Columbia-Jefferson City, MO

Founded in 1820 as the county seat of Boone County and home to the University of Missouri, it is the principal municipality of the Columbia Metropolitan Area, the fourth most populous urban area in Missouri. Some of the top employers in the city are the University of Missouri, University of Missouri Health Care, Columbia Public Schools, Boone Hospital Center, City of Columbia, and Harry S. Truman Memorial Veterans’ Hospital. Columbia’s economy is historically dominated by education, healthcare, and the insurance industry. Jobs in government are also common, either in Columbia or a half-hour south in Jefferson City.