Looking for a place to invest in housing? A recent study shows that college towns might be the best option. Not only because of the demand for housing near campus for those attending the university, but because those same people are going to need somewhere to live after they graduate.
The American Institute for Economic Research has released a study that analyzes different elements of the largest metropolitan college towns and we've looked at the data to find the best options.
Here are the 10 towns with the largest concentration of college students in the U.S., along with the average fair market rent of a two-bedroom apartment.
10. Minneapolis, MN
Schools: University of Minnesota, Walden University
Student Concentration: 74%
Average rent for 2-bedroom: $946
Unemployment rate: 4.8%
Earning potential: $36,358
9. Chicago, IL
Schools: University of Chicago, DePaul University
Student concentration: 74.2%
Average rent for 2-bedroom: $979
Unemployment rate: 9.1%
Earning potential: $32,491
8. Manhattan, NY
Schools: New York University, Columbia University
Student concentration: 74.9%
Average rent for 2-bedroom: $1,440
Unemployment rate: 7.8%
Earning potential: $37,064
7. Philadelphia, PA
Schools: University of Pennsylvania, Temple University
Student concentration: 76.5%
Average rent for 2-bedroom: $1,135
Unemployment rate: 7.8%
Earning potential: $35,563
6. San Francisco, CA
Schools: San Francisco State University, University of California San Francisco
Student Concentration: 86%
Average rent for 2-bedroom: $1,956
Unemployment rate: 6.6%
Earning potential: $41,265
Student Concentration: Students per 1,000 residents
Photos: Google Earth
5. Washington D.C.
Schools: Georgetown University, George Washington University
Student concentration: 87.3%
Average rent for 2-bedroom: $1,469
Unemployment rate: 5.4%
Earning potential: $44,452
4. Baltimore, MD
Schools: Johns Hopkins University, Towson University
Student concentration: 87.9%
Average rent for 2-bedroom: $1,252
Unemployment rate: 6.8%
Earning potential: $39,866
3. Los Angeles, CA
Schools: University of California Los Angeles, University of Southern California
Student concentration: 88.7%
Average rent for 2-bedroom: $1,398
Unemployment rate: 9.0%
Earning potential: $29,815
2. San Diego, CA
Schools: San Diego State University, University of San Diego
Student concentration: 93.4%
Average rent for 2-bedroom: $1,354
Unemployment rate: 7.5%
Earning potential: $31,055
1. Boston, MA
Schools: Harvard, Boston College, Northeastern
Student concentration: 94.5%
Average rent of 2-bedroom: $1,454
Unemployment rate: 6.4%
Earning potential: $37,954
Student concentration: students per 1,000 residents
Photos: Google Earth
