Topeka ranked among best college towns with low cost of living

TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW) - The Capital City has been ranked among the best college towns in the nation with one of the lowest costs of living for young people.

In the midst of application season and as student living expenses reach more than $30,000 per year in some areas, WalletHub.com says on Tuesday, Nov. 29, it released its report on 2023′s Best & Worst College Towns and Cities in America - and a few Kansas locations made the list.

To help college-bound residents decide where to call home for the next several years, WalletHub said it compared more than 400 U.S. cities based on 32 indicators of academic, social and economic growth potential. It said data sets range from the cost of living to the quality of higher education to the crime rate.

The report ranked Overland Park - home of Johnson County Community College - 55th overall with a total score of 52.92. The city ranked 215th for Wallet Friendliness, 248 for Social Environment and 35 for Academic and Economic Opportunities.

Just to the west, Olathe - home of MidAmerica Nazarene University - ranked 136th overall with a total score of 49.31. It ranked 198th for Wallet Friendliness, 344th for Social Environment and 69th for Academic and Economic Opportunities.

Meanwhile, more to the west, Manhattan - home of Kansas State University - ranked 171st overall with a total score of 48.47. The Little Apple ranked 85th for Wallet Friendliness, 240th for Social Environment and 268th for Academic and Economic Opportunities.

The Sunflower State’s Capital City, Topeka - home of Washburn University - ranked 230th overall with a total score of 47.08. The city ranked 19th for Wallet Friendliness, 389th for Social Environment and 244th for Academic and Economic Opportunities.

Back to the east, Lawrence - home of the University of Kansas - ranked 237th overall with a total score of 46.79. The city ranked 54th for Wallet Friendliness, 166th for Social Environment and 360th for Academic and Economic Opportunities.

Down to the south, Wichita - home of Wichita State University - ranked 258th with a total score of 46.32. The Gateway to the Plains ranked 71st for Wallet Friendliness, 284th for Social Environment and 324th for Academic and Economic Opportunities.

Lastly, Kansas City, Kan., - home of Kansas City Kansas Community College - ranked 356th overall with a total score of 43.1. The city ranked 120th for Wallet Friendliness, 408th for Social Environment and 274th for Academic and Economic Opportunities.

The report also found that Topeka had the fourth-lowest cost of living for young people. Meanwhile, Kansas City had the third-fewest students per capita.

The study found that the best places to attend college include:

1. Austin, Texas
2. Ann Arbor, Mich.
3. Orlando, Fla.
4. Gainesville, Fla.
5. Tampa, Fla.

The worst places to attend school include:

1. Flint, Mich.
2. Bridgeport, Conn.
3. Compton, Cali.
4. New Rochelle, N.Y.
5. Germantown, Md.

For more information or to see where other cities fall, click HERE.

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