The 150 Best College Towns in America (2021 Ranking)

Michelle Delgado's PhotoDr. Francesca Ortegren's Photo
By Michelle Delgado & Dr. Francesca Ortegren Updated May 12, 2023

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Best college towns, ranked | Affordability | Quality of life | Education | Methodology

Best college towns

🔎What is the best college town in America?
America's best college town is Stanford, Calif., followed by Williamsburg, Va. and Pasadena, Calif.
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With many college back to campus this fall, they are navigating a second year of pandemic measures. For many, proof of vaccination and a negative COVID test are now as commonplace as shower caddies and mini fridges.[1]

Though college students face relatively low risk of serious illness and death, college towns experienced the ripple effects of their return to campus last year.[2] Now, with the Delta variant wreaking havoc across the nation, health officials warn another fall surge may be on the way.[3]

Yet even as 10% of colleges transition to fully online learning,[4] college towns still hold a nostalgic place in American culture. To rank America's 150 best college towns, we awarded points based on three criteria:

  • Affordability: Rent for a one bedroom apartment (-4x), net cost (-4x), median student loan debt (-3x)
  • Social life and culture: Walk score (4x), bike score (3x), entertainment options per 100,000 residents (2.5x), restaurants per 100,000 residents (2.5x), Power 5 (2x), student to population ratio (2x)
  • College quality: Graduation rate (2x), retention rate (2.5x), median pay after ten years (2x), spending per student (1.5x), median number of undergraduates (1.5x), admission rate (-1x)

Read on to see our full rankings of the best college towns in America — plus, individual rankings for the best and worst college towns by affordability,
quality of life, and education.

America's 150 Best College Towns (2021 Ranking)

