New York's Southern Tier

Data analysis by Washington Post Reporter Andrew Van Dam determined the Ultimate College Town by ranking US Census Urban Areas with the largest share of college students. Urban Areas follow population-density patterns, not municipal borders, and Alfred is a clear winner in this analysis as the home of both SUNY Alfred State College and private Alfred University.

Alfred is "the collegiest" by a wide margin.

Winning the number one national ranking and earning the nickname College Town USA proves that Alfred's picture-perfect environment away from big city worries stands out among all other university and college towns in the country. Van Dam called Alfred “the collegiest” a term he coined. While located in a scenic rural area, Alfred is within an easy day's drive for people across the US Northeast. Alfred invites you to Visit Us and see for yourself.

Van Dam describes Alfred as a village wedged into Western New York’s hills that is home to two schools. "Students make up an astonishing 85 percent of the town's population... If you go left at the town's only stoplight, you're on one campus. Turn right, you're on the other. Now that's a college town."

Describing how college towns are unique, the Washington Post added, "The classic college town is built around a school at its heart. (The town is) inhaling nervously in the fall and exhaling as summer begins." Interviewed by a Scripps network TV reporter, Alfred State architecture student Jennifer Meo confirmed, "Fall through spring (the town's alive) when everyone's here before they pop out."

The Chronicle of Higher Education also weighed in on the Ultimate US College Town saying, "When you hear the phrase 'college town' what comes to mind? Luckily for you, there's a quantitative way to figure this out... Clocking in at No. 1 is Alfred, NY." 

College towns are defined by a sense of togetherness and belonging. 

In an Ultimate College Town students build strong relationships in a caring community, everyone in town is focused on helping students succeed, and students are the majority of residents. There are only 17 US college towns where most of the local population is enrolled in school.

Kristen Mirand of WKBW-TV in Buffalo bragged about Alfred's close-knit community saying, "It's the community and college town that so many are proud to be a part of." Yahoo! News notes how close the ties are between the two schools, "Alfred's Hot Dog Day has brought Alfred State College and Alfred University students together to celebrate every spring for decades." 

Patrick Lakamp, data and enterprise editor at The Buffalo News, recognized Alfred's achievement writing, "Congratulations Alfred, NY, 'the collegiest' town in America!" In his "Lighter Side of the News" column, he commented that it's great to see good news about students and education. Jim Eckstrom at the Olean Times Herald joined in the celebrations proclaiming, "Alfred, N.Y., home to two institutions of higher learning, is ranked No. 1 in a nationwide survey to determine the Ultimate College Town."

Ultimate US College Towns: National Top 25

Ultimate US College Towns: Through #50

New York State is home to the most and highest-ranked Ultimate US College Towns.

A Washington Post analysis of Ultimate College Towns found that New York is number one in the nation for rural universities and colleges with that college town feel. An impressive fifteen out of the top 150 Ultimate US College Towns are in New York State. USA Today Network reporter Neal Simon observed, "Five towns with the 50 percent or higher student share of the local population are in New York, which is more than any other state." Ohio has three such college towns with students in the majority and Pennsylvania has two.

Alfred, New York is the first-place Ultimate US College Town with a student population of 85 percent, deemed "the collegiest." Sunny Hernandez at the Syracuse Post-Standard said about Alfred’s win, “The rural town finished at the top by a sizable margin where second-place finisher Prairie View, Texas has a student population of 78 percent.” In Alfred, nicknamed College Town USA, approximately two-thirds of the students are enrolled at SUNY Alfred State College and one-third at private Alfred University.

State University of New York (SUNY) originally coordinated all 64 of its locations so that 93 percent of New Yorkers live within 15 miles of a higher education provider, and nearly 100 percent live within 30 miles. SUNY has purposefully spread access to universities and colleges across the state, like SUNY Alfred State College, creating these idyllic college towns.

Smaller college towns are a big deal.

As the New York State Economic Development Council (NYSEDC) stated, "New York leads all states for rural locations where students are more than half the local population...These scenic educational powerhouses may not be in big cities but are convenient to every New Yorker. Number one is the college town of Alfred, home of NYSEDC Member SUNY Alfred State College.”

Being away from urban centers might lead you to believe that Ultimate College Towns are not convenient. But each NYS town named an Ultimate US College Town boasts more than 75 million people within 350 miles according to NASA’s SEDAC. SUNY Alfred State College proudly proclaims 104.4 million people live within an easy day's drive.Once again, Alfred is the best. The number of those surrounding Alfred, NY equals one-third of the US population.

College towns outside big cities are by definition smaller, tight-knit, and caring communities near an abundance of outdoor recreation to offer students a great place to learn, grow, seek their purpose in life, and focus on building skills for a successful future.

New York's Ultimate College Towns

View all 200 rankings by the Washington Post from US Census Urban Area Data. Regional population estimates are by NASA's SEDAC.