
WalletHub just released its findings for 2023’s Best College Towns & Cities in America and a popular New Jersey town made the top of the list!
When it comes to choosing a great town to attend college in, parents and students consider many factors, from safety and cost of housing to work opportunities and a good academic environment. After working so hard to get into college, it’s no wonder that applicants place so much importance on the college visit — this is the time to really get a feel for the school’s environment.
WalletHub compared more than 400 cities of varying sizes based on 32 indicators of academic, social and economic opportunities to come up with their rankings. They looked at everything from the cost of living to the crime rate to the quality of higher education to determine their list.
The top 10 overall towns & cities were:
1. Austin, TX
2. Ann Arbor, MI
3. Orlando, FL
4. Gainsville, FL
5. Tampa, FL
6. Rexburg, ID
7. Provo, UT
8. Scottsdale, AZ
9. Miami, FL
10. Raleigh, NC
And coming in at #11 was NJ’s own Princeton. This diverse and bustling college town home to Princeton University came in #2 for economic opportunities in the survey. When it came to ranking cities and towns by smaller size, Princeton came in at #4. There’s no denying that this special Jersey town offers so much for students and other residents. New Brunswick, home to Rutgers, ranked #39 for great smaller city environments.
Other NJ towns and cities also made the list. For midsize cities and towns, Jersey City came in at #81 while Newark ranked #85 and Paterson came in at #147. New Brunswick ranked at #2 for share of available rental units.
With student living expenses projected at around $30,000 over a 12-month period according to WalletHub, where you attend college is a major decision. Families will be considering a reasonable cost of living along with a fun social environment when making a college choice.
Click here to see the full rankings.
Are you on the college search? See the best colleges in NJ for 2023.