College Towns Are Awesome, and These Are the 10 Best

Did you really just scroll down to look at comments? That's just...inadvisable. Well except for this pinned comment, which reminds you that you can sign up for the amazing creator-owned streaming service, Nebula, using my link for 40% off an annual subscription: go.nebula.tv/citynerd

Unfortunately I didn't get to watch the whole video because I blacked out from excitement when you mentioned Amherst. When I regained consciousness you brought up Burlington and I passed out again.

Great watch nonetheless, I will send you the medical bill.

2:50 San Luis Obispo, CA
3:44 Corvallis, OR
4:37 Charlottesville, VA
5:17 Ann Arbor, MI
5:55 Boulder, CO
7:03 Amherst, MA
7:52 Davis, CA
9:27 Honorable Mentions
10:26 Dishonorable mention
10:56 Burlington, VT
11:35 Ithaca, NY
12:07 State College, PA

Having lived in 3 of the cities listed, I was shocked to see my favorite college city not listed, Madison! I'm not sure if it failed some of the early qualifications, but talk about a unique city, situated on the isthmus between two large lakes. There are bike paths everywhere and great walkability. Amazing restaurant scene, sense of identity, access to parks and wooded areas. In general I found that people who move there for school or work tend to stay there. I might be slightly biased though after living here and listening to the experiences of city planner plays(city planner in Madison). Regardless great video!

What ruined Oxford, Mississippi in your data is ironically the thiing you suggest people might do: move there. Oxford has become such an attraction for retirees that it consists of so many car dependent developments that it overwhelms the campus and original town square. The pre-1980s part of town is nicely walkable. Oh and they got rid of Colonel Reb about 13 years ago.

I recall driving my car to State College as a sophomore in January and parking it in a snow-covered lot. I didn't use it for two months because I walked everywhere or used the surprisingly comprehensive bus service CATA to go to the slopes, parties, grocery shopping, whatever. When I returned to my car I found I had been parked in a fire lane and had a pile of tickets. Oops.

I'm so glad Corvallis made it on the list! While the separated infrastructure is not really there, one of the biggest things I've noticed is that drivers actually pay attention to bikes on the road (yielding on a right turn, giving extra space when possible, etc). And newer road work is often reducing lane widths and adding buffered bike lanes, which is always a great thing to see.

The problem in general with college towns is housing. Anything within walking distance of the campus, will either be likely rundown, crowded, and noisy...or if nice it will be extremely expensive. Sure you can live further away from campus, but in most cases you then leave the more interesting parts of town and enter generic suburbs. Almost every single city on this top ten list has serious problems with housing/affordability.

It's probably been said before but I absolutely love how you detail your methodology. Really makes your videos feel intentional and truly helpful, and not like some arbitrary thing someone came up with because they felt like it.

I love how everyone agrees college is the best time of their lives and college towns are great, but we make 0 effort to make the rest of society more like it (walkable, diverse, subsidized food and healthcare, plenty of outdoor common areas)

Also LFG both my alma maters on this list

The City of Berkeley as a whole isn’t much of a college town other than Southside

The addition of rail connections as a criteria really hurt Midwest college towns in this ranking. You pointed out Iowa City and it's lack of passenger rail, and the same generally holds true for just about every other college-centered town in the center of the country.

Actually, my college town, Fort Collins, Colorado (Colorado State) IS like living in Disneyland. The Disney architect who built Main Street USA was a Fort Collins native. He designed Main Street in homage to Fort Collins' charming, all-American Old Town. The resemblances are amazing!

One thing I miss about Boulder is that almost all the bike routes are grade separated from car traffic. I remember one exception near Broadway and Baseline, but I've never felt safer biking than in Boulder.

I’ll try and hold back the tears that Chapel Hill, NC wasn’t mentioned, but great video!

I have a home in downtown Ann Arbor and lived previously in Madison for 5 years. Having lived in both I was incredulously surprised that Madison wasn't event mentioned. That place is soo pleasant compared to anyplace else.

State College really is the best town in the country. It has everything you need: public transportation, clean, low crime, and most importantly it's affordable.

10. San Luis Obispo, CA
9. Corvallis, OR
8. Charlottesville, VA
7. Ann Arbor, MI
6. Boulder, CO
5. Amherst, MA
4. Davis, CA
3. Burlington, VT
2. Ithaca, NY
1. State College, PA

I am so pleased to see State College, PA as the #1 choice. I was a student at Penn State in the late 1980s-1990s. Fresh from divorce and a very poor mother of two young children, I couldn't afford a car. My little family had to rely on public transport/walking/biking to get around. And it worked! Kids to and from day care, going to classes, shopping, kid activities...the buses were so regular and the routes so well-planned that life was doable without a car.

'Sko Buffs! Happy to see Boulder featured on this channel. Can't wait to see your video all about us! :) First I want to note that the Cheesecake Factory closed 10 years ago, and the top and bottom floors of the building have been converted to an Avanti food hall. Very pleased you covered that 50% of the working population of the city commutes in every day, and that the train won't arrive until I retire. The bike paths and bike culture here are great, as a middle schooler I had the run of the city on my bike, happy times. With good paths and sunshine most days, there's good potential for e bike commuting.