Columbia (St. Louis, Center, Madison: rentals, crime, coop)

[blueboss]

Think I'll wade in on this one. There are some jobs there, but the economy is hitting all of us. I would suggest looking at The Columbia Tribune web site. Maybe that will help you get an idea what the housing and job situation is here. Columbia is now smoke free in all restaurants and bars. They are also trying to make the town more bike friendly to the annoyance of drivers. I go to Columbia for work, Sears and Home Depot.

[lifelongMOgal]

Originally Posted by muman

Well, originally this thread was about Columbia, and it sounds like you're interested because of possible relocation. Based on posts like the above, I don't know that you'll like it there. It's a fairly politically progressive town. Obama won Boone County (where Columbia is) by a very solid margin. If you're a right-winger and want to be surrounded by similar people (maybe that's a reason that you want to move?), you may be better off looking into smaller rural areas...which unfortunately have some of the highest levels of unemployment in the state.

Columbia is a muti- liberal arts college/university town so it stands to reason it will be quite "progressive", just as urban Kansas City and St. Louis. Don't let the "progressives" fool you though. They would love to keep the voices of reason from moving into their enclaves.

Columbia has had its share of gang/drug related violent crime in recent years. So, don't think just because it is a small city one can escape the big city problems. Columbia rush hour traffic is a p.i.a. too, not unlike larger cities, due to poor long-term planning on the part of the city & county.

The upsides are that if you are planning to move anywhere in central MO you'll probably end up traveling to Columbia to shop or get hospital care anyway. There are a number of cute towns with decent highway access (interstate and state hwy) within easy commuting distance to Columbia.

Reading the online papers and listening to the local radio stations online of the areas of Missouri in which you are considering for your relocation might help you find more of the information you seek.

Missouri Newspapers - Missouri Newspaper List

Missouri Radio Stations, Missouri Broadcasting Stations, Missouri Web Radio - SHG Resources

[muman]

Originally Posted by lifelongMOgal

Columbia is a muti- liberal arts college/university town so it stands to reason it will be quite "progressive", just as urban Kansas City and St. Louis. Don't let the "progressives" fool you though. They would love to keep the voices of reason from moving into their enclaves.

Columbia has had its share of gang/drug related violent crime in recent years. So, don't think just because it is a small city one can escape the big city problems. Columbia rush hour traffic is a p.i.a. too, not unlike larger cities, due to poor long-term planning on the part of the city & county.

The upsides are that if you are planning to move anywhere in central MO you'll probably end up traveling to Columbia to shop or get hospital care anyway. There are a number of cute towns with decent highway access (interstate and state hwy) within easy commuting distance to Columbia.

Reading the online papers and listening to the local radio stations online of the areas of Missouri in which you are considering for your relocation might help you find more of the information you seek.

Missouri Newspapers - Missouri Newspaper List

Missouri Radio Stations, Missouri Broadcasting Stations, Missouri Web Radio - SHG Resources

Conservatives being the voice of reason??? haha! Maybe the voice of Glenn Beck, but not of reason!

[Melissa E]

I just moved to Columbia from a smaller town about 30 miles north. We were hoping to move to Oregon (after vacationing there in May to check it out state wide to see which areas we liked the best to make our home) but I had job apps in all over the state pretty much and I could not get a job even despite months of trying (and I'm an RN - jobs are usually a cinch to get!). So, we moved to Columbia so I could be closer to my job for now.
Something I personally do like about Columbia is the people around here, the majority, seem fairly well educated and atleast respectful (the ones I've encountered). It seems really quite around here. To me it seems strange because it's like everyone is walking around in their own worlds ... I think that is just the world or atleast the USA in general anymore =(. Most people don't really even look at you or smile and it is hard to strike up conversations with many people ... everyone seems closed off in their own world. But that is how much of the usa is I think. We've lost a sense of group cohesiveness ... most people just seem to care more about their material things than saying hi to their neighbors or people passing them on the streets. I'd like a more open friendly culture if I could find it, with more "weird" (in a good way) people.
But anywayyyy back to specifically Columbia ... there does seem to be quite a bit to do around here. There are many concerts, from what I've read a few cool festivles, lots of parks and trails, ect. I think the city is taken care of well. I rarely see trashy areas. Overall, it seems a nice place to live for a person desiring to live in MO. Check out Visit Columbia website.
My heart still is in Oregon, though. I like the culture better. I feel like it's home. Another thing ... although Columbia is still much more educated than most other areas in the state, MO overall ranks high in religious people. So if that annoys you, like it does me, I'd make a home in a place like Oregon with lower percentage of people still believing they are the "chosen ones" and you know, all that other stuff.

