The 20 best college towns where life revolves around their universities, ranked

For many students, college is a time filled with rigorous classes, internship applications, and energy-drink-filled all-nighters.

College towns often offer a unique experience that helps these students manage flourishing social lives and hobbies alongside their academic careers.

Business Insider looked at some of the cities and towns across America where students can thrive, and compiled a list that best matches the loose definition of a college town.

To do so, we used data from the Census Bureau’s latest population estimates and from WalletHub’s 2025 ranking of the best college towns.

We then filtered out major cities, focusing instead on places where colleges and universities anchor the local economy and lifestyle.

Not all college towns are built the same, however, and while some are extensions of nearby metropolises, others are smaller communities tucked away from other urban areas.