New York doesn't get a lot of attention for its colleges, but there are 53 towns in the state with at least one four-year school -- and some of them make great places to spend four years.
We wanted to know which ones are the best college towns. You know the type of place: plenty of students, plenty to do, affordable rent, and safe enough to walk around at night.
So we used Saturday Night Science to rank all 53 of them on the colleges themselves, the town around them, and things to do. Poughkeepsie came out on top.
The 10 Best College Towns In New York For 2026
Want the bigger picture? See where New York's towns land among the best college towns in America.
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| Colleges | Marist University, Vassar College |
|---|---|
| Undergrads | 7,626 (24 per 100 residents) |
| Population | 31,958 |
| Median rent | $1,400 |
| Graduation rate | 88% |
| Cost to attend (per year) | $77,496 |
Poughkeepsie is home to Marist University, Vassar College. There are 24 undergrads for every 100 residents, the median rent is $1,400 a month, and the average cost to attend is $77,496 a year. It ranks 8th for crime among the 53 towns we ranked.
| Colleges | SUNY Brockport |
|---|---|
| Undergrads | 5,784 (79 per 100 residents) |
| Population | 7,277 |
| Median rent | $995 |
| Graduation rate | 66% |
| Cost to attend (per year) | $26,046 |
Brockport is home to SUNY Brockport. There are 79 undergrads for every 100 residents, the median rent is $995 a month, and the average cost to attend is $26,046 a year. It ranks 24th for crime among the 53 towns we ranked.
| Colleges | University at Albany, Maria College of Albany, Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences |
|---|---|
| Undergrads | 13,941 (14 per 100 residents) |
| Population | 100,492 |
| Median rent | $1,216 |
| Graduation rate | 56% |
| Cost to attend (per year) | $32,214 |
Albany is home to University at Albany, Maria College of Albany, Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences. There are 14 undergrads for every 100 residents, the median rent is $1,216 a month, and the average cost to attend is $32,214 a year. It ranks 48th for crime among the 53 towns we ranked.
| Colleges | Molloy University |
|---|---|
| Undergrads | 3,162 (12 per 100 residents) |
| Population | 25,765 |
| Median rent | $1,881 |
| Graduation rate | 74% |
| Cost to attend (per year) | $50,720 |
Rockville Centre is home to Molloy University. There are 12 undergrads for every 100 residents, the median rent is $1,881 a month, and the average cost to attend is $50,720 a year. It ranks 24th for crime among the 53 towns we ranked.
| Colleges | Cornell University, Ithaca College |
|---|---|
| Undergrads | 20,237 (62 per 100 residents) |
| Population | 32,814 |
| Median rent | $1,447 |
| Graduation rate | 87% |
| Cost to attend (per year) | $78,420 |
Ithaca is home to Cornell University, Ithaca College. There are 62 undergrads for every 100 residents, the median rent is $1,447 a month, and the average cost to attend is $78,420 a year. It ranks 46th for crime among the 53 towns we ranked.
| Colleges | Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Russell Sage College |
|---|---|
| Undergrads | 6,958 (14 per 100 residents) |
| Population | 51,033 |
| Median rent | $1,175 |
| Graduation rate | 77% |
| Cost to attend (per year) | $66,506 |
Troy is home to Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Russell Sage College. There are 14 undergrads for every 100 residents, the median rent is $1,175 a month, and the average cost to attend is $66,506 a year. It ranks 45th for crime among the 53 towns we ranked.
| Colleges | State University of New York at Cortland |
|---|---|
| Undergrads | 5,901 (34 per 100 residents) |
| Population | 17,450 |
| Median rent | $975 |
| Graduation rate | 71% |
| Cost to attend (per year) | $28,108 |
Cortland is home to State University of New York at Cortland. There are 34 undergrads for every 100 residents, the median rent is $975 a month, and the average cost to attend is $28,108 a year. It ranks 44th for crime among the 53 towns we ranked.