Ranking City Colleges
1 Stanford, Calif. Stanford University
2 Williamsburg, Va. William & Mary
3 Pasadena, Calif. California Institute of Technology
4 Princeton, N.J. Princeton University
5 Charlottesville, Va. University of Virginia
6 Ann Arbor, Mich. University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
7 Cambridge, Mass. Harvard University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Lesley University
8 Berkeley, Calif. University of California-Berkeley
9 Champaign, Ill. University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
10 Gainesville, Fla. University of Florida, Santa Fe College
11 West Lafayette, Ind. Purdue University
12 Morgantown, W.Va. West Virginia University
13 Chapel Hill, N.C. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
14 Evanston, Ill. Northwestern University
15 Fairfax, Va. George Mason University
16 University Park, Pa. Pennsylvania State University
17 Oxford, Miss. University of Mississippi
18 East Lansing, Mich. Michigan State University
19 Davis, Calif. University of California-Davis
20 College Station, Texas Texas A & M University-College Station
21 Shepherdstown, W.Va. Shepherd University
22 Boulder, Colo. University of Colorado Boulder
23 Ithaca, N.Y. Ithaca College, Cornell University
24 Athens, Ga. University of Georgia
25 Eugene, Ore. University of Oregon
26 Los Angeles, Calif. University of California-Los Angeles, University of Southern California, Occidental College, Loyola Marymount University, California State University-Los Angeles, Mount Saint Mary's University
27 Iowa City, Iowa University of Iowa
28 Newark, Del. University of Delaware
29 Madison, Wis. Edgewood College, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Herzing University-Madison
30 College Park, Md. University of Maryland-College Park
31 Stillwater, Okla. Oklahoma State University
32 Tallahassee, Fla. Florida State University, Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University
33 Bloomington, Ind. Indiana University-Bloomington
34 Columbia, Mo. University of Missouri-Columbia, Columbia College, Stephens College
35 Blacksburg, Va. Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
36 Rolla, Mo. Missouri University of Science and Technology
37 Provo, Utah Brigham Young University
38 La Jolla, Calif. University of California-San Diego, National University
39 Minneapolis, Minn. Dunwoody College of Technology, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, Augsburg University
40 Tucson, Ariz. University of Arizona
41 Notre Dame, Ind. University of Notre Dame, Saint Mary's College
42 Norman, Okla. University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus
43 New Brunswick, N.J. Rutgers University-New Brunswick
44 Baton Rouge, La. Louisiana State University, Southern University and A & M College
45 Clemson, S.C. Clemson University
46 Lexington, Va. Washington and Lee University, Virginia Military Institute
47 Columbia, S.C. University of South Carolina-Columbia, Benedict College, Columbia College
48 Lexington, Ky. University of Kentucky
49 Ames, Iowa Iowa State University
50 Golden, Colo. Colorado School of Mines
51 Seattle, Wash. Seattle University, University of Washington-Seattle Campus, Seattle Pacific University, City University of Seattle, Seattle Central College, North Seattle College, South Seattle College
52 Fayetteville, Ark. University of Arkansas
53 Pittsburgh, Pa. University of Pittsburgh, Chatham University, Carnegie Mellon University, Duquesne University, Point Park University, La Roche University, Carlow University
54 Fredericksburg, Va. University of Mary Washington
55 Chico, Calif. California State University-Chico
56 West Chester, Pa. West Chester University of Pennsylvania
57 Northridge, Calif. California State University-Northridge
58 Tuscaloosa, Ala. The University of Alabama
59 Fort Collins, Colo. Colorado State University
60 Manhattan, N.Y. Columbia University, New York University, Barnard College, CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice, CUNY City College, Marymount Manhattan College, Nyack College, CUNY Hunter College, CUNY Bernard M Baruch College, Touro College, Fashion Institute of
Technology, The New School, Yeshiva University, Pace University, Metropolitan College of New York, CUNY Graduate School and University Center
61 Atlanta, Ga. Emory University, Georgia Institute of Technology, Spelman College, Morehouse College, Atlanta Metropolitan State College, Oglethorpe University, Clark Atlanta University, Georgia State University, American InterContinental University-Atlanta
62 Laramie, Wyo. University of Wyoming
63 New Haven, Conn. Yale University, Albertus Magnus College, Southern Connecticut State University
64 La Crosse, Wis. University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, Viterbo University
65 Lawrence, Kan. University of Kansas
66 Auburn, Ala. Auburn University
67 Harrisburg, Pa. Harrisburg University of Science and Technology
68 Las Cruces, N.M. New Mexico State University
69 Houghton, Mich. Michigan Technological University
70 Cookeville, Tenn. Tennessee Technological University
71 Flagstaff, Ariz. Northern Arizona University
72 San Jose, Calif. San Jose State University
73 Santa Barbara, Calif. University of California-Santa Barbara, Albertus Magnus College
74 Menomonie, Wis. University of Wisconsin-Stout
75 Boone, N.C. Appalachian State University
76 Knoxville, Tenn. The University of Tennessee-Knoxville
77 Raleigh, N.C. Meredith College, North Carolina State University at Raleigh, Shaw University
78 Storrs, Conn. University of Connecticut
79 Greenville, S.C. Furman University, Bob Jones University
80 Philadelphia, Pa. University of Pennsylvania, Temple University, Chestnut Hill College, Drexel University, Thomas Jefferson University, Saint Joseph's University, La Salle University, Holy Family University
81 Austin, Texas The University of Texas at Austin, Saint Edward's University, Huston-Tillotson University, Concordia University Texas
82 St Louis, Mo. Washington University in St Louis, Saint Louis University, Fontbonne University, Missouri Baptist University, Harris-Stowe State University, University of Missouri-St Louis, Maryville University of Saint Louis, Webster University
83 Oxford, Ohio Miami University-Oxford
84 Dillon, Mont. The University of Montana-Western
85 Ashland, Ore. Southern Oregon University
86 Buzzards Bay, Mass. Massachusetts Maritime Academy
87 Eau Claire, Wis. University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire
88 Cleveland, Ohio Notre Dame College, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland State University
89 New Paltz, N.Y. State University of New York at New Paltz
90 Pullman, Wash. Washington State University
91 Berrien Springs, Mich. Andrews University
92 Kirksville, Mo. Truman State University
93 Syracuse, N.Y. Syracuse University, Le Moyne College, SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry
94 Chicago, Ill. University of Chicago, Columbia College Chicago, Saint Augustine College, Illinois Institute of Technology, Loyola University Chicago, University of Illinois Chicago, DePaul University, Saint Xavier University, Roosevelt University, North Park University,
National Louis University, Chicago State University, Northeastern Illinois University
95 Buffalo, N.Y. Canisius College, Medaille College, D'Youville College, University at Buffalo, SUNY Buffalo State
96 Columbus, Ohio Ohio State University, Capital University, Ohio Dominican University
97 Winona, Minn. Winona State University, Saint Mary's University of Minnesota
98 Annapolis, Md. United States Naval Academy
99 Manhattan, Kan. Kansas State University
100 Cedar City, Utah Southern Utah University
101 Reno, Nev. University of Nevada-Reno
102 Starkville, Miss. Mississippi State University
103 University Center, Mich. Saginaw Valley State University
104 San Marcos, Texas Texas State University
105 Stony Brook, N.Y. Stony Brook University
106 Sacramento, Calif. California State University-Sacramento
107 Bellingham, Wash. Western Washington University
108 Bethlehem, Pa. Lehigh University, Moravian College
109 Durham, N.C. Duke University, North Carolina Central University
110 Providence, R.I. Brown University, Providence College, Rhode Island College, Johnson & Wales University-Providence
111 Bozeman, Mont. Montana State University
112 Castine, Maine Maine Maritime Academy
113 Greenville, N.C. East Carolina University
114 Grand Junction, Colo. Colorado Mesa University
115 Cheney, Wash. Eastern Washington University
116 Burlington, Vt. Champlain College, University of Vermont
117 Appleton, Wis. Lawrence University
118 Huntington, W.Va. Marshall University
119 Stevens Point, Wis. University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point
120 Denton, Texas University of North Texas, Texas Woman's University
121 Louisville, Ky. University of Louisville, Bellarmine University, Spalding University, Sullivan University
122 Long Beach, Calif. California State University-Long Beach
123 Fullerton, Calif. California State University-Fullerton, Hope International University
124 Wilmington, N.C. Platt College-Miller-Motte-Wilmington, University of North Carolina Wilmington
125 Richardson, Texas The University of Texas at Dallas
126 Pembroke, N.C. University of North Carolina at Pembroke
127 Mount Pleasant, Mich. Central Michigan University
128 Cedar Falls, Iowa University of Northern Iowa
129 Platteville, Wis. University of Wisconsin-Platteville
130 Lubbock, Texas Texas Tech University, Lubbock Christian University
131 Cortland, N.Y. SUNY Cortland
132 Newark, N.J. New Jersey Institute of Technology, Rutgers University-Newark
133 Terre Haute, Ind. Indiana State University
134 San Luis Obispo, Calif. California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo
135 Normal, Ill. Illinois State University
136 Phoenix, Ariz. Arizona State University-Downtown Phoenix, University of Phoenix-Arizona, Grand Canyon University
137 Moscow, Idaho University of Idaho
138 Hattiesburg, Miss. University of Southern Mississippi, William Carey University
139 Ellensburg, Wash. Central Washington University
140 Nashville, Tenn. Vanderbilt University, Belmont University, Lipscomb University, Tennessee State University, Trevecca Nazarene University
141 Cullowhee, N.C. Western Carolina University
142 Lewisburg, Pa. Bucknell University
143 Ruston, La. Louisiana Tech University
144 Salisbury, Md. Salisbury University
145 Hammond, La. Southeastern Louisiana University
146 River Falls, Wis. University of Wisconsin-River Falls
147 Chattanooga, Tenn. The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga
148 Arcata, Calif. Humboldt State University
149 Medford, Mass. Tufts University
150 Greensboro, N.C. Guilford College, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, North Carolina A & T State University
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Most and Least Affordable College Towns

