Thriving College Towns Americans Want to Move to in 2024

• Johnson City is the #1 thriving college town everyone wants to move to, with three times more searches for moves in than moves out.
• Southern Appalachian college towns dominate the top 10.
• Lawton, OK, is the college town where homes are most affordable.

College towns are used to student relocations when new students typically arrive for the semester in mom’s SUV. But when a moving truck is headed to a college town, they’re more likely to bring along multiple bedrooms, family members, and the intent to stay put.

moveBuddha wanted to find out which of America’s college towns attracts more moves in than they lose. Starting with a list of 704 college towns from Wikipedia (highlighted for being socially and economically powered by a university) they narrowed in on those with the highest in-to-out move ratios (a comparison of searches for moves in vs. out) and healthy unemployment rates. This helped identify the college towns with vibrant economies, which are the most attractive for relocating Americans this year.

Where are the college towns everyone wants to move to in 2024?

Big takeaways

• #1 Johnson City, TN, is the top thriving college town to move to, with 3.08 move-ins for every exit. That’s a 42% higher move-in rate than #2 Hickory, NC.
• The Southern Appalachians take 5 of the top 10 cities (Johnson City, TN, Chattanooga, Knoxville, Hickory, NC, and Asheville, NC.), while only 2 of the 10 are outside the South: Corvallis, OR, and Saratoga Springs, NY.
• Of the top 10, Knoxville has the lowest unemployment rate, 3.2%, which is a full percent below the national average.
• The most affordable housing is in Lawton, OK, home of Cameron University. Home values there average $129k.
• The lowest home prices in a popular college town outside the South are in Green Bay, WI, where the average home costs $258,636.

Americans are flocking to Appalachian college towns the most, #1 Johnson City, TN

Appalachia is home to 5 of the top 10 thriving college towns, including Johnson City, Hickory, Asheville, Chattanooga, and Knoxville.

While Southern cities dominate the list, claiming 8 out of the top 10 spots, adding #4 Wilmington, NC, #5 Fort Smith, AR, and #7 Abilene, TX to the mix — the data shows relocating Americans are moving into Appalachian college towns the most, with #1 Johnson City, TN leading the way.

Top 10	In-to-out move ratio	Unemployment rate
1. Johnson City, TN	3.08	3.6
2. Hickory, NC	2.17	4.1
3. Asheville, NC	2.00	3.3
4. Wilmington, NC	1.93	3.6
5. Fort Smith, AR	1.88	4.0
6. Corvallis, OR	1.79	3.8
7. Abilene, TX	1.71	3.8
8. Chattanooga, TN	1.71	3.5
9. Knoxville, TN	1.7	3.2
10. Saratoga Springs, NY	1.7	3.8

 

With a move-in ratio of 3.08, meaning there are 3 newcomers headed in for every resident calling it quits, #1 Johnson City, TN, can no longer call itself a hidden gem. It's so popular, in fact, that 8.8% of the city’s roughly 71,000 residents moved from another state in the past year.

It’s no wonder: the home to East Tennessee State University has several accolades to its name: it’s been named the best place to live in Tennessee, the best city for outdoor adventures, and one of the best small cities for business and careers.

Above all, Johnson City, like other college towns, punches above its weight in terms of cultural and educational opportunities, and its youthful residents contribute to a vibrant food, music, and cultural scene. It’s also one of the fastest-growing cities in Tennessee.

#2 Hickory, NC, northwest of Charlotte in the Piedmont, has a walkable downtown, and its affordability makes it another top spot where craftsmanship, arts, and culture merge with livability. Like many college towns, the draw of a charming, compact town, highly educated populace, and cultural investment, like the OLLE Art Walk, make it a stand-out for new movers.

Surrounded by mountains, all these Appalachian college towns offer something for families, retirees, and post-grads: from hiking and mountain biking to affordable homes and low unemployment, the region continues its post-pandemic high as a nature-soaked remote work paradise.

Regional outliers include Corvallis, OR, and Saratoga Springs, NY

Home to Oregon State University, Corvallis has a move ratio of 1.79 and unemployment of 3.8%, but the 6th highest average home prices of all the 55 cities meeting our cutoffs for move ratio and unemployment. Nevertheless, the navigability and human-scale infrastructure of college towns stand out in this award-winning bike city, which also offers residents fearless public transit.

Along with Corvallis, Saratoga Springs’ home prices are high. They’re our 4th highest overall, suggesting that affordability plays some role in the popularity of college towns for the post-grad set.

2024’s thriving college towns with the lowest home prices

Of this year’s thriving college towns Americans are looking to move to the most, Lawton, OK, is the most affordable. The average home price is 64% lower than the national average.

Home to 3,133 undergrads in a southwest Oklahoma city of ~90,000, this college town is also a base for military personnel at nearby Fort Sill.

Four overall top move-to cities make the list of most affordable, underscoring the connection between popularity and great home prices:

• Fort Smith, AR
• Abilene, TX
• Johnson City, TN, and
• Hickory, NC.

All are mid-sized college towns in the broad U.S. South and have some of the most affordable homes, with average home prices ranging from Fort Smith’s $181,188 to Hickory’s $288,672.

Most affordable	Zillow Home Value Index (July)
1. Lawton, OK	$129,894
2. Fort Smith, AR	$181,188
3. Abilene, TX	$198,683
4. Lynchburg, VA	$254,145
5. Salisbury, MD	$255,792
6. Portsmouth, VA	$256,292
7. Green Bay, WI	$258,636
8. Johnson City, TN	$280,562
9. Allentown, PA	$287,206
10. Hickory, NC	$288,672

 

Again, the South rules for affordability and popularity. However, odd-city-out Green Bay, WI, the midwest home to the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, is also keeping home prices affordable. The average home is $252,636, 36% less than the national average.

Popular college towns are Southern lifestyle hubs

The most popular and affordable college towns where people are moving in 2024 have a lot in common. Most are in the South, where good weather, outdoor recreation, and hospitality define the culture.

Top towns also typically have affordable home prices, with 6 of the top cities keeping prices lower than the national average, and multiple overlaps between top and most affordable cities.

The recipe for popularity in 2024 is predictable: Southern college towns with affordable home prices rise in the move rankings, drawing new industries, activities, and buzz.

Low unemployment continues to signal a strong workforce and economy, helping to attract newcomers who can capitalize on all the town’s charms.

Only one question remains: Can these cities keep their collegiate charm, pristine natural spaces, and low prices as they grow?

Methodology

Starting with Wikipedia’s list of college towns, we wanted to see which were attracting attention from relocating Americans this year — from eager Gen Z students and families, retirees, and job seekers alike.

Using search data from moveBuddha's Moving Cost Calculator, we highlighted the college towns with a high "in-to-out" ratio, meaning more people are eyeing a move-in than out. Only cities with in-to-out ratios greater than 1.25 are included.

We further filtered to include just the cities with unemployment rates (BLS July 2024) at or below the national average, highlighting towns with strong job markets and thriving local economies. That left 34 thriving college towns Americans are looking to move to the most this year.