It’s a great place to live

 Indiana’s Community of the Year!

• Columbus, Indiana, is the complete package. A robust business climate, philanthropic spirit, exceptional workforce, and quality of life opportunities illustrate what a thriving place it is. One that is punctuated by magnificent architecture, which makes it a destination for visitors and attraction for residents.
• “Columbus possesses the rural feel of a small, Midwestern community along with the talent, innovation, and culture typically found in large cities. The mix is dynamite,” says Indiana Chamber President and CEO Kevin Brinegar.
• In recognition, the Indiana Chamber of Commerce is honoring Columbus as its 2022 Community of the Year.

• To help you explore if Columbus is a good fit for you, we’ve gathered below some other reasons we think Columbus offers something unique as a place to call home.
• It’s a great place to live – see all the photos 

• You’ve heard about the famous modernist architecture, and it is indeed an amazing story and experience that will become a part of your daily life.
• At the same time, there’s also a wonderful mix of beautifully maintained historic buildings, seven of them National Historic Landmarks.

• And of course, there is the public art, seemingly around every corner, including the largest Henry Moore and Jean Tinguely sculptures in America, all free and in public spaces!
• See over 100 photos of the public art posted on Pinterest.

• The choice of activities and destinations within an hour or so of Columbus is extraordinary. Downtown Indianapolis is less than an hour away (and a convenient, easy interstate drive), all of the culture and sports that Indiana University and Bloomington offer is less than an hour’s drive, and Louisville and Cincinnati are both just a little over an hour away.
• If you like state parks, hiking, and wildlife, you need only drive half an hour to Brown County State Park or Muscatatuk Wildlife Reserve, or only an hour to Clifty Falls State Park.
• See photos of many things to do that are oh-so-close to Columbus on Pinterest.

• You seldom see downtowns in small-town America as inviting and as alive as the one in Columbus. The recently completed Commons, a new hotel, a famously renovated ice cream parlor, and new restaurants make for a pleasant setting to enjoy on your own or to entertain your guests.
• You’ll be surprised by the little touches that make such a difference, such as carefully tended flower pots, healthy trees in the parking lots, and alleys that are beautifully landscaped. You will enjoy showing off your new home to all your jealous friends!

• Check out a comprehensive list of community resources, including relocation tips, links to local organizations, school information, and more.

• Seven percent of the county’s population are foreign born, nearly twice the state average.
• Columbus also has the highest concentration of mechanical engineers per capita in the nation.

• You can take advantage of over twenty five miles of people trails around and about the town, as well as through city parks.
• Columbus was also cited as one of Indiana’s seven “bike friendly” communities by The League of American Bicyclists.
• Columbus was named one of the nation’s “most walkable” communities in April 2008 by Dan Burden, Executive Director of Walkable Communities, after a visit to the city. He has given the title to just 100 of the 2,500 cities he has visited, and noted that Columbus has the cleanest alleys of any city he has visited.
• See photos of the people trails

• You’ll enjoy both the quantity and diversity of vendors at the Saturday Farmer’s Market in downtown Columbus.
• See photos of Farmer’s Market

• Columbus has two symphony orchestras, music organizations that host visiting musicians, active community theater groups, an independent movie theater, a downtown independent bookstore, a beautiful public library, and many cultural and educational activities to explore.
• Check the calendar to see what’s coming up.
• See dozens and dozens of photos of Columbus activities

• For a town its size, Columbus has a surprising number of festivals and events that bring out the whole community.
• Find out about the signature events

• Near the Columbus airport, you will have access to college courses through Indiana University, Purdue University, and Ivy Tech Community College, and the Learning Center, with its library collection of academic books, resources, and magazines.
• Visit the IUPUC website.
• Visit the Ivy Tech website.
• Visit the Learning Center website.

• Columbus Regional Hospital has been ranked one of the top 100 hospitals in the nation, always ranks in the top of the best places to work in Indiana, and was named one of the top five most beautiful hospitals in America.
• See photos of Columbus Regional Hospital

• In July 2016, USA Today ranked Columbus #3 on the Top Ten list of “Factory Towns Rebounding from Recession”
• The largest employer in Columbus is Cummins, which has been reporting steady sales growth, even during the economic downtown.
• Business is so good, in fact, Cummins has built a new office complex in downtown Columbus. Columbus has hired over 1,000 new employees in the past few years, most of those professional engineering positions (Columbus has more mechanical engineers, as a percentage of its population, than any other American city, by a great margin).
• Read what a prominent blogger described as the unique “Columbus Values Proposition” HERE.

• Check it out for yourself, compare Columbus to other cities, using online tools such as AreaVibes or Sperlings.
• Tip – be sure you are searching for Columbus, IN (Indiana), not Columbus, OH (Ohio).

• In the Spring, Columbus becomes a kind of wonderland when everything seems to be blooming – seriously.
• Check out some photos HERE.

• Columbus is not only a great place to live, it may also be the perfect place to retire 

Celebrated designer Jonathan Nesci picked Columbus…

From The Architects Newspaper:
You might say that furniture designer Jonathan Nesci is doing things in reverse. Rather than starting his career in a small town and ending with his work selling at auction in the big city, he is making a go at high design in a small community. After working at the Wright design auction house in Chicago, Nesci made the seemingly unconventional move away from the furniture mecca to a small town in south-central Indiana. But that small town was none other than Columbus, Indiana, the modernist playground.

• Read the full story in The Architects Newspaper

New York City transplants also chose Columbus…

From Columbus Magazine:
One of things I love so much about this place is the relationships with folks here that I think will be lifelong. The ability to have conversations and meet people is magical. All of these amazing people have come here, and we end up getting to talk to them and hang out with them. We even know the mayor! – Lulu Loquidis

Newcomers from growing populations like it here

From The Republic Newspaper:
Three relative newcomers to Columbus who are part of rapidly growing population groups in the city say local efforts to make the community vibrant and welcoming are appreciated … Zhu, 30, is originally from Shanghai, China, a city of about 25 million residents. She’s lived in Columbus a little over five years. Living in Columbus has been comfortable, Zhu said, because the cost of living is reasonable compared to other Midwestern cities. Other positives include meeting residents who have come from all over the world, traffic jams are rare and parking isn’t a problem.

• Visit the Economic Development website, to find out about job opportunities, business climate, living in Columbus, and much more

An introduction to Columbus, with a focus on business , workforce characteristics, and other advantages of living and doing business here (2:32).