From paying for textbooks to juggling work-study programs, affordability is a major concern for most college students.

To assess the affordability of college towns, we focused on three factors:

  • Median Student Loan Debt (-3x): Median student loan principal amount at the time of repayment (typically 6 months after full-time student status ends)
  • Net Cost (-4x): Tuition minus average scholarships, aid, and grants
  • Rent (-4x): Median monthly rent price for a one-bedroom apartment near campus

Overall, we discovered that where students live can play a major role in their day-to-day living — and how much student debt they accrue. For example, we found that:

  • Rent is cheapest is Rolla, Mo. ($450 per month) — roughly 7x less expensive than in Manhattan, N.Y. ($3,516 per month).
  • Gainesville, Fla., has the least expensive net cost ($6,302), while Lewisburg, Pa., is the priciest ($42,502).
  • Students in Cedar City, Utah, graduate with the least debt ($7,623), while those in Castine, Maine, bear the heaviest burden ($26,545).

Overall, students who live in our 30 least affordable college towns pay $845 more in rent and $12,802 more in net costs on average — and graduate with roughly $5,100 more debt.

» MORE: Reality Check: Exploring Unrealistic Undergraduate Salary Expectations

Affordability in College Towns, by the Numbers

Criteria Top 30 Bottom 30
🏦 Avg. student debt $13,306 $18,406
💰 Avg. annual net cost $12,964 $25,766
🏡 Avg. rent $777 $1,622
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30 Most Affordable College Towns

💰 What is the most affordable college town in America?
Cedar City, Utah
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Cedar City, Utah

