List of college towns

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This is a list of college towns: towns and small cities that are socioeconomically dominated by a college or university (but not student quarters of larger cities), sorted by continent.

Generally, to be classified as a college town, a town should exhibit one or more of the following:

  • The town is known for the presence of a college or university.
  • The college or university is the largest employer in the town.
  • College or university students form a significant proportion of the town's population, often taken to be 20 per cent or more.{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=G6klAQAAIAAJ|title=The American College Town|pages=1,2|author=Blake Gumprecht|publisher=University of Massachusetts Press|date=2009|isbn=978-1-55849-671-2 }}

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Africa

= South Africa =

Asia

= Bahrain =

= China =

= India =

= Indonesia =

= Kazakhstan =

= Malaysia =

= Philippines =

= Taiwan =

Europe

= Austria =

= Belgium =

  • Ghent{{Cite web |last=Harris |first=Brian |title=Gent, Gand, Ghent in east Flanders, Belgium. A university town of bars and restaurants and the second largest port in Belgium |url=http://www.alamy.com/stock-photo-gent-gandghent-in-east-flanders-belgium-a-university-town-of-bars-826860.html |website=Alamy |language=en}}{{User-generated inline|date=October 2022}} (Ghent University)
  • Leuven{{Cite news |last=Sun-Cua |first=Alice |date=4 June 2015 |title=The university town of Leuven in Belgium |language=en-US |work=GMA News Online |url=http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/lifestyle/travel/498386/the-university-town-of-leuven-in-belgium/story/ |url-status=live |access-date=2017-05-31 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210523023459/https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/lifestyle/travel/498386/the-university-town-of-leuven-in-belgium/story/ |archive-date=23 May 2021}} (Katholieke Universiteit Leuven)
  • Louvain-la-Neuve (Université catholique de Louvain)
  • Mons (Université de Mons, UCLouvain FUCaM Mons)

= Bulgaria =

= Croatia =

= Czech Republic =

= Denmark =

= Estonia =

= France =

= Germany =

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= Iceland =

= Ireland =

= Italy =

== Abruzzo ==

== Basilicata ==

== Campania ==

== Emilia-Romagna ==

== Lazio ==

== Lombardy ==

== Marche ==

== Piedmont ==

== Puglia ==

== Sicily ==

== Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol ==

== Tuscany ==

== Umbria ==

== Valle d'Aosta ==

= Liechtenstein =

= Malta =

= Netherlands =

= Norway =

= Poland =

= Portugal =

= Romania =

= Serbia =

= Spain =

= Sweden =

= Switzerland =

= Ukraine =

= United Kingdom =

An Office for National Statistics analysis of towns and cities in England and Wales in 2021 identified that a high share of 16 to 24 year olds in the population was linked to the presence of a university, across all sizes of town and city outside of London. One of the main findings was that: "While most small towns had a relatively low share of 16- to 24-year-olds, shares were higher in the small number of small towns with a university." The average proportion of 16 to 24 year olds across England and Wales was 10.69 per cent.{{cite report|url=https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/populationandmigration/populationestimates/articles/understandingtownsinenglandandwalespopulationanddemographicanalysis/2021-02-24|title=Understanding towns in England and Wales: population and demographic analysis|date=24 February 2021|publisher=Office for National Statistics}} The presence of a university has also been linked to a high proportion of the population working in education; the top quintile for this across all built-up areas in England and Wales is 14.1 per cent and above.{{cite web|url=https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/housing/articles/townsandcitiescharacteristicsofbuiltupareasenglandandwales/census2021#employment|title=Towns and cities, characteristics of built-up areas, England and Wales: Census 2021|at=Industry|website=Office for National Statistics|access-date=20 April 2024}}

The UK settlements with the highest proportion (over 30 per cent) of full-time students are St Andrews in Scotland (53 per cent), Aberystwyth and Bangor in Wales (both 42 per cent), and Durham and Canterbury in England (both 35 per cent). With the exception of Canterbury, these towns are dominated by a single institution that was established as a university or university college before the end of the 19th century. Canterbury has three universities – one established in the 1960s and two that became universities in the 21st century.

