<p>I don’t believe I’ve ever seen this index before on CC, but for those who are similarly data obsessed, you might find this publication from the nonprofit/independent American Institute for Economic Research interesting. The entire report is free in PDF form if you sign up for it.</p>
<p>Just one more piece of information to consider as you weigh your kiddos’ college options this spring!</p>
<p>
AIER College Destinations Index 2013-2014
The college experience is about more than simply attending a top-notch university. The city or town where the school is located also is important. The people students meet, the places they go, and the jobs they may hold are essential supplements to formal education.</p>
<p>The TOP 75 COLLEGE CITIES & TOWNS IN AMERICA
</p>
<p><a href=“https://www.aier.org/cdi[/url] ”>https://www.aier.org/cdi</a></p> ;
<p>Not sure if my original link is working, but more information is available here:</p>
<p><a href=“https://www.aier.org/article/8231-aier-names-75-best-college-towns-and-cities-2013-2014[/url] ”>https://www.aier.org/article/8231-aier-names-75-best-college-towns-and-cities-2013-2014</a></p> ;
<p>
Top Major Metros Rankings:
New York-Northern New Jersey-Long Island, NY-NJ-PA
Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, MA-NH
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Santa Ana, CA
Baltimore-Towson, MD
Denver-Aurora-Broomfield, CO
Chicago-Joliet-Naperville, IL-IN-WI
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD
St. Louis, MO-IL
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach, FL
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Marietta, GA
San Diego-Carlsbad-San Marcos, CA</p>
<p>Top Mid-Size Metros Rankings:
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA
Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX
Pittsburgh, PA
Buffalo-Niagara Falls, NY
Raleigh-Cary, NC
Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT
Nashville-Davidson-Murfreesboro-Franklin, TN
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA
Salt Lake City, UT
Columbus, OH
Rochester, NY
Oklahoma City, OK
Providence-New Bedford-Fall River, RI-MA
Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI
Cincinnati-Middletown, OH-KY-IN
Cleveland-Elyria-Mentor, OH
Richmond, VA
New Orleans-Metairie-Kenner, LA
Charlotte-Gastonia-Rock Hill, NC-SC
Indianapolis-Carmel, IN</p>
<p>Top Small Metros Rankings:
Boulder, CO
Ann Arbor, MI
Madison, WI
Durham-Chapel Hill, NC
Gainesville, FL
Lincoln, NE
Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT
Trenton-Ewing, NJ
Lexington-Fayette, KY
Fort Collins-Loveland, CO
Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA
Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY
Binghamton, NY
Portland-South Portland-Biddeford, ME
Lansing-East Lansing, MI
Santa Barbara-Santa Maria-Goleta, CA
Tallahassee, FL
Lynchburg, VA
Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE-IA
Syracuse, NY</p>
<p>Top College Towns Rankings:
Ithaca, NY
Ames, IA
State College, PA
Iowa City, IA
Corvallis, OR
Champaign-Urbana, IL
Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA
Charlottesville, VA
Lawrence, KS
Lafayette, IN
Columbia, MO
Morgantown, WV
College Station-Bryan, TX
Fargo, ND-MN
Burlington-South Burlington, VT
Manhattan, KS
Logan, UT-ID
Bloomington, IN
Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA
Bloomington, IL
</p>
<p>But take a look at the map of the US. When comparing schools such as Penn State (at full cost) and the University of Alabama (heavily discounted) as our family is, one might want to weigh how one region rates in comparison with another. </p>
<p>One thing is clear: If you accept the premise of this index, it’s pretty clear why so many kids want to go to school in the Northeast.</p>
<p>Seems better done this go around.</p>
<p>Buffalo is number 4 (several spots ahead of Nashville)?</p>
<p>As to the criteria:</p>
<p>
The AIER CDI ranks destinations based on statistical economic analysis of each MSA across the following areas:</p>
<p>Academic Environment: </p>
<p>•Student Concentration: number of college students per 1,000 population
•Student Diversity: percentage of student body that are non-U.S. residents
•Research Capacity: Academic R&D expenditure per capita
•Degree Attainment: percent of the 25-to-34-year-old population with bachelor’s degree or higher</p>
<p>Quality of Life:
•Cost of Living: based upon average rent for a two-bedroom apartment
•Arts and Leisure: number of cultural and entertainment venues per 100,000 population
•City Accessibility: percentage of workers over age 16 who commute on foot or by public transportation or bicycle
•Creative Class: percentage of workforce in the arts, education, knowledge industries, science, engineering, management, other fields</p>
<p>Professional Opportunities:
•Earning Potential: income per capita
•Entrepreneurial Activity: net annual increase in total number of business establishments per 100,000 population
•Unemployment Rate: percent of labor force without jobs but actively seeking jobs within the last four weeks
•Brain Gain/Drain: year-over-year ratio of population with B.A. degrees living in the area
</p>