City Rent Net Cost Median Student Loan Debt
1 Cedar City, Utah $550 $14,285 $7,623
2 Las Cruces, N.M. $695 $8,659 $10,830
3 Hammond, La. $625 $12,171 $11,000
4 Provo, Utah $895 $13,322 $8,750
5 Laramie, Wyo. $663 $12,159 $12,003
6 Ruston, La. $515 $12,084 $14,080
7 Terre Haute, Ind. $575 $13,896 $12,500
8 Kirksville, Mo. $550 $12,462 $13,986
9 Gainesville, Fla. $950 $6,302 $14,831
10 Cookeville, Tenn. $613 $15,929 $11,616
11 Huntington, W.Va. $625 $8,370 $16,741
12 Dillon, Mont. $831 $13,929 $12,000
13 Shepherdstown, W.Va. $850 $11,021 $13,886
14 Morgantown, W.Va. $634 $12,983 $14,768
15 Grand Junction, Colo. $800 $15,569 $12,000
16 Cheney, Wash. $815 $12,607 $14,000
17 River Falls, Wis. $780 $13,748 $13,789
18 Stillwater, Okla. $648 $14,648 $15,000
19 Hattiesburg, Miss. $797 $14,923 $13,808
20 Princeton, N.J. $1,623 $11,317 $9,100
21 Harrisburg, Pa. $1,013 $14,848 $12,000
22 Moscow, Idaho $525 $14,132 $16,750
23 Rolla, Mo. $450 $14,262 $17,500
24 Pembroke, N.C. $979 $10,228 $15,750
25 Oxford, Miss. $770 $14,016 $15,000
26 West Lafayette, Ind. $774 $13,986 $15,000
27 Ellensburg, Wash. $925 $15,397 $13,000
28 Chattanooga, Tenn. $1,177 $12,952 $12,500
29 Baton Rouge, La. $875 $15,465 $13,418
30 Bloomington, Ind. $800 $13,253 $15,940
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30 Least Affordable College Towns

💰 What is the least affordable college town in America?
Manhattan, N.Y.
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Manhattan, New York

City Rent Net Cost Median Student Loan Debt
1 Manhattan, N.Y. $3,516 $28,697 $16,301
2 Lewisburg, Pa. $625 $42,502 $22,269
3 Cleveland, Ohio $1,075 $35,428 $21,725
4 Syracuse, N.Y. $800 $34,482 $24,526
5 Medford, Mass. $2,000 $30,744 $15,800
6 Annapolis, Md. $1,777 $26,520 $19,461
7 San Luis Obispo, Calif. $2,375 $21,595 $17,000
8 Bethlehem, Pa. $1,345 $29,301 $20,672
9 Golden, Colo. $1,506 $26,750 $21,000
10 Notre Dame, Ind. $1,193 $33,025 $19,000
11 Santa Barbara, Calif. $3,123 $15,884 $13,000
12 Buzzards Bay, Mass. $1,600 $20,485 $22,763
13 Castine, Maine $927 $23,239 $26,545
14 New Brunswick, N.J. $1,875 $21,654 $18,750
15 West Chester, Pa. $1,688 $22,495 $19,500
16 Ithaca, N.Y. $990 $40,126 $13,500
17 Seattle, Wash. $1,751 $24,868 $16,722
18 Los Angeles, Calif. $2,085 $22,359 $15,514
19 Atlanta, Ga. $1,739 $23,716 $17,500
20 Philadelphia, Pa. $1,334 $25,986 $18,571
21 University Park, Pa. $1,095 $27,372 $19,500
22 Chicago, Ill. $1,577 $23,175 $18,069
23 Pittsburgh, Pa. $1,117 $26,421 $19,654
24 Providence, R.I. $1,498 $28,084 $15,000
25 Austin, Texas $1,609 $19,877 $18,752
26 Fairfax, Va. $1,806 $21,048 $16,231
27 La Jolla, Calif. $2,229 $14,232 $15,000
28 Nashville, Tenn. $1,485 $23,043 $15,318
29 Burlington, Vt. $1,563 $18,982 $17,055
30 Durham, N.C. $1,346 $20,876 $17,483
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Best and Worst College Towns for Quality of Life

Outside of the classroom, a great college town offers plenty of opportunities for dining, socializing, and entertainment.

We measured college towns' quality of life by how easy it is to get around, how the student body compares to the local population, and how many sports, restaurants, and entertainment options there are:

  • Walk Score (4x): Walkability near the university
  • Bike Score (3x): Bikeability near the university
  • Entertainment per 100,000 Residents (2.5x): Number of arts, entertainment, and recreation establishments per 100,000 residents
  • Restaurants per 100,000 Residents (2.5x): Number of restaurants per 100,000 residents
  • Power 5 (2x): Yes / No whether the college is in a Power 5 athletic conference (i.e. ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, Pac-12, SEC)
  • Student to Population Ratio (2x): Ratio of students to general population

Overall, the college towns in our top 30 offer more accessible transportation options. Top-rated college towns have an average walk score of 81 and an average bike score of 78 — meaning most errands can be accomplished on foot and that biking is convenient.

By contrast, our bottom-rated college towns have an average walk score of just 56 and an average bike score of 60, so students who don't have a car or access to public transportation may struggle to get around.

