With college football season underway and basketball season gearing up, Iowa college towns are hotspots for tourism.
Iowa is home to three public universities and more than a dozen private colleges and universities. WalletHub, a personal finance website, ranked more than 400 U.S. cities based on factors including wallet friendliness, social environment as well as academic and economic opportunity.
So which city in Iowa ranks as the best college town according to Wallethub?
No. 5: Cedar Falls
Home to the University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls is a town of nearly 41,000 people, according to the U.S. Census. With 90 degree programs, UNI is known for its teaching program, which graduates more educators than any other Iowa university. The college town scored 47.32 overall out of 100 and ranked in 249th place.
- Wallet friendliness ranking: 34
- Social environment ranking: 200
- Academic and economic opportunities ranking: 343
No. 4: Cedar Rapids
Coe College, Kirkwood Community College and Mount Mercy University all call Cedar Rapids home. The eastern Iowa city has more than 137,000 people, according to the U.S. Census. Cedar Rapids has more than 30 murals throughout the downtown for visitors to take part in an art walk. Cedar Rapids overall score was 48.22 and ranked 211th.
- Wallet friendliness ranking: 134
- Social environment ranking: 266
- Academic and economic opportunities ranking: 222
No. 3: Iowa City
The University of Iowa was once considered the best party school in the country. But WalletHub ranked it third best out of the college towns in Iowa. Aside from museums and state parks, those visiting Iowa City on a gameday can take part in The Hawkeye Wave at Kinnick Stadium. The University of Iowa has nearly 31,000 students enrolled for the fall 2024. The total population of Iowa City is 74,828, according to the U.S. Census. Overall, Iowa City scored 49.42 out of 100 and ranked 160th.
- Wallet friendliness ranking: 73
- Social environment ranking: 107
- Academic and economic opportunities ranking: 346
No. 2: Des Moines
The capital of Iowa and home to Des Moines Area Community College, Drake University, Grand View University and Mercy College of Health Sciences was the second-best college town in Iowa. Drake is considered the best private school in Iowa offering students programs ranging from law to business to communications. Des Moines is a hotspot for concerts, shopping and nightlife.
The Des Moines metro area also hosts Des Moines University in West Des Moines, Faith Baptist Bible College in Ankeny, and Simpson College in Indianola
As Iowa’s largest city, Des Moines has a population of over 214,000 people. It received a score of a 50.76 out of 100 and ranked 121st in the country.
- Wallet friendliness ranking: 175
- Social environment ranking: 183
- Academic and economic opportunities ranking: 205
No. 1: Ames
Ames was ranked as the best college town in Iowa. Iowa State University offers more than 100 majors, minors and certificates, according to the university’s website. Ames has been ranked among America’s best cities to live, work play and go to college in by the Wall Street Journal and Forbes Magazine. Ames had an overall score of 50.98, according to WalletHub’s ranking. It ranked 112th out of the 415 cities.
Rankings out of 415 cities: 112
- Wallet friendliness: 71
- Social environment: 67
- Academic and economic opportunities: 340
What are the best college towns in the United States?
Here are the best college towns in America, according to WalletHub:
- Austin, Texas
- Ann Arbor, Michigan
- Orlando, Florida
- Tampa, Florida
- Raleigh, North Carolina
How did WalletHub determine the best college towns?
Each metric was graded on a 100-point scale with 100 being the most favorable conditions for a college student. A city had to have at least 7,500 students to be included in the list. Academic and economic opportunities, such as quality of education and earning potential for graduates, were weighted most heavily in the calculations.
Kate Kealey is a general assignment reporter for the Des Moines Register. Reach her at kkealey@registermedia.com or follow her on Twitter at @Kkealey17.