city this year according to Richard Florida's creative class index.

[jfl25]

I'm glad to see any artical that talks up South Carolina's citys weither its Columbia,Greenville or Charleston. The more the nation heres about us the more buisness and people want to move here.

[The_sandlapper]

I'm glad to see any artical that talks up South Carolina's citys weither its Columbia,Greenville or Charleston. The more the nation heres about us the more buisness and people want to move here.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Hey I agree! As long as the word gets out people will find their nitch no matter what city it is.