When it comes to activities, our top 30 college towns offer plenty to do:

  • Top-rated college towns have an average of 143 entertainment options per 100,000 residents, versus just 49 options in our bottom 30 college towns.
  • The best college towns have an average of 256 restaurants per 100,000 residents, versus just 109 in our lowest-ranking towns.
  • 20 out of our 30 best college towns have universities in a Power 5 athletic conference, compared to just three out of our bottom 30.

Finally, the best college towns have a roughly even mix of year-round residents and students (55%), compared to the relatively low ratio of students in our lowest-ranking towns (33%).

Quality of Life in College Towns, by the Numbers

30 College Towns With Best Quality of Life

Which college town has the best quality of life?
Williamsburg, Va.
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Williamsburg, Virginia

City Student to Population Ratio Walk Score Bike Score Entertainment Options per 100k Residents Restaurants per 100k Residents Power 5

1

Williamsburg, Va. 41% 62 75 413 865 -

2

Fairfax, Va. 111% 66 62 303 666 -

3

Charlottesville, Va. 36% 91 76 194 390 Yes

4

Shepherdstown, W.Va. 137% 61 29 260 728 -

5

Morgantown, W.Va. 66% 88 61 195 301 Yes

6

University Park, Pa. 178% 89 86 57 116 Yes

7

Manhattan, N.Y. 4% 99 85 297 251 -

8

West Chester, Pa. 72% 74 53 344 389 -

9

Boulder, Co. 28% 87 90 168 154 Yes

10

Oxford, Miss. 416% 32 58 57 116 Yes

11

Fredericksburg, Va. 14% 76 52 214 604 -

12

Ann Arbor, Mich. 26% 93 91 87 157 Yes

13

Berkeley, Calif. 26% 94 83 95 156 Yes

14

East Lansing, Mich. 82% 86 89 44 120 Yes

15

Minneapolis, Minn. 8% 75 86 145 196 Yes

16

Evanston, Ill. 12% 93 93 74 116 Yes

17

Champaign, Ill. 37% 80 97 59 136 Yes

18

Eugene, Ore. 11% 89 96 65 121 Yes

19

Newark, Del. 56% 79 74 136 352 -

20

Pittsburgh, Pa. 12% 76 69 124 245 Yes

21

Iowa City, Iowa 30% 88 90 44 114 Yes

22

Seattle, Wash. 5% 82 76 98 201 Yes

23

New Brunswick, N.J. 64% 97 71 23 119 Yes

24

West Lafayette, Ind. 67% 79 92 31 91 Yes

25

Pasadena, Calif. 1% 83 93 233 157 -

26

Golden, Colo. 25% 76 69 206 324 -

27

Princeton, N.J. 17% 83 87 181 194 -

28

Lexington, Ky. 7% 87 88 52 87 Yes

29

Columbia, Mo. 18% 89 77 62 103 Yes

30

Stanford, Calif. 43% 69 99 18 116 Yes
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30 College Towns With Worst Quality of Life

Which college town has the worst quality of life?
Long Beach, Calif.
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Long Beach, California

City Student to Population Ratio Walk Score Bike Score Entertainment Options per 100k Residents Restaurants per 100k Residents Power 5
1 Long Beach, Calif. 7% 32 71 37 77 -
2 Fullerton, Calif. 25% 45 56 29 92 -
3 Ruston, La. 37% 49 42 55 128 -
4 Kirksville, Mo. 25% 33 72 40 108 -
5 Stony Brook, N.Y. 143% 27 38 72 145 -
6 Medford, Mass. 10% 75 51 28 66 -
7 Richardson, Texas 17% 36 79 54 132 -
8 Provo, Utah 27% 55 71 56 37 -
9 Cedar City, Utah 21% 54 65 64 91 -
10 Cedar Falls, Iowa 22% 53 63 57 122 -
11 Sacramento, Calif. 6% 43 86 40 130 -
12 Greensboro, N.C. 9% 70 59 46 97 -
13 Salisbury, Md. 23% 64 52 48 151 -
14 Durham, N.C. 4% 50.5 43.5 43 88 Yes
15 Denton, Texas 22% 66 73 21 75 -
16 Pullman, Wash. 75% 42 37 26 84 Yes
17 Normal, Ill. 33% 68 69 28 59 -
18 Moscow, Idaho 28% 64 63 54 96 -
19 Storrs, Conn. 121% 48 47 57 116 -
20 Las Cruces, N.M. 11% 64 78 30 86 -
21 Bethlehem, Pa. 7% 83 40 54 151 -
22 Cullowhee, N.C. 161% 40 49 47 116 -
23 River Falls, Wis. 33% 70 58 67 80 -
24 Hammond, La. 52% 41 50 84 267 -
25 Lubbock, Texas 12% 47 59 35 72 Yes
26 Cortland, N.Y. 34% 64 42 130 141 -
27 Newark, N.J. 6% 91 62 9 67 -
28 Buffalo, N.Y. 11% 51 63 90 205 -
29 New Haven, Conn. 11% 66 76 35 112 -
30 Philadelphia, Pa. 4% 77 72 31 78 -
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Best and Worst College Towns by School Quality

It's important for college towns to provide the right ambience — but at the end of the day, students are drawn to college towns where they'll get a great education.