[RiverBird]

What's it like for almost-retirees in Columbia who are still making a low-profile living by freelancing?

Are there any U-courses in which retirees can enroll without paying?

How about senior housing (not the upscale, unaffordable "assisted living" places)?

[Telephone]

After living in the south.....this town is not overly religious. In the south the people welcome you with...hi my name is and the second statement is what church do you go to? The people are friendly in Columbia... once you get to know them....and then they are very friendly. Down in the south everyone is friendly but it isn't genuine! The town is easy to get around, great restautrants, lots of activities for kids (little league, preschools are wonderful!, school clubs, scouts, all sorts of sporting groups), HyVee is terrific grocery store, three Wal-marts.

[RiverBird]

Originally Posted by Telephone

After living in the south.....this town is not overly religious. In the south the people welcome you with...hi my name is and the second statement is what church do you go to? The people are friendly in Columbia... once you get to know them....and then they are very friendly. Down in the south everyone is friendly but it isn't genuine! The town is easy to get around, great restautrants, lots of activities for kids (little league, preschools are wonderful!, school clubs, scouts, all sorts of sporting groups), HyVee is terrific grocery store, three Wal-marts.

What about seniors? Is there a good senior center? Decent senior housing for the not-so-rich? I don't remember public transit when I was there but that was a very long time ago...is there any now?

[Retiree951]

Wish I could help as I'm thinking of retiring in Columbia. Lived in St. Louis for years and found the people to be very nice and friendly! Assume Columbia would be the same. Housing is very reasonably priced in Columbia, and the parks and trails seem awesome. But the mentions of crime have deterred me a little bit. For example, there is an entire thread about crime in Vanderveen Crossing, which I had thought was a nice subdivision.....

[Stephk0424]

Originally Posted by Telephone

After living in the south.....this town is not overly religious. In the south the people welcome you with...hi my name is and the second statement is what church do you go to? The people are friendly in Columbia... once you get to know them....and then they are very friendly. Down in the south everyone is friendly but it isn't genuine! The town is easy to get around, great restautrants, lots of activities for kids (little league, preschools are wonderful!, school clubs, scouts, all sorts of sporting groups), HyVee is terrific grocery store, three Wal-marts.

I take offense to that statement about Southern people. I am from the South and I am always friendly and I mean it. There are non genuine people everywhere. We are also not all overly religious either. I do believe in God but I have never asked a person on the street what church they go to. I just have morals, that doesn't make me overly religious! Please don't generalize us. We don't all act like they portray us on the media.

[cyrano]

recreational resources for over-50s--
Fifty Plus Program
(click on Osher link too to see U of Missouri stuff)
Columbia Area Senior Center

dunno about affordable housing for seniors.

"mass transit" exists and I am told by those who use it that it is better than I thought it was (which was pretty abysmal)-- but candidly, this is a moderately-sized midwestern town (pop around 100k now) that isn't going to have the infrastructure for a really good mass transit system. There's special transit facilities for disabled people through the city-- dunno if that would apply to you or not. Go back to the gocolumbiamo site (my first link), click "transportation" on the left-side links, and do some exploring, particualrly under "bus services."