5 Tennessee cities among America's "great affordable college towns" (Memphis: real estate, 2013)

[JMT]

There is an undeniable vibrance, charm, and romance about a great college town. In very practical terms, a local community that caters to the college population can have significant benefits for students – culturally, socially, and economically. For the value-conscious who want to experience this fully, we’re pleased to present this list of 50 great affordable college towns.

Tennessee's college towns which made it in the top 50 as well as a description given for each:

1. Cookeville
It would be hard to find a better college education in the South than the one you would receive at Tennessee Technological University. The U.S. News & World Report’s special “America’s Best Colleges” ranked TTU in the “Top 8 Public Schools in the South” every year from 2007- 2012, and they were mentioned as a “Top Public School in the South” in 2002, 2003, 2005, and 2006. The Princeton Review called the school a “Best College Value” in 2006 and 2007.

The small town of Cookeville, population approximately 30,000, is an important economic contributing hub for the area, creating a micropolitan area that influences the businesses and economies of three counties.

4. Memphis
In 2013, Memphis was ranked by Forbes magazine as one of the “top 15” cities in the United States. Students wishing to study pharmacology would do well to attend the University of Tennessee Health Science Center, which in 2010 was ranked 16th in the country by US News and World Report.

5. Murfreesboro
In a period of only 10 years (2000 – 2010), Murfreesboro saw an amazing population boom of almost 60%, without losing those qualities that made it such a special place to live. In 2006, Money magazine rated Murfreesboro as the 84th best place to live in the United States, out of a possible 725 cities having a population of over 50,000 residents. Similarly, even with a student enrollment of over 24,000, Middle Tennessee State University was ranked by Forbes magazine as a “top 100” public institution in 2009.

11. Nashville
According to Forbes in 2013, Nashville ranks #5 among the “Best Places for Businesses and Careers.” Vanderbilt University has one of the most selective programs in the United States, accepting less than 12% of applicants who apply to the undergraduate program.

14. Knoxville
In 2011, Kiplinger listed Knoxville as one of its “Best Value Cities,” coming in at number five. Forbes Magazine similarly ranked Knoxville in the top five for “Businesses and Careers.”

The full list:
50 Great Affordable College Towns in the U.S. |

[JRR]

The influence of Tennessee Tech is one of the major things that has helped us make our decision to relocate to Cookeville for our retirement. We like to get out now and then here near Orlando to the Shakespeare Theater for a performance or to a concert in the area. So when we get to Cookeville, we can get our dose of Shakespeare every year and the Bryan Symphony should be fine for our classical appetite. Frosting on the cake would be the community band concerts, other music at the university and hopping on over to the Cumberland County Playhouse now and then. Don't want to spend all of our retirement time just sitting on the front porch or watching TV.

When you add in the reasonable cost of living, fairly mild four season weather, all the shopping we could want, and how much we have enjoyed the people we have met on our trips up there, Cookeville pretty much checks all the boxes for us.

[Rangerred]

What an odd list. I wouldn't consider Nashville affordable or a college town. Memphis is definitely not a college town nor is Savannah GA, Houston TX, etc.

I was wondering why Johnson City wasn't included but then I saw that they used Wikipedia's list of college towns and Johnson City isn't even on that list. Very strange indeed.

[JoeCartpath]

Chattanooga wasn't on the list either.....nor was Martin...

[JMT]

Originally Posted by Rangerred

What an odd list. I wouldn't consider Nashville affordable or a college town. Memphis is definitely not a college town nor is Savannah GA, Houston TX, etc.

I was wondering why Johnson City wasn't included but then I saw that they used Wikipedia's list of college towns and Johnson City isn't even on that list. Very strange indeed.

Johnson City is on the Wikipedia list. Nashville has two medical schools, three law schools, and is home to Vanderbilt, Fisk, Belmont, Lipscomb, Aquinas, Tennessee State, Meharry, and others. Why shouldn't it be on the list? I do agree that Nashville's cost of living is not cheap.

Originally Posted by JoeCartpath

Chattanooga wasn't on the list either.....nor was Martin...

Chattanooga and Martin are on the Wikipedia list, as well as Collegedale, Harrogate, Henderson, McKenzie, and Sewanee. But Lebanon, Pulaski, Bristol, Dayton, Jefferson City, Greeneville, Athens, Jackson, and Cleveland aren't. It does seem pretty random for it to include places like Harragote and Henderson but not the others.

[jabogitlu]

When I think of "college town," I think of somewhere where much of the social, cultural, and even political life of the community thrives and rotates around the university presence. Something like Oxford, MS.

Nashville is home to many institutions, true. And while their impact is deeply felt, that impact isn't broad. Higher learning shares equal seats at the table with many other entities. That's why, in my mind, Nashville would never be a college town.

Therefore, in some ways, to me, most quintessential college towns are pretty small.

[the_commuter]

Memphis is home to the U of Memphis, Rhodes College, Christian Brothers University, LeMoyne-Owen College, Southwest Tennessee State Community College, UT Health Science Center, Memphis College of Art, Victory University, Memphis Theological Seminary, Harding School of Theology, Mid-America Baptist Theological Seminary, and Southern College of Optometry.

It may not be a 'college town' in the sense of Oxford or Athens -- but it has more college students than any other city in Tennessee besides Nashville.

[abc2330]

Originally Posted by jabogitlu

When I think of "college town," I think of somewhere where much of the social, cultural, and even political life of the community thrives and rotates around the university presence. Something like Oxford, MS.

Nashville is home to many institutions, true. And while their impact is deeply felt, that impact isn't broad. Higher learning shares equal seats at the table with many other entities. That's why, in my mind, Nashville would never be a college town.

Therefore, in some ways, to me, most quintessential college towns are pretty small.

Oxford is a horrible college town IMO, as there are no career opportunities after completion, it's expensive, and it's barren and there is really nothing there but the college, because inflated real estate prices everything out. There really is little community or activity outside of the campus.

Austin makes a great college town, but I tend to think of somewhere in-between the dead end, middle of nowhere places like Oxford and big cities as being ideal. I think Memphis is good in the sense that living is affordable, plenty to do, easy to find part-time work, as opposed to a smaller place. Nashville universities are too exclusive, living is too expensive, and the city feels too corporate to really give you the fun, economical "college town" feel

[Hey_Hey]

I agree, Nashville is not a college town. Neither is Memphis. Both are too large for their universities to play such a prominent role as they do in places like Athens, Oxford, Auburn, or Tuscaloosa. Even smaller cities like Lexington and Knoxville don't feel like true college towns. Life in both of those cities is much larger than what goes on at the university.

[Shakeesha]

Originally Posted by Hey_Hey

I agree, Nashville is not a college town. Neither is Memphis. Both are too large for their universities to play such a prominent role as they do in places like Athens, Oxford, Auburn, or Tuscaloosa. Even smaller cities like Lexington and Knoxville don't feel like true college towns. Life in both of those cities is much larger than what goes on at the university.

What cities in Tennessee do you feel are college towns?