We considered six factors to evaluate the average school quality in each college town:

  • Retention Rate (2.5x): The proportion of full-time, first-time, degree/certificate-seeking undergraduates who were enrolled at the institution in the fall one year after enrollment
  • Median Pay After Ten Years (2x): Students' median salary after ten years
  • Graduation Rate (2x): Percent of students who graduate within 150% of the estimated time to complete the program
  • Median Number of Undergrads (1.5x): Enrollment of undergraduate certificate/degree-seeking students
  • Spending per Student (1.5x): University spending on instruction per full-time degree-seeking student
  • Admission Rate (-1x): Proportion of applicants accepted for admission

In college towns that are home to multiple colleges and universities, we found an average across all schools.

Overall, large schools that invest in their students support better college towns. We found that:

  • On average, our top 30 college towns have larger student bodies — averaging 25,642 students, compared to the average 8,639 students in our worst-ranked college towns.
  • Students who live in our top 30 college towns are less likely to drop out or transfer (94.2% average retention rate in the best college towns versus 73.6% in the worst) and more likely to graduate on time (87.6% average graduation rate in the best college towns versus 51.3% in the worst).

On average, universities in our top 30 college towns invest $23,119 more in each student annually — and ten years later, graduates' median annual salaries are $28,257 higher.

However, it's also important to acknowledge that college towns in our bottom 30 are more accessible to more students, with an average admission rate of 80.9%, roughly double the average 42.1% admission rate in our top 30 college towns.

Education in College Towns, by the Numbers

Criteria Top 30 Bottom 30
✍️ Avg. number of students 25,642 8,639
🎓 Avg. graduation rate 87.6% 51.3%
📈 Avg. retention rate 94.2% 73.6%
✅ Avg. admission rate 42.1% 80.9%
💵 Avg. salary after ten years $68,324 $40,067
💰 Annual spending per student $31,416 $8,297
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30 Best College Towns by School Quality

🎓Which college town has the best-quality school?
Stanford, Calif.
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Stanford, California

City Median No. Students Graduation Rate Retention Rate Median Pay After 10 Yrs. Admission Rate Spending per Student
1 Stanford, Calif. 6,994 94.3% 98.8% $94,000 43.4% $113,338
2 Pasadena, Calif. 938 93.6% 98.3% $85,900 64.2% $105,185
3 Cambridge, Mass. 12,063 96.3% 98.3% $97,200 56.7% $63,514
4 Los Angeles, Calif. 80,826 78.6% 90.7% $60,525 28.8% $33,346
5 Princeton, N.J. 5,308 97.9% 97.7% $74,700 57.8% $60,048
6 Ithaca, N.Y. 14,976 94.5% 97.5% $77,200 10.9% $29,893
7 Notre Dame, Ind. 8,689 95.9% 97.8% $78,400 15.8% $32,634
8 Ann Arbor, Mich. 31,046 93.3% 96.9% $63,400 22.9% $25,972
9 Berkeley, Calif. 31,345 92.6% 96.9% $64,700 16.3% $19,585
10 Medford, Mass. 5,828 94.3% 96.1% $75,800 15.0% $25,888
11 Bethlehem, Pa. 5,164 89.8% 93.5% $81,900 32.1% $24,995
12 Cleveland, Ohio 5,269 84.4% 93.3% $74,600 27.4% $31,082
13 Evanston, Ill. 8,530 93.8% 98.2% $69,000 90.5% $41,227
14 Charlottesville, Va. 16,723 94.7% 97.3% $61,200 23.9% $20,721
15 Chapel Hill, N.C. 19,014 90.6% 96.4% $55,600 22.6% $27,786
16 La Jolla, Calif. 30,789 87.4% 93.4% $59,900 31.5% $20,821
17 Manhattan, N.Y. 61,729 70.1% 86.9% $56,286 49.7% $27,566
18 Gainesville, Fla. 34,523 88.3% 96.6% $56,000 36.6% $16,395
19 Davis, Calif. 30,962 86.7% 92.4% $58,200 38.9% $23,607
20 Philadelphia, Pa. 68,151 73.5% 84.5% $65,114 71.8% $20,405
21 College Station, Texas 53,119 81.7% 93.2% $58,000 57.8% $15,424
22 College Park, Md. 29,905 87.0% 95.0% $62,900 44.2% $14,992
23 Lewisburg, Pa. 3,608 90.0% 92.4% $70,800 34.2% $23,205
24 Golden, Colo. 5,103 82.9% 91.9% $84,900 53.1% $17,269
25 Lexington, Va. 3,541 86.9% 90.3% $70,900 39.1% $26,465
26 University Park, Pa. 74,630 70.9% 87.8% $50,100 75.9% $22,330
27 Madison, Wis. 31,185 87.6% 95.3% $56,200 54.4% $16,766
28 San Luis Obispo, Calif. 20,453 82.0% 94.1% $66,900 28.4% $10,471
29 Champaign, Ill. 33,080 85.1% 92.9% $61,500 59.0% $14,527
30 New Brunswick, N.J. 35,760 83.8% 92.8% $57,900 61.2% $17,030
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30 Worst College Towns by School Quality

