Columbia

Columbia is a census-designated place in Howard County, Maryland, United States, and is one of the principal cities of the Baltimore metropolitan area and the Washington metropolitan area. It is a planned community consisting of 10 self-contained villages. It began with the idea that a city could enhance its residents' quality of life. Creator and developer James W. Rouse saw the new community in terms of human values, rather than merely economics and engineering. Opened in 1967, Columbia was intended to not only eliminate the inconveniences of then-current subdivision design, but also eliminate racial, religious and class segregation.

Columbia has consistently ranked in the top 10 of CNN Money's Best Places to Live in the United States.

Columbia proper consists only of that territory governed by the Columbia Association, but larger areas are included under its name by the U.S. Postal Service and the Census Bureau. These include several other communities which predate Columbia, including Simpsonville, Atholton, and in the case of the census, part of Clarksville. The census-designated place had a population of 99,615 at the 2010 United States Census. It is the second most populous community in Maryland after Baltimore. More recent estimates by the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey put the population at approximately 103,467 as of 2015.

Downtown Columbia has always been good at getting noticed. Money Magazine named Columbia the #1 Best Place to Live in the U.S. Close to both Baltimore and D.C., we’re known for our flourishing business environment, quality education, outdoor activities, state-of-the-art community amenities, luxury residences, and popular mall. We’re a destination for music and the arts and home to the newly renovated Merriweather Post Pavilion. This vibrant, established community is thriving, growing, and will soon be among the area’s new urban destinations. More excitement is coming with expanded downtown neighborhood districts connected by pedestrian paths and walkways. Say hello to your perfect place.

source: wikipedia.org

source: dtcpartnership.com