Nearly 90,000 residents already call the community of Columbia home, enjoying a unique lifestyle in this 14,000-acre cluster of distinctive villages.  Columbia provides a self-contained community with social and cultural centers, employment possibilities, quality education, thousands of acres of open space, and abundant opportunities for recreation. More than 80 miles of pathways, indoor and outdoor swimming pools, a horse center, a sports park, golf courses, tennis courts, and ice rink, sports fields and courts, and athletic clubs are just a few of the amenities.  Columbia is home to half of the county’s businesses and approximately one-third of its population.  Howard County General Hospital, the resources associated with Howard County Community College, and Columbia Mall serve the entire region.  Newcomers can choose from an abundance of housing styles in all price ranges with equally varied settings that include hillsides, wooded valleys, and lakefronts.