Find the ‘Ultimate College Town,’ Alfred, in the Western NY Wilds

February 10, 2023

Known for being friendly and offering a warm welcome even in the winter, Alfred, NY is ranked number one in a February 2023 nationwide survey to earn the nickname College Town USA for the home of Alfred University and Alfred State College.

Data analysis by Washington Post Reporter Andrew Van Dam defined the Ultimate College Town by ranking US Census Urban Areas with the largest share of college students. Urban Areas follow population-density patterns, not municipal borders.

Alfred is No. 1 by a wide margin. Winning the number one national ranking for the Ultimate College Town proves that Alfred’s picture-perfect environment away from big city worries stands out among all other university and college towns in the country. Van Dam called Alfred “the collegiest” a term he coined.

Van Dam describes Alfred as a village wedged into Western New York’s hills that is home to both a private and public school, Alfred University and Alfred State College. As noted in the Washington Post, “Students make up an astonishing 85 percent of the town’s population… If you go left at the town’s only stoplight, you’re on one campus. Turn right, you’re on the other. Now that’s a college town.”

Not only is Alfred a great destination for college students, it’s worth exploring for anyone who enjoys a creative, vibrant, and artistic atmosphere, with plenty of shopping and dining options, as well as opportunities to appreciate, or participate in, the creative process. Discover artistic opportunities in Alfred here: https://wnywilds.com/category/explore/arts/?_city=alfred