Ohio doesn't get a lot of attention for its colleges, but there are 61 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 61 of them on the colleges themselves, the town around them, and things to do. Bowling Green came out on top.
The 10 Best College Towns In Ohio For 2026
Want the bigger picture? See where Ohio's towns land among the best college towns in America.
For more reading, check out:
| Colleges | Bowling Green State University-Main Campus |
|---|---|
| Undergrads | 12,812 (43 per 100 residents) |
| Population | 29,983 |
| Median rent | $897 |
| Graduation rate | 67% |
| Cost to attend (per year) | $33,007 |
Bowling Green is home to Bowling Green State University-Main Campus. There are 43 undergrads for every 100 residents, the median rent is $897 a month, and the average cost to attend is $33,007 a year. It ranks 13th for crime among the 61 towns we ranked.
| Colleges | Kent State University at Kent |
|---|---|
| Undergrads | 19,320 (71 per 100 residents) |
| Population | 27,116 |
| Median rent | $991 |
| Graduation rate | 65% |
| Cost to attend (per year) | $30,567 |
Kent is home to Kent State University at Kent. There are 71 undergrads for every 100 residents, the median rent is $991 a month, and the average cost to attend is $30,567 a year. It ranks 20th for crime among the 61 towns we ranked.
| Colleges | Youngstown State University |
|---|---|
| Undergrads | 7,961 (13 per 100 residents) |
| Population | 59,331 |
| Median rent | $728 |
| Graduation rate | 53% |
| Cost to attend (per year) | $21,708 |
Youngstown is home to Youngstown State University. There are 13 undergrads for every 100 residents, the median rent is $728 a month, and the average cost to attend is $21,708 a year. It ranks 51st for crime among the 61 towns we ranked.
| Colleges | Ohio State University-Newark Campus, Central Ohio Technical College |
|---|---|
| Undergrads | 4,337 (9 per 100 residents) |
| Population | 50,783 |
| Median rent | $973 |
| Graduation rate | 38% |
| Cost to attend (per year) | $18,414 |
Newark is home to Ohio State University-Newark Campus, Central Ohio Technical College. There are 9 undergrads for every 100 residents, the median rent is $973 a month, and the average cost to attend is $18,414 a year. It ranks 28th for crime among the 61 towns we ranked.
| Colleges | Kent State University at Stark, Walsh University |
|---|---|
| Undergrads | 4,082 (23 per 100 residents) |
| Population | 17,727 |
| Median rent | $1,029 |
| Graduation rate | 48% |
| Cost to attend (per year) | $31,756 |
North Canton is home to Kent State University at Stark, Walsh University. There are 23 undergrads for every 100 residents, the median rent is $1,029 a month, and the average cost to attend is $31,756 a year. It ranks 18th for crime among the 61 towns we ranked.
| Colleges | Lorain County Community College |
|---|---|
| Undergrads | 5,373 (10 per 100 residents) |
| Population | 53,035 |
| Median rent | $906 |
| Graduation rate | 39% |
| Cost to attend (per year) | $9,860 |
Elyria is home to Lorain County Community College. There are 10 undergrads for every 100 residents, the median rent is $906 a month, and the average cost to attend is $9,860 a year. It ranks 26th for crime among the 61 towns we ranked.
| Colleges | University of Cincinnati-Main Campus, Cincinnati State Technical and Community College, Xavier University |
|---|---|
| Undergrads | 43,562 (14 per 100 residents) |
| Population | 311,224 |
| Median rent | $1,001 |
| Graduation rate | 64% |
| Cost to attend (per year) | $35,377 |
Cincinnati is home to University of Cincinnati-Main Campus, Cincinnati State Technical and Community College, Xavier University. There are 14 undergrads for every 100 residents, the median rent is $1,001 a month, and the average cost to attend is $35,377 a year. It ranks 57th for crime among the 61 towns we ranked.
