The best college towns in America to live in
Dec. 23, 2020
Looking for small-town charm with big-city amenities? Live in a college town. College towns are communities where the influence of local colleges and universities on the economy and culture is pervasive.
College towns are widely considered to be great places to live and retire. They are often idyllic places with a young, diverse and highly-educated population. It is not surprising that one of the most popular Google searches is: “the best college towns for retirement.”
Apart from being hubs of education and innovation, college towns tend to have robust economies, low crime rates, gorgeous architecture, and vibrant food, arts and cultural scenes.
Using our livability metrics, we have identified 30 college towns you should consider living in. To make the initial cut, college towns had to have more than 50,000 residents and at least 1 in 5 residents enrolled in college.
The places listed below ranked the highest overall in bike, walk, commute and public transit-friendliness, affordability, public safety, and access to airports, hospitals, great schools and colleges.
30. College Station, Texas
- Resident population: 110,782
- Share of residents enrolled in college: 42%
- Number of colleges in town: 1
College Station is home to Texas A&M University-College Station, the flagship institution of the Texas A&M University system. The city owes its name to the University's location along the railroad now known as the Union Pacific.
29. Columbia, Missouri
- Resident population: 120,248
- Share of residents enrolled in college: 26%
- Number of colleges in town: 3
The Midwestern college town of Columbia is a hub of higher education and liberal politics in the heart of Missouri. Stephens College, Columbia College, and University of Missouri-Columbia are all minutes from downtown.
28. Normal, Illinois
- Resident population: 54,808
- Share of residents enrolled in college: 30%
- Number of colleges in town: 2
Normal, located within two hours of Chicago, St. Louis and Indianapolis, is home to the State of Illinois' oldest public university, Illinois State University.
27. Lawrence, Kansas
- Resident population: 95,294
- Share of residents enrolled in college: 25%
- Number of colleges in town: 2
Founded by abolitionists in 1854, Lawrence is home to University of Kansas and Haskell Indian Nations University. This college town is a hub for culture and innovation, and also has renowned museums and a vibrant art scene.
26. Chico, California
- Resident population: 91,998
- Share of residents enrolled in college: 21%
- Number of colleges in town: 1
Chico is home to California State University-Chico, better known as "Chico State." In Downtown Chico, you'll find street festivals, live music, and an eclectic art scene year-round.
25. Santa Cruz, California
- Resident population: 64,273
- Share of residents enrolled in college: 32%
- Number of colleges in town: 1
Santa Cruz is known for its temperate Mediterranean climate and redwood forests overlooking the Pacific Ocean. The city is home to University of California-Santa Cruz, one of 10 campuses in the University of California system.
24. New Brunswick, New Jersey
- Resident population: 56,084
- Share of residents enrolled in college: 26%
- Number of colleges in town: 2
New Brunswick is best known as the home of Rutgers University-New Brunswick. The city—a quick train ride to Times Square by Amtrak or the New Jersey Transit—offers both big-city amenities and small-town charm.
23. Berkeley, California
- Resident population: 120,926
- Share of residents enrolled in college: 29%
- Number of colleges in town: 11
Berkeley is home to the University of California-Berkeley, the oldest campus in the University of California system. The Graduate Theological Union, one of the largest religious studies institutions in the world also calls Berkeley home.
22. Lynchburg, Virginia
- Resident population: 80,131
- Share of residents enrolled in college: 23%
- Number of colleges in town: 5
Lynchburg is home to several institutions of higher learning including: Virginia University of Lynchburg, Randolph College, University of Lynchburg, and Liberty University.
21. Tempe, Arizona
- Resident population: 183,652
- Share of residents enrolled in college: 24%
- Number of colleges in town: 2
Tempe is home to the main campus of Arizona State University-Tempe, one of the country’s largest public research universities. Tempe Butte is a popular place to hike.
20. Athens, Georgia
- Resident population: 123,310
- Share of residents enrolled in college: 27%
- Number of colleges in town: 1
Athens, home to University of Georgia, is a city with a ubiquitous college town culture. Chartered in 1785, the university is one of the top public research universities in the country.
19. Cambridge, Massachusetts
- Resident population: 115,665
- Share of residents enrolled in college: 26%
- Number of colleges in town: 4
Cambridge, is a hub of education, cutting-edge research, and politics. It is well-known as the home of both Harvard University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
18. Manhattan, Kansas
- Resident population: 55,489
- Share of residents enrolled in college: 36%
- Number of colleges in town: 3
Known as the Little Apple, Manhattan is the home of Kansas State University, Manhattan Area Technical College, and Manhattan Christian College. The city is located in the scenic Flint Hills of Kansas.
