MO
re to Know:
City Fast Facts
Welcome to Columbia, MOre to Know
Whether you're returning or relocating, Columbia is easy to love — and easy to live in. From local leadership and transit tips to utilities, quirky trivia, and national accolades, this is your one-stop guide to life in CoMo.
Meet the City Leaders
Columbia is governed by a Mayor and six City Council members, each representing one of the city’s six wards. These elected officials shape city policy and ensure Columbia continues to grow responsibly and inclusively.
Current Elected Officials:
- Barbara Buffaloe, Mayor
- Valerie Carroll, Ward 1
- Vera Elwood, Ward 2
- Jacque Sample, Ward 3
- Nick Foster, Ward 4
- Donald Waterman, Ward 5
- Betsy Peters, Ward 6
Get Involved
Transit & Parking
-
Free garage parking on evenings and weekends
-
On-street meters: $0.50/hr (8 a.m.–6 p.m., Mon–Sat)
-
Pay via meter or ParkMobile app
-
Monthly permits from $35/month
-
Monthly permits from $35/month
Go COMO Transit
• Fare-free fixed-route bus service • Live tracking: ETA SPOT app • Game Day shuttles to Mizzou football games
City Services & Utilities
Winter Weather
- Priority snow routes cleared first
- View progress map at CoMoSnow.com
- Sidewalk clearing required by property owners
Neighborhood Services
- Property maintenance, sidewalk repairs, nuisance enforcement
Contact: Neighborhood@CoMo.gov
Utilities
- City provides electric, water, sewer, solid waste, and stormwater
- Set Up Utilities or Request a Roll Cart
- Gas: Ameren
- Other providers may serve some areas: Boone Electric, Consolidated Water, Boone County Regional Sewer
Public Safety & Health
Columbia Fire Department
- Internationally accredited (CFAI), ISO Rating: 2
Fire safety tips, open burning rules, station locations
Columbia Police Department
- Community policing, crime dashboard, ride-along program
Emergency Alerts
- Sign up for Smart911 and Rave Alerts
Public Health Services
- Immunizations, inspections, birth/death certificates
- Pet licensing, food handler cards, WIC, and utility assistance
Snippets & Fun Facts
Hidden Fallout Shelters
During the Cold War, parts of downtown Columbia were designated as fallout shelters, including underground spaces in front of businesses. A simulation even included a woman giving birth during an emergency drill at what’s now the Armory Rec Center. No, there's no secret tunnel maze under Columbia — despite local legends!
Geography You Can Feel
Columbia sits at the intersection of the Ozark Plateau and the Northern Plains, just 12 miles from the Missouri River. Its karst landscape features caves, springs, and sinkholes — like the infamous Old Kentucky Hole, a 200-foot-wide sinkhole that opened in the 1960s.
The Big Tree
Just south of Columbia stands Missouri’s champion burr oak, estimated at 350–425 years old, with a 287-inch trunk circumference. It even has its own Facebook page and survived the Great Flood of 1993.
Campus & Culture
• Mizzou’s Francis Quadrangle is a state botanical garden • Mizzou's Columns are Missouri’s second-most photographed landmark, behind the Gateway Arch • Columbia College was the first women's college west of the Mississippi • White Rabbits indie rock band formed here
Festivals & Fame
• Show-Me State Games: Largest state games in the U.S. • Tiger Hotel: First skyscraper between St. Louis and KC • Mizzou vs. KU Border War: The oldest football rivalry west of the Mississippi • Columbia hosted Joseph Smith on his route to found Far West, MO • Bud and Sam Walton, of Walmart fame, were born here • Columbia native Jack Crouch helped found Hyatt Hotels • George Smith, MU professor, won the 2018 Nobel Prize in Chemistry
The Columbia You Loved — Recognized for Everything It’s Becoming
Top Small City for Starting a Career After College
Ranked a Best Place to Live
by U.S. News & World REport
Top 100
Best Places
to Live
Ready to Take the Next Step?
Columbia is where quality of life meets opportunity — a community with deep roots, big ideas, and plenty of room to grow.