| Colleges | Tiffin University, Heidelberg University |
|---|---|
| Undergrads | 2,966 (17 per 100 residents) |
| Population | 17,818 |
| Median rent | $890 |
| Graduation rate | 54% |
| Cost to attend (per year) | $47,514 |
Tiffin is home to Tiffin University, Heidelberg University. There are 17 undergrads for every 100 residents, the median rent is $890 a month, and the average cost to attend is $47,514 a year. It ranks 38th for crime among the 61 towns we ranked.
| Colleges | Cleveland State University, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland Institute of Art |
|---|---|
| Undergrads | 16,104 (4 per 100 residents) |
| Population | 366,097 |
| Median rent | $945 |
| Graduation rate | 73% |
| Cost to attend (per year) | $59,702 |
Cleveland is home to Cleveland State University, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland Institute of Art. There are 4 undergrads for every 100 residents, the median rent is $945 a month, and the average cost to attend is $59,702 a year. It ranks 61st for crime among the 61 towns we ranked.
| Colleges | Franciscan University of Steubenville |
|---|---|
| Undergrads | 2,901 (16 per 100 residents) |
| Population | 18,124 |
| Median rent | $775 |
| Graduation rate | 73% |
| Cost to attend (per year) | $44,580 |
Steubenville is home to Franciscan University of Steubenville. There are 16 undergrads for every 100 residents, the median rent is $775 a month, and the average cost to attend is $44,580 a year. It ranks 48th for crime among the 61 towns we ranked.
Saturday Night Science
How we determined the best college towns in Ohio
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 61 towns in Ohio 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 Ohio.
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 Ohio.
Summary
There You Have It -- The Best College Towns In Ohio
If you're looking for the best college towns in Ohio, Bowling Green is where to start.
The best college towns in Ohio are Bowling Green, Kent, Youngstown, Newark, North Canton, Elyria, Cincinnati, Tiffin, Cleveland, and Steubenville.
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 Ohio for 2026?
Bowling Green is the best college town in Ohio for 2026, followed by Kent and Youngstown.
How did you rank the best college towns in Ohio?
We looked at every town in Ohio 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 Ohio?
Wickliffe ranks last of the 61 college towns we ranked in Ohio for 2026.
Best College Towns In Ohio For 2026
| Rank | City | Population | Undergrads | Median Rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bowling Green, OH | 29,983 | 12,812 | $897 |
| 2 | Kent, OH | 27,116 | 19,320 | $991 |
| 3 | Youngstown, OH | 59,331 | 7,961 | $728 |
| 4 | Newark, OH | 50,783 | 4,337 | $973 |
| 5 | North Canton, OH | 17,727 | 4,082 | $1,029 |
| 6 | Elyria, OH | 53,035 | 5,373 | $906 |
| 7 | Cincinnati, OH | 311,224 | 43,562 | $1,001 |
| 8 | Tiffin, OH | 17,818 | 2,966 | $890 |
| 9 | Cleveland, OH | 366,097 | 16,104 | $945 |
| 10 | Steubenville, OH | 18,124 | 2,901 | $775 |
| 11 | Dayton, OH | 136,579 | 27,752 | $918 |