| Colleges | Uta Mesivta of Kiryas Joel |
|---|---|
| Undergrads | 2,957 (31 per 100 residents) |
| Population | 9,515 |
| Median rent | $2,202 |
| Graduation rate | 79% |
| Cost to attend (per year) | $21,682 |
Monroe is home to Uta Mesivta of Kiryas Joel. There are 31 undergrads for every 100 residents, the median rent is $2,202 a month, and the average cost to attend is $21,682 a year. It ranks 24th for crime among the 53 towns we ranked.
| Colleges | Rochester Institute of Technology, University of Rochester, St. John Fisher University |
|---|---|
| Undergrads | 25,509 (12 per 100 residents) |
| Population | 208,772 |
| Median rent | $1,081 |
| Graduation rate | 74% |
| Cost to attend (per year) | $52,561 |
Rochester is home to Rochester Institute of Technology, University of Rochester, St. John Fisher University. There are 12 undergrads for every 100 residents, the median rent is $1,081 a month, and the average cost to attend is $52,561 a year. It ranks 50th for crime among the 53 towns we ranked.
| Colleges | Skidmore College |
|---|---|
| Undergrads | 2,694 (9 per 100 residents) |
| Population | 28,631 |
| Median rent | $1,470 |
| Graduation rate | 92% |
| Cost to attend (per year) | $85,270 |
Saratoga Springs is home to Skidmore College. There are 9 undergrads for every 100 residents, the median rent is $1,470 a month, and the average cost to attend is $85,270 a year. It ranks 7th for crime among the 53 towns we ranked.
Saturday Night Science
How we determined the best college towns in New York
First, we decided that every town on the list had to have at least one four-year college -- a school that grants bachelor's degrees -- and at least 5,000 residents. There are 53 towns in New York that fit the bill.
Then we ranked every town on these categories:
- The town: unemployment rate, median rent, and crime per capita
- The colleges: graduation rate, the average cost to attend, and student body diversity
- Things to do: bars, museums and libraries per capita, and population density
- Students: undergrads as a share of the population
- Size: population, since bigger towns have more going on
We ranked each town on every measure, averaged those ranks into a score for each category, and then averaged the categories. The town with the best overall score is the best college town in New York.
Our data comes from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard (enrollment, graduation rates, cost, and diversity), the Census Bureau's 2020-2024 American Community Survey, the FBI's 2024 crime report. We left out colleges that are online-only or mostly online, since their students don't actually live in town. A handful of towns don't report crime to the FBI, so we gave them the average.
We updated this article for 2026. This is our eleventh time ranking the best college towns in New York.
Summary
There You Have It -- The Best College Towns In New York
If you're looking for the best college towns in New York, Poughkeepsie is where to start.
The best college towns in New York are Poughkeepsie, Brockport, Albany, Rockville Centre, Ithaca, Troy, Cortland, Monroe, Rochester, and Saratoga Springs.
For more college towns, check out the best college towns in America.
Good to know
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best college town in New York for 2026?
Poughkeepsie is the best college town in New York for 2026, followed by Brockport and Albany.
How did you rank the best college towns in New York?
We looked at every town in New York with at least 5,000 residents and a four-year college, then ranked them on city characteristics, college characteristics, things to do, the share of residents who are students, and size. The town with the best average rank is number one.
What is the worst college town in New York?
Chestnut Ridge ranks last of the 53 college towns we ranked in New York for 2026.
