Consumer online resource evaluated
280 municipalities nationwide
MURFREESBORO — When it comes to being a great college town,
the home of Middle Tennessee State University surpasses its neighbor Nashville
and dozens of other larger cities and towns across the country, according to a
popular consumer online ranking service.
WalletHub.com, a digital
information resource for consumers and small businesses, ranked 280
municipalities across the nation as part of its recently released “Best &
Worst College Cities & Towns in America” listing.
Murfreesboro came in at No. 49 in
the overall rankings, the highest-rated college town in the state of Tennessee
and among the top 20 percent of ranked cities. The next closest city in the
state is Knoxville (56) followed by Nashville (89). Cities and towns were also
ranked separately on wallet wellness, youth-oriented environment, and
opportunities.
The top-ranked city overall was
Oxford, Ohio, home to Miami University. Find the complete rankings at http://tinyurl.com/kz4gbbm.
In a sub-ranking for medium-sized
cities (population of 100,000 to 300,000), Murfreesboro, with a population of
almost 125,000, came in at an impressive No. 11 out of 149 cities, beating out
cities such as Wilmington, North Carolina; Cambridge, Massachusetts; and
Madison, Wisconsin.
According to WalletHub.com, the
company analyzed 23 metrics such as the quality of higher education, crime
rates and the cost of living to find the cities and towns “that promise the
best or worst combination of academic, social and economic atmospheres.”
For its study, WalletHub limited
its selection of cities and towns to those with a university or college
population of at least 10,000 students. With an enrollment of close to 23,000
students, MTSU and its 500-acre main campus just east of downtown enhances the
community’s quality of life with brainpower, community partnerships and through
numerous educational and cultural activities available to the public.
“MTSU has been an integral part of
the city of Murfreesboro for many years, not only providing an affordable
high-quality education for students but also producing many alumni who choose
to stay in the city and region to start their careers and families,” said Dr.
Deb Sells, vice president for student affairs and vice provost for enrollment
and academic services.
“We’re pleased by rankings such as
this because they reflect the value we believe this university provides beyond
our campus borders.”
According to WalletHub.com
financial writer Richard Barnardo, it’s important for a prospective student to
not only look at an institution’s intellectual environment but also the city or
town the student will call home away from home for several years.
“Academic success depends on more
than just the quality of a program,” Barnardo wrote. “Also important is an area
that is safe, affordable and conducive to personal development through a
diversity of cultural and professional experiences.”
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