Columbia is Maryland’s first planned community, established by developer James Rouse in 1967. His intent was to create an environment that would foster neighborly engagement, enable easy access to municipal services and surround residents with nature. It was to be divided into 10 distinct villages, each with its own amenities and variety of housing styles. “The thing I love about Columbia is all the trails,” says Holly Mueck, Realtor and broker with Humanity Realtors, who has 35 years of experience in the area. “I picked my house because it's walking distance to Merriweather Post Pavilion and the town center. You can get pretty much anywhere in the city on the trails. The architecture is creative, and I do enjoy the funny street names.”
Residential roads in the city are intended to be whimsical and unique, often drawing inspiration from literature. Homes in the Faulkner Ridge neighborhood, for example, sit on streets with names inspired by the novels of William Faulkner, while places like Wood Elves Way, Green Dragon Court and Rivendell Lane wind around the Hobbit’s Glen Golf Course – all taken from Tolkein’s Lord of the Rings.
Today, Columbia has a population of over 100,000, making it the second most populous city in the state behind Baltimore. It sits in a favorable location between Baltimore and Washington, D.C., allowing for simple commutes to either. While it is often rather anonymous on the national stage, those who have heard of it understand that it is well-regarded. “Year after year, Columbia makes top 10 lists of best places to live in America,” Mueck says. “And it’s not even just by one publication. No matter who makes the list, Columbia always ends up on it.”
Columbia is the first planned community in Maryland.
The history in Columbia is tied to James Rouse, the founder.
Practice your swing at Hobbit's Glen Golf Club in Columbia.
There are great walking paths all around Columbia.
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A community planned around nature and recreation
The city is defined by its commitment to its founder’s vision of an open and active community. Those who purchase homes here can pay the equivalent of an HOA fee to join the Columbia Association. Membership in this non-profit organization allows for free or discounted access to outdoor swimming pools, fitness centers, golf courses, libraries and an ice rink. Ninety-five miles of paved biking and walking paths thread through Columbia as well, connecting the 10 villages to one another and to the lakes, playgrounds and parks. The area does not see significant snowfall often, so the trails are usually navigable year-round. However, during the winter months, residents should be aware of icy patches on paths near the streams.
Lake Kittamaqundi, a 27-acre manufactured lake, is at the center of the community. It features a pier and a launching ramp, so local anglers can fish the well-stocked water while others paddle about in canoes. The Lakefront Stage is also located here, where locals can enjoy more than 60 free events throughout the summer. Hikers can visit the Middle Patuxent Environmental Area, a nature preserve with miles of looping trails surrounded by native plants and wildlife. The Robinson Nature Center also provides opportunities to explore the ecosystem through 18 acres of exhibits, wooded trails and a planetarium. Blandair Regional Park, which features several multi-use sports fields, is located off Route 175. Golfers can book tee times at either Fairway Hills, which features an 18-hole course, a driving range and a putting green, or Hobbit’s Glen, which has hosted several Champions Tour events throughout its history and was voted the county’s best golf course in 2020.
Merriweather Post Pavilion is located in the heart of the city, just across the road from the town center. In 2010, Billboard Magazine named it the second-best amphitheater in the country. Since it opened in 1967, the venue has hosted a range of artists, including Jimi Hendrix, The Doors and Jimmy Buffett. Buffett performed at Merriweather a total of 42 times throughout his life, the most by any musician.
The Columbia Festival of the Arts is held on the lakefront just a mile north of the pavilion. Each June, this 16-day event draws artists from the local, regional, national and international levels.
Columbia is well known for Merriweather Post Pavilion.
Head by the Lake Kittamaqundi in Columbia to see people practicing their skills.
The Robinson Nature Center is a great spot in Columbia to get outdoors.
Take a hike in Columbia by the Middle Patuxent Environmental Area.
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Interfaith centers representing all denominations
Another key principle in Rouse’s vision for Columbia was integration, both racial and religious. The city was among the first to be deliberately integrated upon establishment, and the area’s interfaith centers played a large role. There are three such institutions in the city, which serve as gathering points for congregations of all faiths. According to the Association of Religion Data Archives, Catholics are the largest religious group in Columbia, with other major faiths such as Islam and Judaism well-represented. The interfaith centers at Owen Brown, Wilde Lake and the Meeting House allow for all congregations to worship together.
