Studies Show, Study Here
Here's how Houston makes the grade as best college town in new report
The University of Houston is a major player in our college town status.
Houston is called many things: Space City, Bayou City, Medical City. But college town?
The Bayou City boasts two world-class, top-ranked institutions in Rice University and the booming University of Houston. So where does that put the city as far as college town rank?
No. 64, according to the financial website WalletHub, which has just released its list of best college cities in the U.S. for 2023.
Meanwhile, Austin takes the No. 1 spot for best college big city. Another Texas town, College Station, comes in at No. 6 on the small city list.
The most represented state, perhaps not surprisingly, is Florida, with four cities in the overall top 10. The top 10 college cities for 2023, according to WalletHub, are:
1. Austin
2. Ann Arbor, Michigan
3. Orlando, Florida
4. Gainesville, Florida
5. Tampa, Florida
6. Rexburg, Idaho
7. Provo, Utah
8. Scottsdale, Arizona
9. Miami
10. Raleigh, North Carolina
Notably, Austin scored best, No. 12, in the “social environment” category, determined by metrics like students per capita; breweries, cafés, and food trucks per capita; and safety issues like vaccination and crime statistics. Its ranking at No. 21 in the “academic & economic opportunities" category puts it in the 95th percentile, even above Boston and Cambridge, Massachusetts, famous for their Ivy League prevalence.
Elsewhere in Texas, El Paso did well on the overall list at No. 36, followed byDallas (99), Fort Worth (153), and San Antonio (169). Cities that tend to fall lower in similar studies ranked relatively well among college towns.
Trellis Spa visitors can relax by the pool indoors or outdoors.Courtesy of The Houstonian Hotel, Club & Spa