LonoXIII t1_j3b3leu wrote on January 7, 2023 at 7:20 AM

Columbia was designed specifically for families, to the point that it primarily caters to households with children. It has one of the top public school systems, miles of walking/biking trails with numerous tot lots/playgrounds, tons of parks, and various programs for youth.
(Whether correct or not...) Positive outsider views of Columbia include good neighborhoods, low crime/high safety, highly diverse and inclusive, good job opportunities, and good schools. Negative outsider views might include high cost-of-living, classist (caters to the wealthy), nepotism in government and quasi-government authorities, and too many HOAs.
The "worst" spots of Columbia are usually specific communities rather than whole areas, and even then they still rate lower in crime and safety concerns than state or averages. There are a lot of naysayers pining for an illusionary past when Columbia was safer, but fact remains the per capita rate has been declining since the '80s and '90s.
1. The "worst" zip code in Columbia is 21046, which is essentially the southern and southeast portions of the city. Even then, most of the neighborhoods are fine, and the overall crime is 44% below the national average, with violent crimes 51% less and property crime 18% less (most of which is because of problems with theft).
As mentioned, Howard County has one of the top public school systems, with the majority of the county budget dedicated to education. Although many of the top schools in the state are here, there will be some that aren't as good as others. Even then, usually the "worst" schools are comparable to the average schools in nearby counties. The main issue with schools is overcrowding, particularly in Columbia, which they're trying to fix with building a new school and further redistricting. Still, many people move to the county specifically to have their kids graduate from Howard County schools.
If you're commuting to Rockville, you'll want to get an EZPass and use the ICC (toll road). It will easily shave 15 minutes off your drive (one-way) but even then, you'll have to prepare for traffic. Estimates are 30-45 minutes to Rockville using the ICC, so you have to prepare for the higher number.
Be prepared if you're not used to living in a major city. Although unincorporated, and technically a suburb, Columbia has over 100,000 people (and that's not including the adjacent towns). Many people complaining about traffic, crime, noise, etc. never lived anywhere but quiet towns; in contrast, those coming from big cities, more urban counties, or truly rough towns see Columbia as a paradise. It depends on what you're used to and what your expectations for "nice" are.
I find the town's classist elements very off-putting. Local politics are rife with the "liberal elite" and "champagne socialists" who pat themselves on the back for promoting progressive ideals, but then never provide support for the many families who make less than six figures. Worse, some of these same people who proclaim to support diversity and inclusion then support county laws or local movements that hinder actual change and assistance. There's a lot of hypocrisy from those who talk a lot but do little, and you'll even find these NIMBYs using the same dog whistles as bigots and nationalists, all in the name of ensuring their property values remain high.