Laramie Scores Top 10 Spot on Best U.S. Small College Towns List

Well, I guess experts have discovered what we've always known here in Laramie. The word is out, and drum roll please; Laramie ranks as a top small college town on Wallet Hub's guide to the Best and Worst College Towns and Cities in the United States for prospective students in 2024. The Gem City sits at number six, just behind

Are we surprised? No! The Gem City earned the same moniker back in 2022. This year, WalletHub compared over 400 cities based on 31 key factors to determine the best of the best (and the worst of the worst). Here's why Laramie ranked high on the list:

Laramie Ranks as 6th Best Small College Town in the U.S.

The WalletHub study used 31 key indicators of academic, social, and economic opportunities for students to determine its rankings. Laramie ranked the following (note: a lower score indicates a better rank; i.e., 1 is a perfect score):

Wallet Friendliness: 63
Social Environment: 51
Academic and Economic Opportunities: 221

Student-Friendliness of Laramie (1=Best; 208=Avg.):

194^th – Cost of Living for Young People
10^th – Cost of Higher Education
44^th – % of Part-Time Jobs
36^th – Brain Drain
77^th – City Accessibility
31^st – Crime Rate
136^th – % of Rental Units
45^th – Students per Capita
1^st – Unemployment Rate

The city's rankings earned it the 21st spot compared to big and small college towns. On the small college list, Laramie sits right behind Provo, Utah, at number 5 and ahead of Wilmington, NC, at number seven. Ann Arbor, Michigan, was the number one 'Best Small College Town'.

Source: WalletHub

How Do Neighboring Colleges Rank?

For the most part, colleges in neighboring Colorado didn't fare as well as Laramie. Colorado State ranked 45th in the mid-sized category, Aurora ranked 63rd for a large college, and Denver ranked 33rd in the large-city category. However, Colorado Springs ranked higher at 15th overall on the national scale.

Up in Montana, Bozeman ranked at number 17 overall in the small college category, and Missoula ranked 51st (ouch.)

Find the complete list of the Best and Worst College Towns in America for 2024 by clicking here.