I lived in Columbia for 4 years. It was a sh##hole. Every city in every state has their own problems with drugs and crime. Even 40 years ago Columbia had huge problems with drugs and gangs. If volunteer shag bark Hickory trees is your idea of beauty, so be it. I prefer some decent dirt that can feed the world. You've obviously never traveled in Nebraska or you wouldn't call it a wasteland. Actually if you drive around Lincoln and Omaha you would find them very similar to nicer areas of Kansas City or Saint Louis.
I’ve always thought the Elkhorn, Millard, Gretna suburbs of Omaha are a lot like the Olathe, Overland Park, Gardner suburbs of KC (the ones on the Kansas side, the Missouri side is a war zone).