A new study conducted by WalletHub just ranked the best college towns in the country, and rounding out the top 5? Atlanta, Georgia. Keep scrolling to learn more about Atlanta’s prominence as a college town & what that means for students and residents of the city alike.
What are the top 5 best college towns in the U.S.?
According to WalletHub’s rankings, here’s the top 5 breakdown:
- Austin, TX
- Ann Arbor, MI
- Charlottesville, VA
- Raleigh, NC
- Atlanta, GA
And how did they come up with this data?
WalletHub states,
To help prospective college students narrow down their school choices following the release of 2027’s College & University Rankings, WalletHub compared more than 400 U.S. cities of varying sizes based on 31 key indicators of academic, social and economic opportunities for students. The data set ranges from the cost of living and the crime rate to the quality of higher education in the city.
What the ranking really breaks down into are three main categories:
- Wallet Friendliness
- Social Environment
- Academic & Economic Opportunities
While Atlanta ranks admittedly lower on the ‘wallet friendlessness’ score (we can admit, it’s expensive to live and work in the city), we rank very high on the social factors and academic & economic opportunities scale.
Chip Lupo, WalletHub Analyst, said in a statement,
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. 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.
Atlanta schools
And it’s no surprise that Atlanta has wonderful schools. In fact, two Atlanta universities consistently rank among best schools in the country, AND Atlanta is home to the #1 HBCU, 20 years running!
So if you’re looking for the perfect college town, consider Atlanta, y’all!