A Maryland community envisioned as a new model for suburban living continues to earn recognition as one of the nation’s best places to live.
Founded in 1967, Columbia is still praised for its quality of life, safety, schools and job market.
“Although there are other planned communities in America, this is probably the best example of one,” said Erin Berry, archivist at the Columbia Maryland Archives.
Columbia was the vision of developer James Rouse, who assembled designers, architects and experts from a range of fields to help shape the community. Raised in Easton, Rouse sought to combine the benefits of small-town life with the advantages of living in a city.
“He gathers these groups of experts in transportation, religion, family life, education,” Berry said. “They are the ones who showed James and his companies and his planners what they needed in order to make a community thrive.”
Rouse chose to build Columbia in Howard County, between Washington and Baltimore. In 1963, he announced he had acquired 14,000 acres of land for the project.
Berry said Rouse, a deeply religious man, was committed to creating a desegregated community before federal law required it.
“He wanted all people of all backgrounds, all means, all races, all religions to have a place here in this community,” Berry said. “And he started doing that before he legally had to.”
According to Berry, Rouse acted when concerns surfaced that a builder and its real estate agents were steering Black and White families into separate neighborhoods. She said he sent employees and their families to investigate. After confirming the allegations, Rouse removed the builder from Columbia and issued a memo stating such practices would not be tolerated.
“He was just a human being who wanted better for the people of America,” Berry said. “I think that’s kind of rare to find somebody who talks the talk, but also walks the walk.”
Berry said historical records show Rouse also made efforts to work with minority-owned businesses because he wanted the local economy to serve all residents.
She recalled the story of a researcher who moved to Columbia as a child and lived near Rouse. The researcher remembered visiting his home for tea and growing up in a community she felt welcomed everyone.
“When she was growing up, she experienced this community that was welcoming to everybody,” Berry said. “That’s what she experienced as a young Black woman in America during the 70s, while a lot of other people, unfortunately, did not have that experience.”
Nearly six decades after its founding, Columbia continues to be cited as a model of urban planning. In 2026, WalletHub ranked the community the 13th happiest city in the United States based on factors including income, environment and well-being. The city also ranked among the top 10 for three consecutive years from 2022 through 2024.
“This community is still here. It’s still thriving. It’s still trying. The people are passionate,” Berry said. “Just the simple fact that people still want to live here is a success.”
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