17. Harrisonburg, Virginia
- Resident population: 53,391
- Share of residents enrolled in college: 32%
- Number of colleges in town: 2
Located in the breathtaking Shenandoah Valley, Harrisonburg is home to James Madison University and Eastern Mennonite University. The town is known for great outdoor recreation.
16. Flagstaff, Arizona
- Resident population: 71,202
- Share of residents enrolled in college: 32%
- Number of colleges in town: 3
Flagstaff is the place where Pluto was discovered. Astronauts trained here before they first visited the moon. The town is also home to Northern Arizona University, Coconino Community College, and CollegeAmerica-Flagstaff.
15. Bellingham, Washington
- Resident population: 87,071
- Share of residents enrolled in college: 20%
- Number of colleges in town: 2
Bellingham is home to Western Washington University and Whatcom Community College.
14. Kalamazoo, Michigan
- Resident population: 76,040
- Share of residents enrolled in college: 25%
- Number of colleges in town: 3
Kalamazoo has been the home of the USTA Boys' 16 and 18 National Championships for the last 60 years. Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo College, Western Michigan University Homer Stryker MD School of Medicine are all located here.
13. Chapel Hill, North Carolina
- Resident population: 59,561
- Share of residents enrolled in college: 35%
- Number of colleges in town: 1
The quaint but modern town of Chapel Hill is home to University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the country's first public university.
12. Boulder, Colorado
- Resident population: 107,360
- Share of residents enrolled in college: 29%
- Number of colleges in town: 2
Boulder, located in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, is home to University of Colorado Boulder and Naropa University.
11. Muncie, Indiana
- Resident population: 69,164
- Share of residents enrolled in college: 24%
- Number of colleges in town: 1
Muncie developed as an industrial center after the gas boom of the 1880s. It is home to Ball State University.
10. La Crosse, Wisconsin
- Resident population: 51,866
- Share of residents enrolled in college: 24%
- Number of colleges in town: 2
Set on the Mississippi River in western Wisconsin, La Crosse is a beautiful waterside city. It is home to the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse and Viterbo University.
9. Logan, Utah
- Resident population: 50,478
- Share of residents enrolled in college: 27%
- Number of colleges in town: 1
Logan is home to Utah State University.
8. Ann Arbor, Michigan
- Resident population: 120,641
- Share of residents enrolled in college: 35%
- Number of colleges in town: 2
Ann Arbor is a bustling college town, foodie hotspot, and technology hub. Ann Arbor is home to the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor and Concordia University-Ann Arbor.
7. Gainesville, Florida
- Resident population: 130,790
- Share of residents enrolled in college: 35%
- Number of colleges in town: 3
Gainesville is home to Florida's largest and oldest university, the University of Florida. The city is one of the state's centers of higher education and collegiate athletics.
6. Provo, Utah
- Resident population: 116,146
- Share of residents enrolled in college: 34%
- Number of colleges in town: 1
Provo is home to Brigham Young University-Provo, a private university run by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The city is a major technology hub and home to several billion-dollar startups.
5. Corvallis, Oregon
- Resident population: 57,213
- Share of residents enrolled in college: 33%
- Number of colleges in town: 1
Corvallis is minutes away from world-class skiing and the spectacular Oregon coast. Oregon State University calls Corvallis home.
4. Iowa City, Iowa
- Resident population: 74,566
- Share of residents enrolled in college: 34%
- Number of colleges in town: 1
Iowa City, a destination for renowned artists and pioneering scientists, is considered one of the best places to live in the country. Iowa City is home to the University of Iowa, the oldest university in the state.
3. Champaign, Illinois
- Resident population: 86,791
- Share of residents enrolled in college: 30%
- Number of colleges in town: 2
Champaign shares the campus of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign with the city of Urbana. You will find Fortune 500 companies like Caterpillar, John Deere, Dow Chemical Company and IBM here.
2. Ames, Iowa
- Resident population: 65,937
- Share of residents enrolled in college: 45%
- Number of colleges in town: 1
Ames is a charming small town in Iowa. It is best known as the home of Iowa State University, one of the country's leading research institutions in the fields of agriculture, engineering and veterinary medicine.
1. Bloomington, Indiana
- Resident population: 84,058
- Share of residents enrolled in college: 43%
- Number of colleges in town: 1
This scenic Southern Indiana city is home to tens of thousands of students at Indiana University-Bloomington, one of America's leading research universities. Bloomington is one of the most bike-friendly cities in the country.