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College town life
College towns make great hometowns. Students, singles, families, working people, and retirees all can find connections and a niche for themselves in the wide variety of college towns across the United States. Town and gown together create a better quality of life.

CollegeTownLife
P. O. Box 223
Oxford, OH 45056
Robert Karrow, editor

e-mail the editor

About the editor and this site

Mineral Point, WI
A five-star town; one of the 2007 National Trust for Historic Preservation 'Dozen Distinctive Destinations.' Check out the Mineral Point Web site which hosts lots of photos and a video introduction to the town.

This is a College Town Life - Country Style type of community. A wonderful, vibrant small town which, while it does not host a college, is just a short drive from two university cities: only 45 miles from Madison, and 21 miles from Platteville, WI.

Mineral Point is a long-time arts and agricultural community. The town has successfully discouraged chain franchises. Regular stores and cafes are interspersed with galleries along High Street, the working main street.


Read the
College Town News
a weekly digest of news from college towns across the United Sates, and beyond.

Go to College Town News>


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Small town living near university cities

The country/county list
 (an example of the type of results generated by the Progressive Farmer list compiler [critera used for this one noted in the column to the right])

Northeast

  1. Yates County, NY
    Keuka College
  2. Madison County, NY
    Cazenovia College, Colgate University, SUNY Morrisville
  3. Ontario County, NY Finger Lakes Community College, Hobart and William Smith Colleges
  4. Union County, PA
    Bucknell University
  5. Wayne County, NY
    within 20 miles of county seat:
    Finger Lakes Community College, Hobart and William Smith Colleges
  6. Livingston County, NY
    SUNY Geneseo
  7. Orange County, VT
    within 20 miles of county seat:
    Community College of Vermont, Goddard College, Norwich University, Woodbury College
  8. Genesee County, NY
    Genesee Community College
  9. Cayuga County, NY
    Cayuga County Community College, Wells College
  10. Columbia County, NY
    Columbia - Greene Community College

Midwest

  1. Tipton County, IN
    within 20 miles of county seat:
    Anderson University, Indiana University Kokomo, Indiana Wesleyan University,Ivy Tech State College - Kokomo
  2. Shelby County, IN
    within 20 miles of county seat:
    Butler University, Christian Theological Seminary, Franklin College, Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis, Ivy Tech State College - Central Indiana, Ivy Tech State College - Columbus, Marian College, University of Indianapolis
  3. Lincoln County, SD
    Augustana College, Kilian Community College, North American Baptist Seminary, Southeast Technical Institute, University of Sioux Falls
  4. Mercer County, IL
    within 20 miles of Monmouth College
  5. Boone County, IN
    within 20 miles of county seat:
    Butler University, Christian Theological Seminary, Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis, Ivy Tech State College - Central Indiana,Marian College
  6. Whitley County, IN
    Grace College & Seminary, Huntington University, Indiana Institute of Technology, Manchester College, University of Saint Francis
  7. Menard County, IL
    Lincoln Land Community College, MacMurray College, Springfield College in Illinois, University of Illinois - Springfield
  8. Brown County, IN
    Franklin College, Indiana University - Bloomington, Ivy Tech State College - Columbus
  9. Union County, SD
    Briar Cliff University, Morningside College, University of South Dakota, Western Iowa Tech Community College
  10. Bureau County, IL
    within 20 miles of Illinois Valley Community College

Southeast

  1. Wilson County, TN
    Cumberland University
  2. Bath County, VA
    Dabney S. Lancaster Community College, Virginia Military Institute, Washington and Lee University
  3. Botetourt County, VA
    Hollins University, Roanoke College, Virginia Western Community College
  4. Pickens County, GA
    within 20 miles of Reinhardt College
  5. Fluvanna County, VA
    Institute of Textile Technology, Piedmont Virginia Community College, University of Virginia
  6. Oconee County, GA
    Athens Technical College, University of Georgia
  7. Mathews County, VA
    within 30 miles of
    Christopher Newport University, College of William and Mary, Hampton University, Thomas Nelson Community College
  8. King William County, VA
    within 30 miles of
    Baptist Theological Seminary at Richmond, College of William and Mary, J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College, John Tyler Community College, Marymount University, Randolph-Macon College, Union Theological Seminary and Presbyterian School, University of Richmond, Virginia Commonwealth University, Virginia Union University
  9. Goochland County, VA
    within 20 miles of
    Baptist Theological Seminary at Richmond, Hampden-Sydney College, Institute of Textile Technology, J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College, John Tyler Community College, Longwood University, Marymount University, Piedmont Virginia Community College, Randolph-Macon College, College of William and Mary, Union Theological Seminary and Presbyterian School, University of Richmond, University of Virginia, Virginia Commonwealth University, Virginia State University
  10. Augusta County, VA
    within 20 miles of
    Bridgewater College, James Madison University

