WalletHub has just come out with their list of 2026’s Best College Towns and Cities. They compared over 400 cities of varying sizes across the country on 31 key indicators of academic, social and economic opportunities for students.
These include everything from the cost of living and the crime rate to the quality of higher education in the city and breweries per capita.
Austin is #1 on their list for the 5th year in a row as it’s home to one of the lowest unemployment rates in the U.S., has a large number of attractions, sports clubs and shopping, as well as one of the lowest average pizza prices in the country.
The Top 10 College Cities and Towns in the U.S. for 2026
(Check out the full ranking here)
- Austin, Texas
- Ann Arbor, Michigan
- Orlando, Florida
- Tampa, Florida
- Raleigh, North Carolina
- Tempe, Arizona
- Atlanta, Georgia
- Reno, Nevada
- Charlottesville, Virginia
- Gainesville, Florida
How about South Carolina college towns?
#19 Charleston
#75 Clemson
#95 Columbia
#230 N Charleston (Home of Charleston Southern)
#285 Rock Hill (Home of Winthrop)
I believe the list may have made a mistake as Greenville SC (Home of Furman) and traditionally always ranked as one of the best towns in America didn't make the list but Greenville NC (Home of ECU) did at 262.
Clinton SC (Home of Presbyterian) also not on the list.
Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA college town skyline in the afternoon.