Western Massachusetts Town Named Best College Town in the U.S.

Massachusetts is famous for many things, but the concentration of colleges in the Commonwealth, combined with the rest of New England, is unmatched. Some of the most prestigious and historic schools in the country are located in Massachusetts, including Harvard University, which was founded in 1636 and is widely regarded as the oldest university in the country.

At the beginning of the 2023-2024 school year, there were 146 colleges and universities in the state of Massachusetts, with campuses located throughout the state, from Cape Cod to the Berkshires.

At Massachusetts colleges, there are 481,945 students, including 332,232 undergraduate and 149,713 graduate school students, in total for the academic year 2022-2023, according to UnivStats.com

So we know Massachusetts has plenty of college towns to choose from, but just one made the list of the best college towns in the country.

Western Massachusetts Makes List of Best College Towns in the United States

A new list of the best college towns in the United States has been released, and just one Massachusetts town made the list. The study examined several factors, including cost of living, tuition fees, graduation rates, natural amenities, air quality, entertainment options, and many more to reach their conclusions.

So, what Massachusetts town made the list? Amherst, Massachusetts, was named the 17th best college town in the country. Amherst is technically a city with a population of just under 40,000 people, but definitely still feels like a quintessential New England College town.

Amherst is home to Amherst College, Hampshire College, Mount Holyoke College, Smith College, and the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

Which towns topped the list? Bozeman, Montana, Pullman, Washington, and Gainesville, Florida, took the top three spots, respectively.