Florida is home to three of the top college towns in the US

Orlando, Florida, USA downtown skyline at Eola Lake at dusk during Christmas season — Courtesy: Shutterstock — Image by: Sean Pavone

Students are giving careful thought to where they want to spend the next phase of their lives as the college application season begins.

Analysts at WalletHub examined over 400 U.S. cities of all sizes using 31 important indicators of academic, social, and economic prospects for students in an effort to assist students in selecting the ideal place to call home.

Researchers examined a number of variables, such as the city’s cost of living, crime rate, and standard of higher education.

Miami, Tampa, and Orlando were among the top ten major cities for college students.

At number three overall, Orlando was the Florida city with the highest ranking. Analysts discovered that, despite being a large metropolis, it offers in-state students the 19th-cheapest tuition, including room and board, at just $24,036 year.

According to analysts, it also boasts excellent education, coming in at number 57 out of almost 400 cities in our assessment for school quality.

Additionally, Orlando offers students the chance to do a variety of enjoyable activities because there are a lot of attractions, sports teams, retail malls, food trucks, and coffee shops per capita, according to WalletHub.

Miami’s strong social environment ranking (No. 5 in that category) was a major factor in its designation as one of the finest large cities for students.

Tampa finished in fifth place overall, with a noteworthy social environment score of No. 7.

The social environment examined variables such the proportion of the population between the ages of 18 and 35, the proportion of single individuals, the gender balance of students, the number of nightlife alternatives, sports clubs, and breweries per capita.

Gainesville and Tallahassee, which are home to Florida State University and the University of Florida, two rival universities, were among the top 10 midsized cities.

According to researchers, choosing the correct college is essential, but it’s also critical to ensure that the neighborhood is a pleasant location to reside.

“Your college experience can be much less stressful and more pleasurable in towns with a huge student population, lots of activities, and a reasonable cost of living. Furthermore, towns with strong economies can facilitate employment throughout or right after college, according to Chip Lupo, an analyst at WalletHub.


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