== England ==

Towns and cities with a university and a high proportion of 16 to 24 year olds (over 75 per cent above the average across England and Wales) in 2019 are listed below,{{cite web|url=https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/populationandmigration/populationestimates/datasets/understandingtownsinenglandandwalespopulationanddemography|title=Understanding towns in England and Wales: population and demography|date=24 February 2021|website=Office for National Statistics}}{{efn|Catterick Garrison, a military town, has 22 per cent of its population in this age range but no university}} along with the 2021 population of their built up area (BUA),{{cite report|url=https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/housing/articles/townsandcitiescharacteristicsofbuiltupareasenglandandwales/census2021|title=Towns and cities, characteristics of built-up areas, England and Wales: Census 2021|publisher=Office for National Statistics|date=2 August 2023}} the 2020/21 enrolment in their universities,{{cite web|url=https://www.hesa.ac.uk/data-and-analysis/students/where-study#provider|title=Where do HE students study?|website=HESA|access-date=15 February 2025}}{{efn|This may include students enroled at the universities but not living in the BUA}} the proportion of people in the BUA employed in the education sector and the proportion of people in the BUA who identified in the census as full-time students (England average 7.7 per cent).{{cite web|url=https://www.ons.gov.uk/visualisations/customprofiles/draw/|at=BUA (via search) > Economy > Socio-economic Classification (NS-SeC) > L15: Full-time students|title=Area profile|access-date=24 April 2025}}

The BUA with the highest proportion of full-time students is Durham, with 35 per cent of the economically active population, closely followed by the multi-university city of Canterbury. The largest BUA to have over 20 per cent of its population composed of full-time students is Nottingham, at 24 per cent, with a population of almost 300,000, while the largest BUA containing only a single major institution is Exeter, with a population of over 125,000 and 21 per cent full-time students.

class="wikitable sortable"
Town nameUniversities16 to 25PopulationEnrolmentRatioEmployment in educationFull-time students
rowspan=2|PenrynFalmouth Universityrowspan=2| 36%rowspan=2|11,195rowspan=2|6,000{{efn|Estimated size of the Penryn Campus{{cite web|url=https://www.exeter.ac.uk/study/campuses/penryn/|title=Penryn Campus near Falmouth, Cornwall|website=University of Exeter|access-date=15 February 2025}}}}rowspan=2| 54%rowspan=2|13.8%rowspan=2|29.8%
University of Exeter
rowspan=3|CanterburyUniversity of Kentrowspan=3|33%rowspan=3| 55,09018,585{{efn|includes students at Canterbury and Medway campuses}}rowspan=3|79%rowspan=3|19.4%rowspan=3|34.7%
Canterbury Christ Church University16,355
University for the Creative Arts8,420{{efn|includes students at Canterbury, Epsom and Farnham campuses}}
DurhamDurham University32%50,51020,64541%21.1%35.2%
Egham, SurreyRoyal Holloway, University of London28%28,00012,29544%12.1%29.9%
LoughboroughLoughborough University27%64,86018,33528%17.1%28.6%
Hatfield, HertfordshireUniversity of Hertfordshire25%41,56030,10072%8.3%28.0%
rowspan=2| BathUniversity of Bathrowspan=2| 23%rowspan=2| 94,08018,555rowspan=2|30%rowspan=2|14.9%rowspan=2|22.7%
Bath Spa University9,235
rowspan=2| OxfordOxford Brookes Universityrowspan=2| 22%rowspan=2| 170,80517,810rowspan=2| 26%rowspan=2|23.2%rowspan=2|25.6%
University of Oxford27,150
rowspan=2| NottinghamNottingham Trent Universityrowspan=2|22%rowspan=2| 299,79038,995{{efn|includes students at Nottingham, Clifton,Brackenhurst, Mansfield and London campuses}}rowspan=2|25%rowspan=2|10.7%rowspan=2|23.9%
University of Nottingham35,785
FalmouthFalmouth University)21%24,0706,170{{efn|includes students at Falmouth and Penryn campuses}}26%11.7%19.8%
rowspan=2| CambridgeAnglia Ruskin University;rowspan=2| 21%rowspan=2| 152,74032,180{{efn| includes students at Cambridge, Chelmsford and Peterborough, campuses}}rowspan=2|36%rowspan=2|21.1%rowspan=2|24.6%
University of Cambridge22,155
GuildfordUniversity of Surrey20%77,88016,56521%12.5%20.9%
rowspan=2| LincolnUniversity of Lincolnrowspan=2| 20%rowspan=2| 104,55517,565rowspan=2|19%rowspan=2|9.6%rowspan=2|18.3%
Bishop Grosseteste University2,465
ExeterUniversity of Exeter20%126,17530,250{{efn|includes students at Exeter, Truro and Penryn campuses}}24%13.6%20.6%
rowspan=2|Newcastle upon TyneNewcastle Universityrowspan=2| 20%rowspan=2| 286,44527,775rowspan=2|16%rowspan=2|11.0%rowspan=2|19.5%
Northumbria University Newcastle31,860{{efn|includes students at Newcastle and London campuses}}
rowspan=2| LancasterUniversity of Lancasterrowspan=2| 19%rowspan=2|52,65517,470rowspan=2|51%rowspan=2|17.9%rowspan=2|19.6%
University of Cumbria9,280{{efn| includes students at Carlisle, Lancaster, London and Ambleside campuses}}

