Ann Arbor, Michigan, is one of the US' best college towns. See why students and locals love the Midwestern city.

What counts arsenic a college town? Depends connected who you ask.

For some, the beingness of a large nationalist university is simply a non-negotiable. For others, having a ample capable non-student organization is an contiguous disqualifier. Some towns mightiness not person arsenic beardown a relationship to their cardinal assemblage arsenic others, and immoderate mightiness person broader humanities reasons for attracting residents.

Definitions vary, but nether astir each of them, Ann Arbor, Michigan, is adjacent to what it intends to beryllium a textbook lawsuit of a assemblage town.

A caller WalletHub study classed Ann Arbor the second-best college municipality successful the US, down Austin.

The Midwestern metropolis has astir 122,000 residents, while the University of Michigan enrolled 53,488 students astatine its Ann Arbor field successful autumn 2025 — balanced to astir 44% of the city's population.

The University of Michigan is an economical motor — and a ample portion of the city's identity

The University of Michigan is Washtenaw County's largest employer, pinch astir 37,400 workers crossed the assemblage and wellness system.

In fiscal twelvemonth 2025, it purchased much than $296 cardinal successful equipment and services from county businesses, and assemblage spot now accounts for astir 10% of Ann Arbor's land.

The assemblage besides gives the comparatively mini metropolis a investigation and startup ecosystem much akin to those of larger economic hubs.

In 2025, the university reported spending $2.16 cardinal successful investigation crossed its 3 campuses. In fiscal twelvemonth 2026, the assemblage launched a grounds 40 startups, while university-backed startups raised a grounds $796 cardinal successful task capital.

But while opportunities are plentiful for students and caller grads, Ann Arbor isn't uniformly cheap.

Average rent surpassed $2,000 successful precocious August, according to Zillow, while 2024 national information showed lodging rents successful the metro area were astir 25% higher than the nationalist value level.

College shot and section civilization merge the city's community

Few things exemplify the university's power connected Ann Arbor much than football.

Michigan Stadium connected the university's field seats 107,601 group — astir arsenic galore arsenic the full city's population. Ask immoderate Michigan instrumentality astir their gameday memories, and you'll instantly spot why.

Music venues and creation fairs besides lend to a vibrant civilization for residents and students alike.

The consciousness of organization created by a shared personality — whether it's arsenic chap schoolhouse alumni aliases passionate sports fans — is 1 of the factors why recent grads and young adults are choosing to enactment successful college towns moreover aft graduation.

A research paper published successful 2023 recovered that astir half of caller assemblage graduates unrecorded and activity successful the metro area nearest their college, while 67% stay successful the aforesaid state.

Even for those who move distant aft graduation, Ann Arbor remains a beardown magnet for alumni and fans' visits.

The 8 location games during the 2024 shot season generated a full of $226.7 cardinal successful nonstop spending from visitors extracurricular Washtenaw County.

Whether it's for economical opportunities, sports, research, culture, aliases community, life successful Ann Arbor offers a concentrated type of galore of the attractions of a overmuch larger metropolis — wrapped successful the charming communal personality of a assemblage town.