Best College Towns In New York For 2026
| Rank | City | Population | Undergrads | Median Rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Poughkeepsie, NY | 31,958 | 7,626 | $1,400 |
| 2 | Brockport, NY | 7,277 | 5,784 | $995 |
| 3 | Albany, NY | 100,492 | 13,941 | $1,216 |
| 4 | Rockville Centre, NY | 25,765 | 3,162 | $1,881 |
| 5 | Ithaca, NY | 32,814 | 20,237 | $1,447 |
| 6 | Troy, NY | 51,033 | 6,958 | $1,175 |
| 7 | Cortland, NY | 17,450 | 5,901 | $975 |
| 8 | Monroe, NY | 9,515 | 2,957 | $2,202 |
| 9 | Rochester, NY | 208,772 | 25,509 | $1,081 |
| 10 | Saratoga Springs, NY | 28,631 | 2,694 | $1,470 |
| 11 | New Paltz, NY | 8,314 | 6,086 | $1,672 |
| 12 | Oswego, NY | 17,033 | 5,473 | $1,109 |
| 13 | Plattsburgh, NY | 19,830 | 3,769 | $1,030 |
| 14 | Syracuse, NY | 146,384 | 19,914 | $1,039 |
| 15 | Hamburg, NY | 9,792 | 921 | $1,097 |
| 16 | Garden City, NY | 22,941 | 5,276 | $3,265 |
| 17 | Farmingdale, NY | 8,474 | 9,552 | $2,520 |
| 18 | Potsdam, NY | 8,427 | 4,019 | $898 |
| 19 | Buffalo, NY | 276,854 | 30,482 | $1,046 |
| 20 | Oneonta, NY | 15,045 | 5,730 | $1,021 |
| 21 | Fredonia, NY | 9,467 | 2,755 | $878 |
| 22 | Hempstead, NY | 58,801 | 6,488 | $1,622 |
| 23 | New Rochelle, NY | 82,769 | 2,951 | $1,917 |
| 24 | Spring Valley, NY | 33,192 | 765 | $1,695 |
| 25 | Newburgh, NY | 28,519 | 1,148 | $1,454 |
| 26 | Canton, NY | 7,167 | 4,659 | $796 |
| 27 | Stony Brook, NY | 12,868 | 18,101 | $3,501 |
| 28 | Dobbs Ferry, NY | 11,443 | 5,735 | $2,369 |
| 29 | Geneseo, NY | 7,701 | 3,869 | $971 |
| 30 | Long Beach, NY | 34,756 | 159 | $2,515 |
| 31 | Bronxville, NY | 6,510 | 1,530 | $3,501 |
| 32 | Utica, NY | 64,217 | 4,127 | $951 |
| 33 | Geneva, NY | 12,512 | 1,786 | $972 |
| 34 | New York, NY | 8,483,844 | 143,277 | $1,821 |
| 35 | Mineola, NY | 21,211 | 3 | $2,415 |
| 36 | Elmira, NY | 26,257 | 708 | $909 |
| 37 | Seneca Falls, NY | 6,956 | 71 | $951 |
| 38 | Kings Point, NY | 5,634 | 962 | $3,501 |
| 39 | White Plains, NY | 60,666 | 759 | $2,269 |
| 40 | Schenectady, NY | 68,847 | 2,046 | $1,145 |
| 41 | Yonkers, NY | 209,978 | 0 | $1,784 |
| 42 | Glen Cove, NY | 28,112 | 106 | $2,398 |
| 43 | Peekskill, NY | 25,625 | 100 | $2,036 |
| 44 | Suffern, NY | 11,441 | 152 | $2,091 |
| 45 | Manhasset, NY | 7,716 | 0 | $1,622 |
| 46 | Dix Hills, NY | 24,773 | 547 | $2,659 |
| 47 | Ossining, NY | 26,950 | 205 | $2,154 |
| 48 | Monsey, NY | 28,160 | 1,901 | $1,892 |
| 49 | Syosset, NY | 18,433 | 58 | $3,036 |
| 50 | New Windsor, NY | 8,919 | 47 | $1,666 |
| 51 | Airmont, NY | 10,205 | 15 | $1,181 |
| 52 | Lawrence, NY | 6,778 | 156 | $1,943 |
| 53 | Chestnut Ridge, NY | 10,557 | 51 | $1,710 |
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