Michigan State’s College Town Just Ranked Top 10 in the U.S.

If you're a Michigan teen thinking about where you might want to go to college, this list is for you.

Why Your College Town Matters

Deciding which college is right for you is a big decision. And it's not 100% about the college itself. It's about your college experience as a whole, and part of that experience is the town you live in.

Recently, RentCafe took a look at what makes for an excellent college town and released a top ten list of the best college towns in the U.S.

How RentCafe Ranked the Best College Towns

RentCafe looked at 244 college towns throughout the U.S. and evaluated them across 12 key metrics:

• Tuition and fees
• Cost of living
• Percentage of students receiving grant or scholarship aid
• Ratio of arts, entertainment and recreation establishments to county population
• Share of population with higher education
• Share of young adults aged 20 to 29
• Natural amenity scale
• Air quality index
• Retention rate
• Student-to-faculty ratio
• Graduation rate
• Admission yield

After looking at all these metrics, they found that one Michigan town made the top 20 list for 'Best College Towns in the U.S. for 2026': East Lansing!

East Lansing Ranks in the Top 10 Best College Towns in the U.S.

East Lansing came in at No. 9 on the list thanks to its "welcoming community of well-educated young residents", relative affordability, and quality education. Here's the breakdown:

Home to Michigan State University, East Lansing ranks No. 9 thanks to its overall affordability and quality of education. The town also has a young population with 43% of residents aged between 20 and 29, and a large percentage of highly educated residents (67%). Moreover, the average cost of living in East Lansing is below the national average at around $3,488.

With a great retention rate (90%) and a graduation rate of 81%, the institution is a desirable college for many, offering a good college experience and professional opportunities.

So when it comes to good college towns, East Lansing does pretty well. See which other college towns made the list.