30 Best College Towns in America

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.