Ithaca was ranked the 5th best college town out of 415 college towns and cities in a new Wallethub analysis. In a breakdown of large (more than 300,000 people), midsize (125,000 to 300,000 people) and small (fewer than 125,000 people)cities Ithaca ranked as the 3rd best small city college town.

University of Kentucky Professor John Thelin says community leaders can take steps to make their cities more appealing to residents and students. "I recommend that mayors and college presidents and deans of students create town-gown councils in which community leaders and students get to know one another in good discussions and congenial gatherings. I think college and university officials should take great responsibility for the conduct of students who live off-campus, especially when a campus has not provided many students with reasonable on-campus living options. City council members need to review residential zoning that is fair to all. Ideally, students would understand and willingly accept that they are citizens of the community and should be responsible to neighbors, merchants, et al," he says.

The municipalities were ranked according to Wallet Friendliness, Social Environment, and Academic and Economic Opportunities. Ithaca scored best in the 'Social Environment category, ranking 2nd best of the 415 communities. It scored a respectable 98th in Economic Opportunities. Not surprisingly to anyone who lives here, it ranked in the middle in the Wallet Friendliness category with a score of 257.

New York's Stony Brook University had the highest share of part time jobs, as well as the most students per capita. But Stony Brook had the highest 'brain drain' ranking.

Princeton, NJ; Pasadena, CA; Stanford, CA; Evanston, IL; and Cambridge, MA had the top five highest quality of higher education.

Only four cities ranked above Ithaca. They are Ann Arbor, MI; Austin, TX; Provo, UT; and Irvine, CA.

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