Columbia
Columbia features is a college-town that includes a vibrant downtown; the University of Missouri’s academic, cultural, and athletic offerings; as well as unique opportunities such as annual festivals (Roots & Blues Music Festival and the True/False Film Festival), and a parks system that includes an integrated hiking/biking trail system that is linked with the nation’s largest rails-to-trails conversion, the Katy Trail State Park.
- About Columbia
Columbia, located 30 miles northwest from Fulton, is Mid-Missouri's largest city. It has a population of 80,000 residents, not including the approximately 23,000 students who attend the University of Missouri's main campus there. The Psychology Department at Fulton State Hospital has strong ties to both the Clinical and the Counseling Psychology Departments at the University, as well as to the Department of Psychiatry in the School of Medicine. A number of research projects are done in collaboration with individuals from these departments.
Fulton
Fulton provides a small-town atmosphere with a quick commute to work, while still in close proximity to larger nearby towns like Columbia and Jefferson City. The brick streets of Fulton’s historic downtown house many shops and restaurants with interesting architecture.
- About Fulton
Fulton is a community of about 11,000 people located in central Missouri. A number of State facilities are located in Fulton including Fulton State Hospital, the Missouri School for the Deaf, and the State Reception and Diagnostic Center. The size of these facilities makes the State of Missouri the largest employer in the city of Fulton.
In addition, Fulton is home to Westminster College (the site of Winston Churchill's famous "Iron Curtain" speech in 1946) and William Woods University. Both are private institutions with a combined enrollment of about 2100 students. Their presence in Fulton affords the community a variety of educational, athletic, and cultural events, including the Westminster College speaker series that has in recent years included George Bush, Ronald Reagan, Mikhail Gorbachev, Margaret Thatcher, and Lech Walesa.
Jefferson City
Named America's Most Beautiful Small Town by Rand McNally in 2014, Jefferson City, the state’s capital, features scenic views of the Missouri River, many historic buildings, landmarks, museums, a great parks network that links to the Katy Trail system, and even ghost tours at the historic Missouri State Penitentiary.
- About Jefferson City
"Jeff City", as it is called locally, is located 25 miles to the southwest of Fulton, and makes for an easy commute for many of the hospital's staff. It is the State Capitol, as well as the home of Lincoln University, a public university with an enrollment of about 3400 graduate and undergraduate students. Nursing students from Lincoln routinely spend a few weeks each year engaged in practicum at Fulton State Hospital.
- Cost of Living
Residents of central Missouri enjoy a low cost of living. According to Area Vibes, compared to other cities across the country, the cost of living index in Fulton, MO is 14% lower than that for the entire country.
Cost of Living Calculators
- Other Information