College towns

Small towns where college students are a big share of the town and a four-year college is in town. The book likes them for concerts, games and good food all year, and a big employer that rarely closes.

How we picked

15% or more of residents enrolled in college (Census survey, 2020-2024)
A four-year public or nonprofit college in or next to town
Not a suburb
Ranked by the share of residents in college

#	Town	College	Students	People	Typical home
1	St. Leo, FL	Saint Leo University	92%	2,468
2	Loretto, PA	Saint Francis University	83%	1,135	$204,300
3	Alfred, NY	Alfred University	80%	5,147	$170,800
4	West Liberty, WV	West Liberty University	78%	1,429	$151,900
5	Gambier, OH	Kenyon College	76%	2,233	$309,400
6	Hamilton, NY	Colgate University	73%	4,078	$264,200
7	Cedarville, OH	Cedarville University	70%	4,667	$200,800
8	State College, PA	Pennsylvania State University	66%	40,844	$437,800
9	Prairie View, TX	Prairie View A & M University	66%	8,969	$167,600
10	Boone, NC	Appalachian State University	66%	19,929	$411,100
11	Shepherdstown, WV	Shepherd University	62%	1,522	$485,200
12	Oxford, OH	Miami University-Oxford	61%	22,387	$238,000
13	Waleska, GA	Reinhardt University	61%	1,042
14	Hiram, OH	Hiram College	61%	1,000	$223,400
15	Houghton, MI	Michigan Technological University	60%	8,560	$254,500
16	Amherst, MA	University of Massachusetts-Amherst	60%	40,920	$484,900
17	Morrisville, NY	SUNY Morrisville	59%	1,795	$171,900
18	New Paltz, NY	State University of New York at New Paltz	58%	8,689	$414,500
19	Langston, OK	Langston University	58%	1,787	$206,600
20	Geneseo, NY	SUNY College at Geneseo	58%	7,759	$226,200
21	Potsdam, NY	SUNY College at Potsdam	57%	8,019	$146,400
22	Athens, OH	Ohio University-Main Campus	57%	25,313	$247,000
23	Mansfield, CT	University of Connecticut	57%	29,062	$335,400
24	Due West, SC	Erskine College	56%	1,299	$185,000
25	Blacksburg, VA	Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University	56%	45,104	$446,300
26	Dahlonega, GA	University of North Georgia	55%	7,918	$531,100
27	Durham, NH	University of New Hampshire-Main Campus	55%	15,346	$504,300
28	Banner Elk, NC	Lees-McRae College	54%	1,242	$458,100
29	Rexburg, ID	Brigham Young University-Idaho	54%	40,334	$395,100
30	Ithaca, NY	Cornell University	52%	33,632	$342,700
31	Canton, NY	St Lawrence University	51%	6,894	$183,800
32	New Wilmington, PA	Westminster College	51%	2,084	$209,800
33	Morehead, KY	Morehead State University	50%	6,776	$184,900
34	Ada, OH	Ohio Northern University	50%	4,985	$160,500
35	Delhi, NY	SUNY College of Technology at Delhi	49%	3,526	$195,700
36	Livingston, AL	University of West Alabama	48%	3,242	$156,100
37	Castine, ME	Maine Maritime Academy	48%	1,310	$603,500
38	Olivet, MI	The University of Olivet	47%	1,525	$154,900
39	Lexington, VA	Washington and Lee University	46%	7,769	$275,200
40	Allendale, MI	Grand Valley State University	45%	26,679	$307,900
41	Selinsgrove, PA	Susquehanna University	45%	5,488	$198,500
42	Pullman, WA	Washington State University	45%	33,756	$424,800
43	California, PA	Pennsylvania Western University	43%	4,615	$152,200
44	Lewisburg, PA	Bucknell University	43%	5,226	$235,200
45	Indiana, PA	Indiana University of Pennsylvania-Main Campus	43%	14,697	$135,600
46	Ames, IA	Iowa State University	42%	68,220	$277,400
47	Morgantown, WV	West Virginia University	42%	30,293	$259,400
48	Whitewater, WI	University of Wisconsin-Whitewater	42%	16,038	$229,400
49	Athens, WV	Concord University	42%	1,184	$168,100
50	Platteville, WI	University of Wisconsin-Platteville	42%	11,815	$200,100
