By Devonta Davis – Digital Producer, Tampa Bay Business Journal
WalletHub’s annual list of the best college towns and cities has Tampa among the top five in the nation.
Tampa is home to several schools, including the University of South Florida and the University of Tampa.
To generate its list of best college towns, WalletHub used data from a number of sources, including the U.S. Census Bureau and the Bureau of Labor Statistics, to analyze 415 cities and towns of various sizes across America. Cities and towns were then ranked according to three key elements:
- Wallet friendliness: Considers factors such as a city’s housing costs, cost of higher education and share of rental units
- Social environment: Measures elements like the share of a city’s population between the ages of 18 and 35, nightlife options and the number of festivals
- Academic and economic opportunities: Examines factors like the quality of higher education in the city, the earning potential of college grads and the share of part-time jobs
For the third consecutive year, Tampa ranked in the top five best places for college, remaining in the No. 4 spot this year.
“Picking the right college is crucial, but it’s also important to make sure that the surrounding college town will be a place where you’ll truly love spending your college years. Towns with a low cost of living, plenty of activities and large student populations can make your college experience a lot less stressful and a lot more enjoyable,” said WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo. “In addition, cities with a great economic environment can make it easier to get a job during or immediately after college.”
Tampa ranked poorly in the wallet friendliness category but made up ground with its social environment and economic opportunities rank.
The report notes that even if you’re not enrolled in a degree program, you can still reap the benefits of living in a college town. Universities often open campus events to the public, such as art shows, sporting events and lectures. Additionally, college towns tend to be walkable, with amenities like grocery stores, community spaces and restaurants in close proximity.
Here are the top 10 best college towns and cities according to the report:
- Austin, Texas
- Ann Arbor, Michigan
- Orlando
- Tampa
- Raleigh, North Carolina
- Scottsdale, Arizona
- Charlottesville, Virginia
- Tempe, Arizona
- Gainesville
- Atlanta
Largest Colleges & Universities in Tampa Bay
Fall 2023 enrollment
| Rank | Prior Rank | Business name |
| 1 | 1 | University of South Florida |
| 2 | 2 | Hillsborough Community College |
| 3 | 3 | St. Petersburg College |