🎓Which college town has the worst-quality school?
Terre Haute, Ind.
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Terre Haute, Indiana

City Median No. Students Grad. Rate Retention Rate Median Pay After 10 Yrs. Admission Rate Spending per Student
1 Terre Haute, Ind. 9,603 41.3% 65.2% $39,000 89.6% $7,911
2 Harrisburg, Pa. 682 30.8% 71.0% $43,200 79.0% $5,973
3 Hammond, La. 11,061 39.4% 68.2% $37,200 90.2% $6,078
4 Pembroke, N.C. 6,270 41.1% 71.6% $34,400 84.9% $6,815
5 Hattiesburg, Miss. 11,521 49.0% 67.8% $36,400 96.9% $6,947
6 Shepherdstown, W.Va. 2,631 48.6% 70.6% $39,700 96.3% $7,686
7 Grand Junction, Colo. 8,260 33.7% 74.3% $36,800 78.2% $8,096
8 Ashland, Ore. 3,787 45.8% 69.9% $39,000 78.2% $8,360
9 Huntington, W.Va. 7,750 48.6% 72.6% $35,600 86.9% $9,501
10 Arcata, Calif. 6,559 49.0% 75.1% $36,600 92.2% $8,911
11 Dillon, Mont. 1,256 48.6% 75.7% $30,400 56.5% $7,365
12 Chattanooga, Tenn. 10,185 48.5% 71.3% $38,100 82.1% $8,677
13 Cheney, Wash. 9,829 53.5% 70.2% $43,100 95.7% $7,980
14 University Center, Mich. 7,209 44.1% 74.1% $39,300 73.1% $7,664
15 Cedar City, Utah 7,534 50.1% 73.6% $39,800 78.4% $6,696
16 River Falls, Wis. 5,399 57.8% 73.8% $40,900 78.9% $7,125
17 Stevens Point, Wis. 7,349 60.2% 75.0% $40,200 84.5% $6,725
18 Menomonie, Wis. 7,179 60.0% 72.0% $45,100 90.5% $8,307
19 Ellensburg, Wash. 10,946 57.6% 70.8% $46,500 84.9% $9,540
20 Cookeville, Tenn. 8,743 54.4% 77.0% $40,500 79.0% $8,942
21 Las Cruces, N.M. 11,153 48.2% 74.8% $34,600 54.6% $13,205
22 Platteville, Wis. 7,222 55.9% 78.8% $47,300 84.8% $5,192
23 Bozeman, Mont. 14,402 56.8% 76.5% $43,200 81.9% $8,032
24 Moscow, Idaho 7,227 56.1% 77.3% $41,900 77.8% $13,461
25 Cullowhee, N.C. 10,292 62.5% 78.2% $37,700 68.7% $7,446
26 Winona, Minn. 6,800 59.2% 76.5% $44,700 67.9% $8,324
27 Mount Pleasant, Mich. 14,409 61.1% 74.1% $41,900 69.5% $8,990
28 Ruston, La. 8,141 59.8% 79.6% $41,500 64.1% $5,823
29 Flagstaff, Ariz. 26,135 56.6% 77.6% $40,100 84.9% $6,904
30 Laramie, Wyo. 9,646 59.8% 75.9% $47,300 96.0% $16,241
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Methodology

We used data from the Department of Education to create our list of college towns. To qualify, a college town had to have a four-year, degree-granting institution where the majority of students are considered full-time and the majority of degrees awarded are Bachelor-level or higher.