51	Big Rapids, MI	Ferris State University	42%	8,623	$156,400
52	West Point, NY	United States Military Academy	41%	6,349
53	Slippery Rock, PA	Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania	41%	3,551	$255,400
54	Gettysburg, PA	Gettysburg College	41%	8,365	$241,500
55	Williamsburg, VA	William & Mary	41%	15,861	$428,100
56	Laie, HI	Brigham Young University-Hawaii	41%	5,699	$940,800
57	Upland, IN	Taylor University	40%	3,835	$203,200
58	Brockport, NY	SUNY Brockport	40%	7,736	$157,700
59	Fayette, IA	Upper Iowa University	39%	1,185	$119,000
60	Clemson, SC	Clemson University	39%	18,941	$398,400
61	Radford, VA	Radford University	39%	17,243	$220,700
62	Franklin Springs, GA	Emmanuel University	38%	1,206	$207,500
63	Mount Pleasant, MI	Central Michigan University	38%	20,925	$173,100
64	Bowling Green, OH	Bowling Green State University-Main Campus	38%	31,182	$226,100
65	Grambling, LA	Grambling State University	38%	5,314	$181,700
66	New Concord, OH	Muskingum University	38%	2,473	$206,800
67	Oneonta, NY	SUNY Oneonta	38%	15,665	$184,100
68	Bloomsburg, PA	Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania	38%	13,375	$179,100
69	Vermillion, SD	University of South Dakota	38%	11,720	$219,000
70	Stillwater, OK	Oklahoma State University-Main Campus	38%	50,046	$237,200
71	Carbondale, IL	Southern Illinois University-Carbondale	37%	21,811	$127,900
72	Hanover, NH	Dartmouth College	37%	12,054	$824,900
73	Statesboro, GA	Georgia Southern University	37%	35,366	$197,900
74	Commerce, TX	East Texas A&M University	36%	9,928	$161,600
75	Angwin, CA	Pacific Union College	35%	2,931	$708,100
76	Frostburg, MD	Frostburg State University	35%	6,979	$181,700
77	Farmville, VA	Longwood University	35%	7,593	$238,900
78	Grove City, PA	Grove City College	35%	7,694	$171,600
79	Oberlin, OH	Oberlin College	34%	8,603	$225,600
80	Arkadelphia, AR	Henderson State University	34%	9,916	$179,300
81	Davis, CA	University of California-Davis	34%	66,110	$866,100
82	Plymouth, NH	Plymouth State University	34%	6,721	$292,400
83	Cheney, WA	Eastern Washington University	34%	12,650	$395,900
84	Tuskegee, AL	Tuskegee University	34%	8,644	$104,800
85	Moscow, ID	University of Idaho	34%	26,721	$376,400
86	Ephraim, UT	Snow College	33%	6,393	$423,700
87	San Luis Obispo, CA	California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo	33%	50,636	$935,100
88	Middlebury, VT	Middlebury College	33%	9,208	$409,700
89	Maryville, MO	Northwest Missouri State University	32%	10,092	$189,400
90	Normal, IL	Illinois State University	32%	53,275	$213,600
91	Manhattan, KS	Kansas State University	32%	54,673	$246,700
92	Burlington, VT	University of Vermont	32%	44,019	$444,800
93	Fayette, MO	Central Methodist University	32%	2,848	$146,700
94	Williamsburg, KY	University of the Cumberlands	32%	5,371
95	Corvallis, OR	Oregon State University	32%	61,499	$502,900
96	Laramie, WY	University of Wyoming	31%	32,284	$319,500
97	Wayne, NE	Wayne State College	31%	6,338	$228,900
98	Santa Cruz, CA	University of California-Santa Cruz	30%	61,797	$1,209,000
99	Hanover, IN	Hanover College	30%	3,866	$138,700
100	Montevallo, AL	University of Montevallo	30%	7,872	$220,700

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (2025 population estimates; American Community Survey 2020-2024), Medicare hospital data, NOAA climate normals, the National Park Service and the Education Department, as on each town page. Census survey figures are estimates; towns where the survey is too thin for a figure are left off lists that use it. Miles are straight-line. Data last updated October 5, 2026.

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