Best College Towns for Rental Investing
Cities with major universities ranked by student rental demand, property values, and investment potential.
1
Indianapolis
Indiana
1,041,215
Students
331,961
Off-Campus
$1,405
Avg Rent
2
West Lafayette
Indiana
628,377
Students
326,501
Off-Campus
$1,864
Avg Rent
3
Houston
Texas
939,022
Students
255,835
Off-Campus
$1,816
Avg Rent
4
College Station
Texas
459,798
Students
222,542
Off-Campus
N/A
Avg Rent
5
Sacramento
California
665,637
Students
170,180
Off-Campus
$2,123
Avg Rent
6
San Antonio
Texas
788,697
Students
165,927
Off-Campus
$1,465
Avg Rent
7
Orlando
Florida
771,740
Students
159,174
Off-Campus
$1,657
Avg Rent
8
Pasadena
Texas
220,458
Students
157,407
Off-Campus
$1,517
Avg Rent
9
Los Angeles
California
1,034,288
Students
150,017
Off-Campus
$2,626
Avg Rent
10
Santa Barbara
California
242,823
Students
140,305
Off-Campus
$4,937
Avg Rent
11
Monterey Park
California
212,247
Students
136,475
Off-Campus
$2,480
Avg Rent
12
Dallas
Texas
477,986
Students
133,783
Off-Campus
$1,633
Avg Rent
13
Adelphi
Maryland
420,588
Students
131,223
Off-Campus
$1,782
Avg Rent
14
Tempe
Arizona
607,975
Students
130,843
Off-Campus
$1,673
Avg Rent
15
The Woodlands
Texas
496,937
Students
130,197
Off-Campus
$2,279
Avg Rent
16
Gainesville
Florida
450,542
Students
126,985
Off-Campus
$1,700
Avg Rent
17
San Diego
California
1,062,601
Students
124,359
Off-Campus
$3,004
Avg Rent
18
Austin
Texas
620,774
Students
124,110
Off-Campus
$1,647
Avg Rent
19
Orem
Utah
312,557
Students
122,522
Off-Campus
$1,521
Avg Rent
20
Denver
Colorado
354,802
Students
115,977
Off-Campus
$1,751
Avg Rent
21
Seattle
Washington
492,648
Students
104,437
Off-Campus
$2,155
Avg Rent
22
Auburn
Alabama
198,090
Students
98,847
Off-Campus
N/A
Avg Rent
23
Ankeny
Iowa
170,926
Students
92,813
Off-Campus
$1,488
Avg Rent
24
Fresno
California
358,997
Students
91,950
Off-Campus
$2,606
Avg Rent
25
Bakersfield
California
281,379
Students
90,957
Off-Campus
$1,749
Avg Rent
26
Chicago
Illinois
1,072,064
Students
88,054
Off-Campus
$2,233
Avg Rent
27
San Jose
California
157,785
Students
87,962
Off-Campus
$3,781
Avg Rent
28
Irvine
California
412,657
Students
87,791
Off-Campus
$3,424
Avg Rent
29
Fort Worth
Texas
367,014
Students
84,769
Off-Campus
$1,580
Avg Rent
30
San Francisco
California
400,736
Students
83,124
Off-Campus
$4,043
Avg Rent
31
Whittier
California
120,351
Students
82,320
Off-Campus
$2,309
Avg Rent
32
San Bernardino
California
223,349
Students
82,226
Off-Campus
$1,944
Avg Rent
33
Tallahassee
Florida
396,887
Students
82,006
Off-Campus
$1,399
Avg Rent
34
Portland
Oregon
283,864
Students
81,738
Off-Campus
$1,701
Avg Rent
35
Westminster
Colorado
147,672
Students
74,279
Off-Campus
$2,223
Avg Rent
36
Aurora
Colorado
127,337
Students
74,206
Off-Campus
$1,601
Avg Rent
37
Baton Rouge
Louisiana
356,567
Students
72,409
Off-Campus
$1,277
Avg Rent
38
Atlanta
Georgia
731,424
Students
70,773
Off-Campus
$2,009