== Northern Ireland ==

class="wikitable sortable"
Town nameUniversities16 to 25 (2021)Population (2021)Enrolment (2021)RatioEmployment in educationFull-time students
ColeraineUlster University at Coleraine11%{{cite web|url=https://build.nisra.gov.uk/en/custom/data?d=PEOPLE&v=SETTLEMENT15&v=AGE_BAND_AGG7_A&~SETTLEMENT15=N11000173|title=Age - 7 Categories A|website=Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency|access-date=21 April 2025}}24,483{{cite web|url=https://build.nisra.gov.uk/en/custom/data?d=PEOPLE&v=SETTLEMENT15&%7ESETTLEMENT15=N11000173|title=Settlement 2015 – Coleraine|website=Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency|access-date=21 April 2025}}4,250{{cite web|url=https://www.economy-ni.gov.uk/publications/enrolments-uk-higher-education-institutions-northern-ireland-analysis-202122|title=Enrolments at UK Higher Education Institutions: Northern Ireland Analysis 2021/22|website=Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency|access-date=21 April 2025}}17%9.9%{{cite web|url=https://build.nisra.gov.uk/en/custom/data?d=PEOPLE&v=SETTLEMENT15&v=INDUSTRY_AGG16&~SETTLEMENT15=N11000173|title=Industry (Current) - 16 Categories|website=Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency|access-date=21 April 2025}}7.9%{{cite web|url=https://build.nisra.gov.uk/en/custom/data?d=PEOPLE&v=SETTLEMENT15&v=NSSEC_FLAT_AGG10&%7ESETTLEMENT15=N11000173|title=National Statistics Socio-economic Classification - 10 Categories|website=Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency|access-date=24 April 2025}}

== Scotland ==

Proportions of full-time students from the 2022 Census for Scotland by census settlement{{cite web|url=https://www.scotlandscensus.gov.uk/webapi/opentable?id=01966a5b-f1dd-72c4-af82-c4e961a79e93|title=National Statistics Socio-economic Classification (NS-SeC) - 10 groups, collapsed by Census Settlement - Locality 2022|website=Scotland's Census|access-date=24 April 2025}}

== Wales ==

Towns and cities with a university and a high proportion of 16 to 24 year olds in 2019:

class="wikitable sortable"
Town nameUniversities16 to 25PopulationEnrolmentRatioEmployment in educationFull-time students
AberystwythAberystwyth University38%14,6408,04055%18.1%42.1%
BangorBangor University33%16,9909,70557%13.2%41.5%