Data for the ranking metrics were sourced from Zumper (rent costs), ApartmentList (rent costs), Walk Score (walkability and bikeability), the U.S. Census (population estimates, number of establishments), and the U.S. Department of Education (all other data points).

The data were categorized into three metrics: affordability, quality of the college(s), and quality of life in the college town.

Affordability measured living expenses and college affordability, with negatively weighted metrics to reflect less affordable towns.

  • Median Student Loan Debt (-3x): The median student loan principal amount at the time of repayment (typically ~6 months after full-time student status ends). Missing data were replaced by the median value for schools fitting the same Carnegie Undergraduate Profile Designation.
  • Rent (-4x): The median monthly cost of rent for a one-bedroom apartment near campus. If rent data were not available near the college, we used the median cost of a one-bedroom apartment in the town. In very rare cases where those data were not available, rent was considered the median cost of a one-bedroom apartment in the state. The rent cost was averaged across all colleges in the town.
  • Net Cost (-4): The net cost of attendance was calculated as the average tuition and fees minus scholarships, aids, and grants across the student body, averaged across each college in the town. Missing data were replaced by the median value for schools fitting the same Carnegie Undergraduate Profile Designation.

Education quality considered the total number of students, exclusivity, retention and graduation rates, graduates' salaries, and resources allotted to instruction at the college.

  • Retention Rate (2.5x): The proportion of full-time, first-time, degree/certificate-seeking undergraduates still enrolled in the fall one year after starting at the institution, averaged across all colleges in the town. Missing data were replaced by the median value for schools fitting the same Carnegie Undergraduate Profile Designation.
  • Graduation Rate (2x): Percent of students who graduate within 150% of the estimated time to complete their program (e.g., 6 years for a typical 4-year degree program), averaged across all colleges in the town. Missing data were replaced by the median value for schools fitting the same Carnegie Undergraduate Profile Designation.
  • Median Pay (2x): Median earnings of students who are working and not enrolled at the college ten years after first enrollment, averaged across all colleges in the town. Missing data were replaced by the median value across all colleges.
  • Number of Undergraduate Students (1.5x): Enrollment of undergraduate certificate/degree-seeking students, totaled across all colleges in the town.
  • Instructional Expenditures per Student (1.5x): University spending on instruction per full-time, degree-seeking student, averaged across all colleges in the town.
  • Admission Rate (-1x): Proportion of applicants accepted for admission, averaged across all colleges in the town. Missing data were replaced by the median value for schools fitting the same Carnegie Undergraduate Profile Designation.

We also considered social and quality of life factors in college towns and surrounding areas.

  • Walk score (4x): Walkability near the college, averaged across all colleges.
  • Bike score (3x): Bikeability near the college, averaged across all colleges.
  • Entertainment establishments (2.5x): Number of arts, entertainment, and recreation establishments per 100,000 residents. Missing data were replaced by the median number of establishments across all towns.
  • Restaurants (2.5x): Number of restaurants per 100,000 residents. Missing data were replaced by the median number of establishments across all towns.
  • Power 5 Designation (2x): Binary (yes / no) designating whether at least one college in the town is in one of the Power 5 Conferences (ACC, Big 12, Big Ten, Pac-12, SEC).
  • Student-to-Population Ratio (2x): Ratio of students enrolled in all colleges in the town to the general population.

Each of the above metrics was calculated across all colleges for a single town (by averaging or summing across the colleges). The data were then standardized using z-scores and multiplied by their respective weight. The weighted score for each metric was summed to create a weighted score for each of the categories (affordability, quality of college, and quality of life) and each of those was summed to create a total score for the overall ranking.

Article Sources

[1] Boston Globe – "Slowly going back to normality: College students return to campus in Boston". Updated September 1, 2021. Accessed September 16, 2021.
[2] New York Times – "Young People Have Less Covid-19 Risk, but in College Towns, Deaths Rose Fast". Updated March 2, 2021. Accessed September 16, 2021.
[3] Time – "The 6 Factors That Will Determine the Severity of the COVID-19 Surge in the U.S. This Fall". Updated July 26, 2021. Accessed September 16, 2021.
[4] Berkeley Economic Review – "COVID-19 and College Towns". Updated November 18, 2020. Accessed September 16, 2021.

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FAQs

What are the best college towns in America?

Overall, Stanford, Calif., is the best college town in America — as well as the best for school quality. Williamsburg, Va., has the best quality of life, while Cedar City, Utah, is the most affordable college town. Read our full rankings.

What are the worst college towns in America? 

Overall, Greensboro, N.C., ranked last among America's top 150 college towns. Additionally, Manhattan, N.Y., is the least affordable college town; Terre Haute, Ind., ranks last for school quality, and Long Beach, Calif., came last for quality of life.
Read our full rankings.

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