Avg Rent
39
Oakland
California
118,489
Students
70,038
Off-Campus
$2,599
Avg Rent
40
Detroit
Michigan
291,445
Students
70,030
Off-Campus
$1,547
Avg Rent
41
Valley Glen
California
110,131
Students
69,823
Off-Campus
$2,504
Avg Rent
42
Philadelphia
Pennsylvania
758,513
Students
68,620
Off-Campus
$1,843
Avg Rent
43
El Paso
Texas
317,046
Students
68,571
Off-Campus
$1,388
Avg Rent
44
Long Beach
California
412,643
Students
68,372
Off-Campus
$3,054
Avg Rent
45
Woodland Hills
California
97,116
Students
67,981
Off-Campus
N/A
Avg Rent
46
Fullerton
California
423,717
Students
67,521
Off-Campus
$2,795
Avg Rent
47
Cleveland
Ohio
306,530
Students
65,707
Off-Campus
$1,590
Avg Rent
48
Riverside
California
381,464
Students
65,225
Off-Campus
$2,612
Avg Rent
49
Hartford
Connecticut
244,937
Students
64,418
Off-Campus
$1,569
Avg Rent
50
Columbus
Ohio
667,842
Students
64,071
Off-Campus
$1,615
Avg Rent
51
Salt Lake City
Utah
1,735,824
Students
63,285
Off-Campus
$1,492
Avg Rent
52
Jacksonville
Florida
258,881
Students
62,735
Off-Campus
$1,585
Avg Rent
53
Louisville
Kentucky
110,157
Students
61,603
Off-Campus
$1,237
Avg Rent
54
Modesto
California
120,064
Students
61,473
Off-Campus
$1,919
Avg Rent
55
Fort Lauderdale
Florida
490,833
Students
60,990
Off-Campus
$2,691
Avg Rent
56
New Orleans
Louisiana
216,062
Students
57,798
Off-Campus
$1,677
Avg Rent
57
Albuquerque
New Mexico
156,169
Students
57,685
Off-Campus
$1,322
Avg Rent
58
Grand Rapids
Michigan
84,994
Students
57,626
Off-Campus
$1,516
Avg Rent
59
University Park
Pennsylvania
383,778
Students
57,493
Off-Campus
N/A
Avg Rent
60
Arnold
Maryland
78,106
Students
57,095
Off-Campus
$2,595
Avg Rent
61
Santa Monica
California
162,148
Students
56,752
Off-Campus
$3,300
Avg Rent
62
Wilmington
North Carolina
224,742
Students
56,706
Off-Campus
$1,683
Avg Rent
63
McKinney
Texas
264,404
Students
56,054
Off-Campus
$1,626
Avg Rent
64
Palm Desert
California
75,348
Students
54,627
Off-Campus
$2,460
Avg Rent
65
Santa Ana
California
182,511
Students
54,388
Off-Campus
$2,817
Avg Rent
66
Walnut
California
201,194
Students
54,322
Off-Campus
$3,590
Avg Rent
67
Tampa
Florida
508,838
Students
54,284
Off-Campus
$2,305
Avg Rent
68
Madison
Wisconsin
390,597
Students
53,647
Off-Campus
$1,565
Avg Rent
69
Las Vegas
Nevada
234,661
Students
52,884
Off-Campus
$1,549
Avg Rent
70
Colorado Springs
Colorado
367,171
Students
52,669
Off-Campus
$1,576
Avg Rent
71
Tucson
Arizona
412,920
Students
51,454
Off-Campus
N/A
Avg Rent
72
Rancho Cucamonga
California
144,424
Students
51,271
Off-Campus
$3,052
Avg Rent
73
Lake Worth
Florida
170,583
Students
50,493
Off-Campus
$2,091
Avg Rent
74
Brenham
Texas
129,815
Students
50,238
Off-Campus
$1,647
Avg Rent
75
Lexington
Kentucky
265,932
Students
50,028
Off-Campus
N/A
Avg Rent
76
Phoenix
Arizona
1,647,065
Students
49,963
Off-Campus
$1,583
Avg Rent
77
Cedar Rapids
Iowa
75,960
Students
49,906
Off-Campus
N/A
Avg Rent
78
Sylmar
California
