This Is the Best College City in the U.S., According to a New Report

While academics, campus, and post-graduate job prospects are all important factors when selecting a university, for many, the college’s location is just as crucial. And rightfully so: local communities are integral to college life, complementing social and academic experiences. 

According to Niche.com’s latest ranking, Boston’s Emmanuel College benefits from the best college location in the country. The small Catholic college, which prides itself on being “the heart of Boston,” dates back to 1919. Its main campus occupies 17 acres in Beantown’s Fenway neighborhood, just a 15-minute stroll from the city’s famous baseball stadium, home of the Red Sox.

“Located in the heart of Boston, Emmanuel College earned the top spot due to its close proximity to bars, coffee shops, and restaurants, making it an ideal location for college students. Student feedback was also overwhelmingly positive, highlighting the large community of young professionals in the area,” Zach Chatham, Niche.com’s communications manager, told Travel + Leisure.

Fenway is one of Boston’s most vibrant neighborhoods, offering easy access to serene parks and top-notch museums such as the renowned Museum of Fine Arts and the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. Shopping and dining, with bonus Charles River views, is also in the neighborhood, at Kenmore Square. But if students and faculty are craving even more recreational variety, the city’s Downtown is less than three miles east or a quick ride on “the T.” 

The historic Emerald Necklace Park system, designed by Central Park and U.S. Capitol’s landscape architect, Frederick Law Olmsted, is just steps from Emmanuel College’s campus, allowing students to stay active thanks to its many trails and paths, perfect for running and biking. The park system also has sports fields, play areas, scenic water views, and beautiful gardens like the stunning Kelleher Rose Garden.

Five Boston-based colleges dominate the top 10 spots of Niche.com’s ranking. While the second and third spots on the list are occupied by New York City’s New York University and The New School, both in Manhattan, Simmons University, which is right next door to Emmanuel College in Fenway, and Boston University, overlooking the Charles River in the Backbay Area, are fourth and fifth. Northeastern University and Emerson College rank eighth and ninth, respectively. 

Boston, of course, is known as one of the top college cities in the world, being home to over 30 high-education institutions and over 160,000 undergraduate and graduate students, which make up a significant portion of the city’s population.

You can read the full ranking on niche.com.