The same week Farmers Insurance named Ithaca as the “most secure” city in the United States, the city was also ranked as the top college town in the nation by the American Institute for Economic Research.
Ithaca retained its overall number one spot from the 2010-2011 rankings, beating out 226 other cities and towns. AIER’s College Destinations Index, which is formulated every two years, measures such factors as the number of arts and leisure establishments, the unemployment rate and the level of entrepreneurial activity.
Small towns dominated the top 10 list, with Ames, Iowa, State College, Pa., Iowa City, Iowa and Corvallis, Ore. rounding out the top five spots. The major metropolitan areas of San Francisco, New York City, Washington, D.C., and Boston all fell from the top 10 list, which AIER attributed to the effects of the economic downturn.
See the full breakdown of AIER’s Top 10 College Destinations here.
Original Author: David Marten