National List Omits Key New York College Towns

There’s no debating fantastic locales like Austin, Texas (#1 among big college cities), Orlando, Florida (#1 among mid-sized college cities), and Ann Arbor, Michigan (#1 among small college cities) are great places to be a student.

When it comes to college towns, those spots are the cream of the crop, at least according to WalletHub, which released its list of the nation’s Best College Towns. However, the list has some glaring omissions.

First, let's get to the criteria:

WalletHub compared more than 400 U.S. cities – also grouped by city size – based on 28 key indicators of academic, social and economic growth potential. The data set ranges from cost of living to quality of higher education to crime rate."

The list ranks New York cities and towns quite low, including New York City (at #122), Syracuse (#206), and New Rochelle at #406. As for the omissions, we're shocked the following New York college towns didn't even make the list:

Utica

Circled by SUNY Poly, Utica College, and MVCC, the city of Utica offers affordable housing options for students, and great cultural opportunities with its downtown arts and its proximity to the Adirondacks.

Clinton

The Mohawk Valley's own. Home of Hamilton College, a bustling summertime farmer's market, and some great bars, restaurants and shops.

Cortland

Halfway between Syracuse and Binghamton on the I-81 corridor, and home to SUNY Cortland, the campus is just a short walk to downtown Cortland. Plus, it's only 24 miles to Ithaca, which ranked 87th on WalletHub's list.

Oswego

About 30 minutes north of Syracuse, home to SUNY Oswego, a scenic portion of the southern shoreline of Lake Ontario, and the world-famous Oswego Sub Shop.

Potsdam

Located less than an hour from Canada, Potsdam is one of the most underrated college towns anywhere, and features the gorgeous Raquette River flowing through town. Its charming Main Street welcomes students from SUNY Potsdam, St. Lawrence, Clarkson University--all within a few miles of each other.