Owen Brown Interfaith Center is conveniently located in Columbia.
The Interfaith Center in Columbia represents multiple religions.
The Interfaith Center in Columbia helps give back to the community.
The Interfaith Center in Columbia helps bring the community together.
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Unique postmodern flair in a midcentury city
Columbia is famous for its inventive architecture, known locally as “Columbia Contemporaries.” Constructed largely in the 1970s, these homes feature postmodern architectural flair that plays with conventional design principles. Condos, townhouses and detached single-family homes all come in this style, although more traditional versions can also be readily found. Condos near Howard Community College begin around $185,000, rising to around $400,000 for units near the town center. Townhouses are speckled throughout the villages, varying in price from around $300,000 to over $650,000 for new builds on the west side of the city. Colonial Revivals, ranch-style homes and Columbia Contemporaries make up the bulk of single-family styles. These can cost anywhere from $480,000 to $900,000, with Modern Traditional homes in the River Hill village reaching price points over the $1 million mark.
There are beautifully built homes in Columbia.
Columbia contemporaries are all unique.
There are older and newer builds in Columbia.
Move into a a more modern style home in Columbia.
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Easy access to shopping destinations and restaurants
The Town Center, one of the city’s 10 villages, is home to The Mall in Columbia, which serves as the city’s urban core. There are over 200 retailers within the mall, and the surrounding buildings host dozens of restaurants that range from casual eateries to trendy seafood spots. The mall also serves as the city’s de facto bus depot, with 9 lines converging at the south end of the main parking lot.
There is a walkway that leads from the mall across Little Patuxent Parkway to Lake Kittamaqundi, which offers upscale eateries like Sushi Sono and The Collective Offshore, as well Encore at the Collective, a live music venue.
Other shopping centers throughout the city are accessible via the area’s many highways. Costco, Wegman’s and the Dobbin Center shopping district are all clustered around Route 175 on the east side of the city, where residents can also visit favored haunts like Pub Dog, a brewery and pizzeria where all beers are named after dog breeds. Route 29 bisects Columbia, heading north past the Long Gate Shopping Center to Ellicott City and south 30 miles to Washington, D.C.
Though Columbia does not have its own rail station, the Dorsey MARC Train station is 11 miles east of the city and is served by Howard Transit buses. Residents heading to D.C. for hockey games may prefer to take the intercounty connector and catch the metro at the Glenmont station, located 20 miles south. For both international and domestic travel, the Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport is 18 miles east of Columbia.
The mall in Columbia is a great place to bring the family for an evening out.
The AMC is a great spot to see a movie in Columbia.
Dobbin Center is a major shopping spot in Columbia.
Be on the lookout for different statues around the mall in Columbia.
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Top-rated public schools and a standout community college
Howard County Public Schools ranks as the No. 1 Best School District in Maryland, earning itself an A-plus on Niche. Columbia has 14 public elementary schools, four middle schools and five high schools, including River Hill High, which Niche rates as the No. 1 Best Public High School in the greater Baltimore area. Wilde Lake High School is the alma mater of Edward Norton, actor and grandson of Columbia’s founder. The city also features highly rated private schools, such as Fusion Academy Columbia, which provides 1-to-1 education with personalized learning.
Howard Community College’s main campus is located next to the Johns Hopkins Howard County Medical Center. In 2023, WalletHub ranked it the 14th best community college in the U.S. Many students choose HCC for general studies programs, although they can earn credit in over 100 areas of study.
River Hill High School in Columbia receives an A+ from Niche.com.
Wilde Lake High School in Columbia has over 18,000 total students.
Fusion Academy Columbia in Columbia is one on one learning.
Howard Community College near Columbia is a great place to find your future career.
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Property crime drives the statistics in Columbia
According to the FBI Crime Data Explorer, Columbia has a higher crime rate than the average city in the U.S. However, the Howard County Police Department reports that nearly 70 percent of crime in the city is property crime, likely driven by shoplifting charges at the area’s many shopping centers. The violent crime rate is less than 1 incident per 1,000 residents, which falls well below the national average.
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Disclaimer: Certain information contained herein is derived from information provided by parties other than Homes.com. Our sources include: Accuweather, Public Records and Neustar. All information provided is deemed reliable, but is not guaranteed to be accurate and should be independently verified.
