Out of 170 U.S. cities with a four-year college and a population of less than 150,000, Hastings, Nebraska, the home of Hastings College, made USA Today’s “The 25 best small college towns” list.
Hastings, 20th on the list, was the only community in Nebraska included. It was ranked higher than communities such as Bloomington, Indiana; Syracuse, New York; and Boulder, Colorado.
To develop the list, USA Today ranked each city on a 20-point scale using economic and quality of life criteria. Criteria included the percentage of the population with a bachelor’s degree, median annual rent as a percentage of median annual earnings, county unemployment rate, commuter travel time, walkability and other factors.
“Living in a vibrant college town can have a positive impact on a student’s educational experience,” USA Today noted.
For the full rankings, check out the USA Today article.
