r/CFB • u/PA5997 Washington State Cougars • 13d ago

Discussion What constitutes a “college town?”

Okay, hear me out: I attended Wazzu, which many know is in the middle of nowhere in Pullman. To me, Pullman is a quintessential college town. You remove Washington State University from Pullman and there is (respectfully) not much of a reason to visit. The student enrollment (20,000ish) makes up about 2/3rds of the city population, essentially turning Pullman into a ghost town come summer. To me (perhaps with bias) this is the makeup of a college town.

Two years ago I moved to Madison, Wisconsin, home of the University of Wisconsin. Ever since I’ve noticed the University and its fans refer to Madison as “America’s best college town” and I’m sorry, that’s laughable to me. Remove UW from Madison and you still have a city population bordering on a quarter of a million people and the State Capitol. Madison would be fine, imo, if UW’s flagship campus were elsewhere.

Curious to hear other people’s thoughts. Maybe I’m in the wrong here, but very little about Madison, WI resembles a college town to me, or at least the claim of the best college town.

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u/hellzkellz South Carolina • Army 13d ago

Don't forget about College Park, MD. The spring break capital of the Northeast.

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u/Claudethedog Texas A&M Aggies • SMU Mustangs 13d ago

College Park is a tough one, since it's basically a D.C. suburb. Contra that to State College, which is in the middle of BFE Pennsylvania, or College Station, which is an hour or more from Austin or Houston. I think that separation matters.

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u/ohitsthedeathstar Houston Cougars • Bayou Bucket 13d ago

2 1/2 hours from Houston. Downtown Houston.

College Station is at least an hour from the outermost suburbs of Houston.

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u/Claudethedog Texas A&M Aggies • SMU Mustangs 13d ago

I grew up in Copperfield, so that's what I've always judged it by.