72,975
Students
49,842
Off-Campus
$2,719
Avg Rent
79
Steubenville
Ohio
108,451
Students
49,237
Off-Campus
$870
Avg Rent
80
El Cajon
California
154,196
Students
48,346
Off-Campus
$2,450
Avg Rent
81
Aptos
California
64,918
Students
47,325
Off-Campus
$4,124
Avg Rent
82
Reno
Nevada
200,710
Students
47,144
Off-Campus
$1,509
Avg Rent
83
San Luis Obispo
California
197,532
Students
46,982
Off-Campus
N/A
Avg Rent
84
Pasadena
California
465,213
Students
46,405
Off-Campus
$2,846
Avg Rent
85
Baltimore
Maryland
549,309
Students
46,051
Off-Campus
$1,678
Avg Rent
86
Minneapolis
Minnesota
946,274
Students
45,983
Off-Campus
$1,685
Avg Rent
87
Boise
Idaho
160,020
Students
45,926
Off-Campus
N/A
Avg Rent
88
Milwaukee
Wisconsin
329,308
Students
45,711
Off-Campus
$1,224
Avg Rent
89
Dearborn
Michigan
134,918
Students
45,581
Off-Campus
$1,873
Avg Rent
90
Torrance
California
129,594
Students
45,487
Off-Campus
N/A
Avg Rent
91
Auburn Hills
Michigan
96,817
Students
45,117
Off-Campus
$1,672
Avg Rent
92
Dayton
Ohio
249,145
Students
45,116
Off-Campus
$1,330
Avg Rent
93
Jamestown
North Carolina
73,101
Students
44,811
Off-Campus
$2,073
Avg Rent
94
San Marcos
California
224,291
Students
44,578
Off-Campus
$3,097
Avg Rent
95
El Dorado
Kansas
45,864
Students
44,121
Off-Campus
$926
Avg Rent
96
Cedar City
Utah
105,231
Students
43,881
Off-Campus
$1,401
Avg Rent
97
Glen Ellyn
Illinois
162,512
Students
43,878
Off-Campus
$1,931
Avg Rent
98
Henderson
Nevada
50,981
Students
43,640
Off-Campus
$2,049
Avg Rent
99
Mesa
Arizona
116,368
Students
43,056
Off-Campus
$1,372
Avg Rent
100
Eau Claire
Wisconsin
127,323
Students
43,018
Off-Campus
$1,123
Avg Rent
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📊 How We Ranked These
We rank college towns by: total student enrollment, percentage of students living off-campus (rental demand), local rent-to-price ratios, and overall market health. Cities with large universities, high off-campus populations, and affordable home prices score highest.
Student Population
Off-Campus %
Rent/Price Ratio
Market Health
Frequently Asked Questions
Are college town rentals good investments?
College towns offer unique advantages: consistent tenant demand (students always need housing), predictable lease cycles (August-May), and often strong rent-to-price ratios. Downsides include higher turnover and potential wear-and-tear from student tenants.
How close to campus should I buy?
Properties within 1-2 miles of campus typically command premium rents and fill fastest. However, competition is higher. Properties 2-5 miles out can offer better value if near transit or in desirable neighborhoods.
Should I rent by the room or whole unit?
Renting by the room (per-bed pricing) often generates 20-40% more income but requires more management. Whole-unit rentals are simpler but may have lower total revenue. Many investors start with whole units and transition to per-bed as they gain experience.