WalletHub Names Austin the Best US College Town for 2027

Austin has secured the No. 1 spot as the best college town in America for 2027, according to WalletHub’s annual report, extending a five-year winning streak that outshines Pittsburgh and Ann Arbor.

How Austin Swept the 2027 Rankings

To determine where student life meets long-term economic viability, WalletHub analyzed 415 cities across the United States. Researchers evaluated each location based on wallet-friendliness, social environment, and academic and economic opportunities for graduates. Austin clinched the top overall position while also leading the large cities category.

The Texas capital captured the 15th spot nationwide for academic and economic opportunities and landed at 16th for social environment. WalletHub highlighted the city’s remarkably low unemployment rate and its 34th-best annual job growth rate as primary drivers for the ranking. The report also pointed to ample recreational options for students looking to destress after class, alongside a 22nd-place ranking for higher education quality.

Beyond the University of Texas at Austin, the metro area supports five major universities: Concordia University, Huston-Tillotson University, St. Edward’s University, Southwestern University in Georgetown, and Texas State University in San Marcos. The Austin Community College district serves students across Central Texas, maintaining campuses in communities including Lockhart, Kyle, Elgin, Round Rock, Cedar Park, and Leander.

The Affordability Paradox

Despite heavy praise for career momentum and campus infrastructure, the city’s financial accessibility tells a starkly different story. WalletHub ranked Austin 188th in the wallet-friendliness category, a metric that weighs local housing costs, student loan debt per person, and the adjusted cost of living for young adults.

While in-state tuition including room and board averages $34,651 per year—ranking 112th cheapest among the cities studied—affordability leaves much to be desired for undergraduates and recent graduates trying to plant roots in the region.

How Other Texas Cities Fared

Austin was not the only Lone Star State municipality to secure recognition in the 2027 evaluation. Seven other Texas cities appeared on the broader list, showcasing a wide geographic spread of higher education hubs across the state.

City	Overall National Rank
Austin	No. 1
College Station	No. 37
Plano	No. 54
San Antonio	No. 72
Houston	No. 73
Denton	No. 77
Lubbock	No. 83
Fort Worth	No. 100

When sorted by city size, San Antonio claimed the No. 2 spot for large college towns in Texas and ranked 23rd nationally, with Houston following closely as the third-best statewide and 24th across the country. Meanwhile, Austin neighbor San Marcos took second place among small college towns in Texas, landing at 54th nationally within its population bracket and 132nd overall.

Nationwide, the top tier of the 2027 report features Ann Arbor, Michigan, at No. 2, followed by Charlottesville, Virginia, at No. 3, Raleigh, North Carolina, at No. 4, and Atlanta rounding out the top five.