The town or city where a post-secondary school is located may be just as important to a high school graduate’s academic career as his or her choice of a college or university, according to WalletHub, a personal finance website.
Most families want their scholar to get a good education at an affordable cost, and the choice of a college town is usually critical to achieving those financial goals, particularly with student living expenses climbing as high as $27,200 for a 12-month period. Stimulating cultural attractions can enrich a student’s post-secondary educational experience, and low rents can make it a less costly one. That’s why students should look for a college or university with the best supporting town or city to get the most bang for their buck, WalletHub says.
To find the best college town or city, a prospective undergraduate should take a campus visit, which usually includes a tour of the surrounding municipality. But sometimes a campus visit isn’t enough to assess a college town’s potential to nurture a student’s personal and academic growth.
To help students further narrow their school choices, WalletHub compared 415 U.S. cities of varying sizes across the three key dimensions—wallet friendliness; social environment; and academic and economic opportunities—using 31 relevant metrics of academic, social and economic opportunities for students such as cost of living, quality of higher education and crime rate.
WalletHub then graded each metric on a 100-point scale, with 100 representing the most favorable conditions for college students, and used the weighted scores to rank each college town and city used in its sample.
Here, in ascending order, are WalletHub’s top 10 best college towns and cities.
10. Provo, Utah
Find your passion—from paleontology to printing—at any one of Brigham Young University’s many museums, then hike Y Mountain's scenic trails for panoramic views of the city. Provo ranked 121st in academic and economic opportunities, 112th in social environment and 10th in wallet friendliness. Total Score: 59.75
9. Salt Lake City, Utah
Whether you’re a budding botanist or biologist, Salt Lake City offers zoos, aquariums and gardens galore where you can study its flora and fauna. The city ranks 136th in wallet friendliness, 105th in academic and economic opportunities, and 43rd in social environment. Total Score: 59.93
8. Las Vegas, Nevada
History comes to life in Sin City’s “Titanic: The Artifact Exhibit at the Luxor,” on the Las Vegas Strip. The city is tied for first with most nightlife options per capita. Las Vegas ranks 249th in academic and economic opportunities, 94th in wallet friendliness and fourth in social environment. Total Score: 60.03
7. San Diego, California
Known as the Smithsonian of the West, San Diego’s Balboa Park is host to 17 museums and performing arts venues. The city ranks 85th in academic and economic opportunities, as well as first in social environment. But it's 341st in wallet friendliness. Total Score: 60.2
6. Seattle, Washington
Load up on caffeine while scrolling through lecture notes in any one of this West Coast coffee capitol's numerous espresso bars. Seattle ties for first with the most nightlife options per capita. The city ranks 24th in academic and economic opportunities, and is seventh in social environment. But it's just 376th in wallet friendliness. Total Score: 60.55
5. Ann Arbor, Michigan
When you need a break from studies, spend some time at Ann Arbor’s Pointless Brewery & Improv Theater for hearty laughs over craft beer. The city ranks 49th in social environment and 25th in academic and economic opportunities, but 245th in wallet friendliness. Total Score: 62.64
4. Tampa, Florida
If you aspire to be a professional journalist or a commercial artist, stop by the Florida Museum of Photographic Arts in Tampa to be inspired. Tampa ranks fifth in social environment, but 103rd in academic and economic opportunities and 179th in wallet friendliness. Total Score: 63.02
3. Scottsdale, Arizona
The free Scottsdale Trolley explores Historic Old Town’s Arts or Entertainment District after dark. Scottsdale ranks second in academic and economic opportunities and 42nd in social environment, but just 309th in wallet friendliness. Total Score: 63.13
2. Orlando, Florida
If you dream of becoming a herpetologist, take an airboat tour of nearby Lake Tohopekaliga to meet and greet its gators. Orlando ranks third in social environment, 73rd in wallet friendliness and 91st in academic and economic opportunities. Total Score: 65.67
1. Austin, Texas
When you need a break after cramming hours for midterms, Esther’s Follies on Sixth Street is your go-to remedy for an evening of comedy, music and magic. Austin ranks second in social environment, 54th in academic and economic opportunities, and 196th in wallet friendliness. Total Score: 66.49