| 12 | Huron, OH | 6,757 | 1,251 | $1,000 |
| 13 | Parma, OH | 79,870 | 624 | $1,087 |
| 14 | Oberlin, OH | 8,329 | 2,887 | $995 |
| 15 | Granville, OH | 5,999 | 2,380 | $1,129 |
| 16 | Westerville, OH | 38,645 | 2,157 | $1,364 |
| 17 | Marion, OH | 35,669 | 2,269 | $856 |
| 18 | Alliance, OH | 21,478 | 1,995 | $836 |
| 19 | Celina, OH | 10,903 | 892 | $760 |
| 20 | Toledo, OH | 267,463 | 10,709 | $901 |
| 21 | Blue Ash, OH | 13,455 | 4,354 | $1,555 |
| 22 | Wooster, OH | 26,971 | 1,730 | $918 |
| 23 | Oxford, OH | 21,753 | 16,656 | $997 |
| 24 | Ironton, OH | 10,768 | 415 | $782 |
| 25 | Athens, OH | 23,396 | 19,633 | $1,011 |
| 26 | Akron, OH | 189,247 | 9,443 | $955 |
| 27 | Columbus, OH | 914,802 | 67,896 | $1,295 |
| 28 | Zanesville, OH | 24,740 | 1,275 | $821 |
| 29 | Hamilton, OH | 63,468 | 2,043 | $1,007 |
| 30 | New Philadelphia, OH | 17,520 | 1,654 | $897 |
| 31 | Springfield, OH | 58,190 | 4,671 | $851 |
| 32 | Findlay, OH | 40,287 | 2,223 | $975 |
| 33 | Lima, OH | 35,010 | 4,705 | $903 |
| 34 | Sylvania, OH | 19,055 | 543 | $1,072 |
| 35 | Mansfield, OH | 47,663 | 2,009 | $814 |
| 36 | Painesville, OH | 20,548 | 852 | $1,036 |
| 37 | Chillicothe, OH | 21,902 | 833 | $887 |
| 38 | Ashland, OH | 18,911 | 2,199 | $893 |
| 39 | Pepper Pike, OH | 6,840 | 670 | $3,501 |
| 40 | Warren, OH | 38,912 | 1,629 | $766 |
| 41 | Berea, OH | 18,218 | 2,842 | $1,062 |
| 42 | Ashtabula, OH | 17,856 | 1,290 | $793 |
| 43 | Wilmington, OH | 12,620 | 1,006 | $909 |
| 44 | Portsmouth, OH | 17,728 | 2,247 | $747 |
| 45 | Canton, OH | 69,755 | 1,078 | $850 |
| 46 | St. Clairsville, OH | 5,003 | 298 | $927 |
| 47 | Marietta, OH | 13,203 | 2,436 | $861 |
| 48 | Salem, OH | 11,758 | 1,210 | $763 |
| 49 | Kettering, OH | 57,206 | 760 | $1,051 |
| 50 | East Liverpool, OH | 9,783 | 797 | $785 |
| 51 | Maumee, OH | 13,715 | 395 | $995 |
| 52 | Delaware, OH | 44,589 | 1,516 | $1,286 |
| 53 | Defiance, OH | 17,276 | 499 | $853 |
| 54 | Lancaster, OH | 41,249 | 691 | $1,083 |
| 55 | Orrville, OH | 8,343 | 457 | $870 |
| 56 | University Heights, OH | 13,394 | 2,274 | $1,507 |
| 57 | Mount Vernon, OH | 17,052 | 1,358 | $948 |
| 58 | Canal Winchester, OH | 10,170 | 414 | $1,692 |
| 59 | Middletown, OH | 51,617 | 837 | $1,007 |
| 60 | Circleville, OH | 14,142 | 862 | $955 |
| 61 | Wickliffe, OH | 12,659 | 50 | $1,207 |
Best College Towns By State
Best College Towns In Arkansas
Best College Towns In California
Best College Towns In Colorado
Best College Towns In Connecticut
Best College Towns In Illinois
Best College Towns In Maryland
Best College Towns In Massachusetts
Best College Towns In Michigan
Best College Towns In Minnesota
Best College Towns In Mississippi
Best College Towns In Missouri
Best College Towns In Nebraska
Best College Towns In New Hampshire
Best College Towns In New Jersey
Best College Towns In New Mexico
Best College Towns In New York
Best College Towns In Oklahoma
Best College Towns In Pennsylvania
Best College Towns In Rhode Island
Best College Towns In South Carolina
Best College Towns In South Dakota
Best College Towns In Tennessee
Best College Towns In Virginia
Best College Towns In Washington