| Measure | Columbia (MO)Missouri, United States Remove Columbia (MO) | TopekaKansas, United States Remove Topeka |
|---|---|---|
| Scores (out of 10) | ||
| Overall score | 6.5 | 6.4 |
| Connector Score | 7.2 | 9.0 |
| Safety | 5.0 | 3.3 |
| Affordability | 7.2 | 7.7 |
| Transportation | 8.5 | 9.0 |
| Car-free friendliness | 5.5 | 7.0 |
| Walkability | 4.6 | 7.1 |
| Things to do | 7.1 | 6.3 |
| Food & dining | 6.0 | 5.3 |
| Places to stay | 5.8 | 6.1 |
| Nature & outdoors | 7.5 | 3.5 |
| Scenic value | 7.3 | 5.3 |
| Family friendliness | 5.0 | 6.2 |
| Solo-traveler friendliness | 4.9 | 5.3 |
| Nightlife | 5.1 | 4.1 |
| Remote-work friendliness | 6.3 | 6.2 |
| Road-trip convenience | 6.2 | 6.5 |
| Train-trip convenience | 7.0 | 8.0 |
| Bus-trip convenience | 6.3 | 7.3 |
| Cost (per person per day, USD) | ||
| Budget | $102 | $98 |
| Mid-range | $153 | $143 |
| Luxury | $263 | $225 |
| Living there | ||
| Cost of living index (national = 100) | 93 | 88 |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent | $1,050 | $825 |
| Population | 131K | 126K |
| Getting there | ||
| Accessible by | Drive Train Bus Airport | Drive Train Bus Airport |
| Car recommended | — | — |
| Travel time from Columbia (MO) | — | 4 h 15 min details |
| Character | ||
| Best for | Outdoors, Wine country | Car-free travel, History |
| Known for | Mountains & hiking, National & state parks, Lakes & rivers, Museums & galleries, Historic sites, Food scene, Wineries & breweries, Live music, Pro sports, Shopping | Lakes & rivers, Museums & galleries, Historic sites, Live music, Shopping, Family & kids |
| When to go | Peak: Periods are Mizzou football weekends, m… | Peak: Periods are legislative session, major… |
Scores and costs are estimates from public data and our own research; check the city pages for sources and dates.