West

  1. Yakutat City and Bor, Alaska
    no colleges.universities nearby
  2. Jeff Davis County, TX
    within 20 miles of
    Sul Ross State University
  3. Glasscock County, TX
    within 20 miles of
    Midland College
  4. Fayette County, TX
    within 20 miles of
    Blinn College
  5. Ouray County, Colorado
    no colleges.universities nearby
  6. Matanuska-Susitna Borough, AK
    within 20 miles of
    Alaska Pacific University, University of Alaska - Anchorage
  7. Douglas County, NV
    within 20 miles of
    Lake Tahoe Community College, Western Nevada Community College
  8. Amador County, CA
    within 30 miles of
    Columbia College, Heald College - Rancho Cordova, Heald College - Roseville, Heald College - Stockton, Humphreys College, San Joaquin Delta College
  9. Somervell County, TX
    within 30 miles of
    Southwestern Adventist University, Johnson County, TX Tarleton StateUniversity
  10. Gillespie County, TX
    within 20 miles of
    Schreiner University

The Progressive Farmer
takes a look at best places to live
in rural settings in the United States

"In addition to... tangible attributes, the magazine also considered cost of living, crime rates, air quality, access to healthcare, education and leisure activities. The magazine used data compiled by OnBoard LLC.

The result is a list of 200 counties across the nation where city dwellers or suburbanites could ditch the rat race for quiet, clean country living. " - CNN

Best places to live 2006: Rural America
Progressive Farmer crunches the numbers and picks the nation's top rural counties on price, pollution, education, recreation and more.
Progressive Farmer - 2 Feb 2006
...After last year's list, we received an enormous amount of feedback from readers. You let us know what was important to you in a place to live, and we used your suggestions to reshape our research. Statistics were weighed differently, and when we traveled to these places, we kept our eyes open for the things our readers look for when they settle down at a place in the country.

Though we ran the numbers thoroughly (with the help of OnBoard LLC, the same statistical research firm that helps Money magazine with its annual Best Places issue), lists such as this are always going to be somewhat subjective. That's why we created this web site where you can compile your own list by telling our exclusive survey what's important to your rural lifestyle...

CollegeTownLife tests out the Progressive Farmer list compiler

Verdict: It's impressive.

Not everyone wants to live within the city limits of a college town. Some folks want a more rural life with the amenities of a college town within easy driving distance.

The list in the left hand column was generated from the Progressive Farmer compiler. Selection criteria were:

Selection value:
5 = highest; 1 = lowest

Cost of Living - 3
Low Crime - 5
Clean Air - 5
Good Schools - 5
Access to Healthcare - 5
Fewer Neighbors - 3
More Entertainment - 5
Warmer Climate - 1

(A warmer climate may be higher on your list. The CollegeTownLife editor is originally from WI, a state with wonderful winters and many great county/college linkages - none of which, unfortunately, showed up using these celection criteria. Keep trying, they must be in there - somewhere.)

Only the selection for Western states came up with a top 10 list that didn't have a college/university within a reasonable drive of each county in the list.

This may be a very helpful tool for folks who are looking to relocate to a rural setting and still not be cut off from the recreational and cultural offerings available from a college/university.

Editor's Note: Simply because the country life (in theory) appeals to you does not mean that you are cut out for living in rural areas outside small towns. If you've always lived in a major metropolitan area you most likely will experience significant culture shock if you relocate to this type of living arangement without testing the waters first. You may want to rent a place, or take an extended vacation, in the area you are considering relocating to.

When the editor and his wife relocated to a small college town in western Wisconsin in the early 1980s they thought they had found heaven - 20 acres and a solid (if run down) house in a rural setting inside the city limits for less than a two-car garge sized home in an area of metro Milwaukee near the University of Wisconsin. All I'll say is we wound up loving our life there, but there are real adjustments if you don't have living in that type of environment in your background.



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