The 10 best college towns in America

Choosing where to attend college is one of the most impactful decisions a young person can make in their lives – but it’s also one that can be fraught with pitfalls. The ideal university for one person might leave another student unhappy and dissatisfied.

To mitigate the anxiety around choosing the right school, WalletHub, a personal finance website, released an analysis of the country’s best college towns. The study compared more than 400 U.S. cities based on their performance across three categories: wallet friendliness, social environment, and academic and economic opportunities. The scores in each category were based on 31 metrics, including cost of living, students per capita, and share of rental units.

“Picking the right college is crucial, but it’s also important to make sure that the surrounding college town will be a place where you’ll truly love spending your college years,” said WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo, in a statement.

“Towns with a low cost of living, plenty of activities and large student populations can make your college experience a lot less stressful and a lot more enjoyable. In addition, cities with a great economic environment can make it easier to get a job during or immediately after college.”

Data for the study was pulled from several sources, including U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, TripAdvisor (TRIP), and the National Center for Education Statistics.

Continue reading to learn more about the 10 best college towns in America.

10. Atlanta, Georgia

Atlanta, Georgia is the tenth best college town in America. It is home to universities including Emory and Georgia Tech and it came in first place for its social environment.

9. Gainesville, Florida

Gainesville, Florida is the ninth best college town in America. It is home to the University of Florida and received high marks for its social environment.

8. Tempe, Arizona

Tempe, Arizona is the eighth best college town in America. It is home to Arizona State University and received high marks for its social environment.

7. Charlottesville, Virginia

Charlottesville, Virginia is the seventh best college town in America. It is home to the University of Virginia and received high marks for its social environment.

6. Scottsdale, Arizona

Scottsdale, Arizona is the sixth best college town in America. It is geographically close to Arizona State University and came in second place for its economic and academic opportunities.

5. Raleigh, North Carolina

Raleigh, North Carolina is the fifth best college town in America. It is part of the Research Triangle and is home to North Carolina State University. It received high marks for its social environment.

4. Tampa, Florida

Tampa, Florida is the fourth best college town in America. It is home to the University of South Florida and came in seventh place for its social environment.

3. Orlando, Florida

Orlando, Florida is the third best college town in America. It is home to the University of Central Florida and came in third place for its social environment.

2. Ann Arbor, Michigan

Ann Arbor, Michigan is the second best college town in America. It is home to the University of Michigan and received high marks for its social environment.

1. Austin, Texas

Austin, Texas is the best college town in America. It is home to the University of Texas and received high marks for its academic and economic opportunities.