North America

= Canada =

= United States =

== Alabama ==

  • Auburn (Auburn University){{cite news |date=November 10, 2008 |title=Professor Writes First Book about Life in the American College Town |work=Newswise |url=http://www.newswise.com/articles/view/546238/ |url-status=live |access-date=2008-11-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120218231119/https://www.newswise.com/articles/professor-writes-first-book-about-life-in-the-american-college-town |archive-date=18 February 2012}}
  • Fairfield (Miles College)
  • Florence (University of North Alabama)
  • Homewood (Samford University)
  • Jacksonville (Jacksonville State University){{Cite web |title=College Towns in the United States |url=http://pubpages.unh.edu/~gumprech/Collegetowns.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120217011024/http://pubpages.unh.edu/~gumprech/Collegetowns.pdf |archive-date=17 February 2012 |website=pubpages.unh.edu}}
  • Livingston (University of West Alabama)
  • Montevallo (University of Montevallo)
  • Troy (Troy University){{Cite news |title=The 50 Best College Towns to Live in Forever – College Ranker |language=en-US |work=College Ranker |url=http://www.collegeranker.com/features/best-college-towns/ |url-status=live |access-date=2017-08-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151106012628/https://www.collegeranker.com/features/best-college-towns/ |archive-date=2015-11-06}}
  • Tuscaloosa (University of Alabama){{cite web |url=http://www.sheltonstate.edu/ |title=Home |website=sheltonstate.edu}}{{cite news|url=http://www.tuscaloosanews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060516/PULSE02/605160308/1005/9112002|title=College-town life has good and bad points|work=Tuscaloosa News|date=May 16, 2006|access-date=2008-11-12}}
  • Tuskegee (Tuskegee University){{Cite book |last=Gumprecht |first=Blake |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hFyptAEACAAJ |title=The American College Town |date=2008 |publisher=University of Massachusetts Press |isbn=978-1-61376-100-7 |language=en}}{{Page needed|date=October 2022}}

== Arizona ==

== Arkansas ==

== California ==

File:Verbal Building and intersection, Claremont, California.jpg, home to the Claremont Colleges]]

== Colorado ==

== Connecticut ==

== Delaware ==

== Florida ==

== Georgia ==

== Hawaii ==

== Idaho ==

== Illinois ==

== Indiana ==

== Iowa ==

== Kansas ==

== Kentucky ==

== Louisiana ==

== Maine ==

== Maryland ==

== Massachusetts ==

== Michigan ==

== Minnesota ==

== Mississippi ==

== Missouri ==

== Montana ==

== Nebraska ==

== Nevada ==

== New Hampshire ==

== New Jersey ==

== New Mexico ==

== New York ==

== North Carolina ==

== North Dakota ==

== Ohio ==

== Oklahoma ==

== Oregon ==

== Pennsylvania ==

== Rhode Island ==

== South Carolina ==

== South Dakota ==

== Tennessee ==

==Texas ==

== Utah ==

== Vermont ==

== Virginia ==

== Washington ==

== West Virginia ==

== Wisconsin ==

== Wyoming ==

== Puerto Rico ==

  • Mayagüez, Puerto Rico (UPR Mayagüez, Hostos School of Law, Pontifical Catholic University, Antillean Adventist University)
  • Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico (University of Puerto Rico, Recinto de Río Piedras)

Oceania

= Australia =

== Australian Capital Territory ==

== New South Wales ==

== Northern Territory ==

== Queensland ==

== South Australia ==

== Tasmania ==

== Victoria ==

== Western Australia ==

= New Zealand =

South America

= Argentina =

= Brazil =

= Colombia =

= Venezuela =

  • Mérida (University of the Andes, Mérida){{cite web |title=Things to Do in Merida, Venezuela |url=https://www.frommers.com/destinations/merida-venezuela |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141229212851/https://www.frommers.com/destinations/merida-venezuela |archive-date=29 December 2014 |access-date=3 September 2021 |work=Frommer's}}

Notes

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References