The 10 Worst College Towns in America
February 1st, 2011
Some college towns can be a lot of fun — the community caters to students by supporting sports teams and developing fun, creative districts for young people to explore the area off-campus. But other college towns are avoided at all costs, keeping students locked in their suffocating bubble of a campus to avoid crime, stand-offish townies, and desperate weather conditions. These college campuses are so bad that they might even convince you to apply to an online college or visit universities in larger, urban centers. Here are the 10 worst college towns in America, unless you’re content to hang out at Starbucks every weekend.
Muncie, IN: While it’s been named America’s most affordable college town, Muncie, IN, gets a really bad rap on forums and among Ball State University students. Nicknamed Middletown, USA, Muncie is a typically middle-American town with about 67,430 residents living within the city limits. The official city website actually lists Wal-Mart as a shopping attraction, and the city’s shift from manufacturing to health services has apparently embittered most senior residents. Plus, the average snowfall is 21 inches per year.
Tempe, AZ: Tempe earned some votes as being the worst college town in the PAC-10 and is also a bemoaned town on city-data.com. Called “a suburb with a stadium,” Tempe is home to the largest Arizona State University campus, but has about 170,000 residents, 3/4 of whom are white. And let’s face it: Arizona itself hasn’t had a very good year in the news itself.
College Park, MD: Crime is reportedly a problem in College Park, MD, which has also been called “dull” and a “dump.” Home to the University of Maryland, the lack of development initiatives have raised a lot of public anger in the area.
Terre Haute, IN: Home to the federal death row and Indiana State University, Terre Haute is also where several vocational schools, Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College, and the top-rated engineering school Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology are located. Last year, the city was named Indiana Chamber of Commerce’s 2010 Community of the Year, but it ranks consistently low on Internet forums and by college students.
Ruston, LA: Louisiana Tech University is located in Ruston, LA, a teeny town in rural North Louisiana with virtually no off-campus entertainment options for students. It’s also located in a dry parish — or county — meaning that selling wine or liquor is only legal in restaurants. The weather is scorching hot in the summer and messy in the wintertime, too.
Storrs, CT: The University of Connecticut is located in Storrs, who was given the honor of “America’s Best Place to Avoid Death Due to Natural Disaster,” by Slate in 2005. Just under 11,000 people live in Storrs, which was described on ESPN as being the “only college town…that reminds you of a retirement community, and LIKES it that way.”
Grambling, LA: Grambling, LA, is home to Grambling State University and is located just outside of Ruston. So everything we said that was bad about Ruston pretty much applies to Grambling, too. There are less than 10,000 people living in Grambling, and nearly 40% of the total population is living below the poverty line. Under “arts and culture,” Wikipedia simply states the Grambling Memorial Gardens, and city hall is located in a glorified strip center. In 2009, the town actually filed a restraining order against the mayor for stealing money for personal use.
Poughkeepsie, NY: Poughkeepsie is home to Marist, Vassar and The Culinary Institute of America, plus a branch of Adelphi University and Dutchess Community College. And although many spots around the city have been named Registered Historic Places, Poughkeepsie kept popping up on forums and other websites as being an ugly, crime-ridden town that no college student really wanted to venture into.
Fargo, ND: The nighttime temperature falls to below zero nearly 50 nights a year in Fargo, and it’s still pretty damn cold and snowy during the day, too. Demographically speaking, Fargo is also a fairly homogenous town, and is sort of a stereotype for modest Middle American living and sensibilities. North Dakota State University, Rasmussen College, a branch of the University of Mary, and Masters Baptist College are all located in Fargo, though population growth is slowing.
Waco, TX: Baylor University calls Waco, TX, home, a little town in which there are a slough of chain restaurants, churches, and not much else. Going to The Cheesecake Factory in Dallas — nearly two hours away — is a common weekend activity for bored students. The Brazos River offers some outdoor entertainment, but if you’re not into swimming in a brown river, your other alternative is The Dr. Pepper Museum. The weather in the spring and summer is almost too hot to stand, and there’s that looming creep-out factor from 1993′s Waco Siege to consider, too.
sitfu.com
Taking a Closer Look at the Stories Ignored by the Mainstream Media
