Money Magazine provided a list of the top 100 “Best Places to Live in America”…see the full list here: http://money.com/money/collection/best-places-to-live-2019/. Our very own Columbia Maryland Ranked 20th on the list. Other cities in Maryland on the list include:

Germantown Maryland Ranked 42nd

Bowie, Maryland Ranked 100th

Interesting side note…the #1 place on the list was Clarksville Tennessee. I lived there back in the day (elementary school age). It was kind of funny and neat to see that city on the list.

Rankings derived from more than 80 separate types of data, in the following categories:

Economy — based on local unemployment rate, historical job growth, projected job growth and the level of employment opportunities available, among other factors.

— based on local unemployment rate, historical job growth, projected job growth and the level of employment opportunities available, among other factors. Cost of living — based on tax burden, insurance costs, commuting costs, medical spending and income adjusted for cost of living.

— based on tax burden, insurance costs, commuting costs, medical spending and income adjusted for cost of living. Diversity — based on racial makeup, racial integration, and economic diversity within a place’s population.

— based on racial makeup, racial integration, and economic diversity within a place’s population. Education — based on math and reading test scores and local and county level high school graduation rates.

— based on math and reading test scores and local and county level high school graduation rates. Housing — based on measures indicating affordability, supply and distress, including median home sale price in 2018, properties sold in 2018, utility and home cost of living indexes, and the property foreclosure rate, among other factors.

— based on measures indicating affordability, supply and distress, including median home sale price in 2018, properties sold in 2018, utility and home cost of living indexes, and the property foreclosure rate, among other factors. Health and Safety — based on the number of hospitals and clinics, the number of mental health providers, dentists, doctors and primary care physicians, property and violent crime risk and homicide and drug overdose rates.

— based on the number of hospitals and clinics, the number of mental health providers, dentists, doctors and primary care physicians, property and violent crime risk and homicide and drug overdose rates. Amenities — based on the number of leisure activities in the town and surrounding area, including bars, restaurants, museums, sports complexes, and green spaces.

— based on the number of leisure activities in the town and surrounding area, including bars, restaurants, museums, sports complexes, and green spaces. Ease of living — based on commute times, weather, and other factors.

Scott E