30 Best College Towns in America

Wisconsin’s capital city is also home to the University of Wisconsin, the largest postsecondary institution in the state. All told, there are nearly 50,000 college and graduate students living in Madison.

The vast majority of the 17,551 college and graduate students living in Bellingham, Washington, are enrolled at Western Washington University, a public university with over 15,000 undergraduates.

Fort Collins, Colorado, is home to several postsecondary institutions, including Front Range Community College and Colorado State University. As is often the case in college towns, Fort Collins is a young city. The typical resident is just 29 years old, nine years younger than the median age of nearly 38 nationwide.

More than one in every five residents of Chico, California, are enrolled in college or graduate school. The city is home to California State University, Chico, and its more than 16,000 undergraduate students.

Tuscaloosa is home to the University of Alabama, one of the largest schools in the United States. As is often the case in college towns, Tuscaloosa is a young city. The typical resident is just 28.6 years old, nine years younger than the median age of 37.8 nationwide.

The University of Oklahoma — a public research university with undergraduate enrollment of nearly 22,000 — is located in the city of Norman. College towns tend to have highly-educated adult populations, and Norman is no exception. Over 42% of area residents 25 and over have a bachelor’s degree, compared to 30.9% of adults nationwide.

Denton is a city in the Dallas-Fort Worth metro area. Nearly 29,000 the city’s residents are enrolled in college or graduate school. The city is home to the University of North Texas.

Of the more than 79,000 people living in Lynchburg, 22.2% are college students. The city is home to Liberty University and University of Lynchburg, two private Christian institutions.

Muncie, Indiana, is home to two postsecondary institutions, Ball State University and Ivy Tech Community College. Of the city’s 69,000 residents, 23.4% are enrolled in college or graduate school.

Home to a number of higher education institutions, including Arizona State University and Rio Salado College, Tempe, Arizona, has one of the largest student population in the United States, Over 42,330 Tempe residents are enrolled in college or school.

Nearly one in every four residents of Kalamazoo, Michigan are enrolled in college or graduate school. The city is home to half a dozen schools, including Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo College, and Kalamazoo Valley Community College.

Home to four postsecondary institutions — including the University of Kansas, the largest university in the state — Lawrence, Kansas, ranks among the top 20 college towns in the United States. College towns tend to have highly-educated adult populations, and Lawrence is no exception. Over half of area residents 25 and over hold a bachelor’s degree, compared to 30.9% of adults nationwide.

Fayetteville, Arkansas, boasts three postsecondary education institutions, including the University of Arkansas, and 26% of area residents are enrolled in undergraduate or postgraduate degree programs. College towns often have a larger than typical range of options related to culture and entertainment — and in Fayetteville, there are 366 bars and restaurants for every 100,000 people, a far greater concentration than the national concentration of 186 per 100,000.

Columbia, Missouri is home to the University of Missouri – Columbia, commonly known as Mizzou, the state’s flagship university. Columbia has seven colleges in the area, and ranks among the top college towns in the country. Of the city’s 118,600 residents, 26.1% are enrolled in college or graduate school.

Cambridge, Massachusetts, located across the Charles River from Boston, is home to some of the most competitive universities in the country, including MIT and Harvard University. Areas home to large student populations often also have well-educated adult populations. In Cambridge, more than 75% residents 25 and over hold a bachelor’s degree, compared to just 30.9% of adults nationwide.

Athens, Georgia, is home to the largest university in the state, the University of Georgia. Nearly 33,000 city residents, or over one-quarter of the total population, are enrolled in college or graduate school.

Florida’s capital city is also one of only two cities in the state to rank among America’s best college towns. The city is home to nine postsecondary education institutions, including Florida A&M, Tallahassee Community College, and Florida State University, one of the largest universities in the country.

Boulder, Colorado, is home to the University of Colorado — Boulder, a public research institution and one of the largest universities in the United States. The university helps support the city’s strong job market. Just 2.7% of Boulder’s workforce was unemployed in 2018, a far smaller share than the 3.9% national unemployment rate.

Nearly 29% of the 90,300 people living in Greenville, North Carolina, are enrolled in a graduate or undergraduate degree program. The small city boasts four higher education institutions, including East Carolina University and Pitt Community College.

Nearly 35,000 of Berkeley, California’s 120,200 residents are enrolled in college or graduate degree programs. The city is home to a dozen higher education institutions, including the University of California, Berkeley — the oldest and most selective school in the UC system.

The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is one of the largest universities in the United States — and its home city of Champaign, Illinois, ranks among the best college towns as a result. Champaign is one of only 10 U.S. cities with populations of at least 65,000 residents where over 30% of the population is enrolled in college or graduate school.

Thanks in large part to the presence of Northern Arizona University, 32% of Flagstaff, Arizona, residents are college and graduate students. Towns where a college or university is a defining feature tend to be relatively young areas. In Flagstaff, the typical resident is only 25.1 years old, about 13 years younger than the median age of 37.8 nationwide.

Nearly one in every three residents of Provo, Utah, are enrolled in college or graduate school, the largest share of any city in the state and eighth largest nationwide. The city is home to Brigham Young University, a school operated by the Mormon Church and one of the largest private universities in the country.

Iowa City — home to the University of Iowa — is one of only seven U.S. cities with at least 65,000 residents where over a third of the population is enrolled in college or graduate school. A young city, the typical Iowa City resident is only 25.8 years old, 12 years younger than the median age of 37.8 nationwide.

Ann Arbor is home to the University of Michigan, one of the largest universities in the United States. The university helps support the city’s strong job market. Just 2.5% of Ann Arbor’s workforce was unemployed in 2018, a far smaller share than the 3.9% national unemployment rate.

The University of Florida, one of the largest higher education institutions in the country, is located in Gainesville, Florida. As is often the case in college towns, Gaineville has a young population. The typical resident is just 26 years old, about 12 years younger than the median age of 37.8 nationwide.

The culture and economy of Davis, California, are heavily influenced by the University of California, Davis. The school is also a major employer in the area, and partially as a result, Davis has an unemployment rate of just 2.7%, well below 3.9% national unemployment rate.

College Station, Texas, is one of only three U.S. cities home to at least 65,000 people where over 40% of the population is enrolled in college. The city is dominated by Texas A&M University, nearly the largest higher educational institution by enrollment in the United States.

The University of Indiana, Bloomington is one of the largest schools in the United States. Like many college towns, Bloomington has a young population. The typical resident is less than 24 years old, about 14 years younger than the median age of 37.8 nationwide.

Ames, Iowa, is the only U.S. city with a population of at least 65,000 where more than 45% of residents are enrolled in college or graduate school. The city is home to Iowa State University, one of the largest schools in the country. The school is a major employer in the area, and partially as a result, the unemployment rate in Ames is just 1.5%, less than half the 3.9% national unemployment rate.