Ann Arbor, Michigan, is one of the US' best college towns. See why students and locals love the Midwestern city.

For some, the presence of a large public university is a non-negotiable. For others, having a large enough non-student population is an immediate disqualifier. Some towns might not have as strong a connection to their central university as others, and some might have broader historical reasons for attracting residents.

Definitions vary, but under nearly all of them, Ann Arbor, Michigan, is close to what it means to be a textbook case of a college town.

A recent WalletHub study ranked Ann Arbor the second-best college town in the US, behind Austin.

The Midwestern city has about 122,000 residents, while the University of Michigan enrolled 53,488 students at its Ann Arbor campus in fall 2025 — equivalent to roughly 44% of the city's population.

The University of Michigan is an economic engine — and a large part of the city's identity

The University of Michigan is Washtenaw County's largest employer, with roughly 37,400 workers across the university and health system.

In fiscal year 2025, it purchased more than $296 million in goods and services from county businesses, and university property now accounts for about 10% of Ann Arbor's land.

The university also gives the relatively small city a research and startup ecosystem more akin to those of larger economic hubs.

In 2025, the university reported spending $2.16 billion in research across its three campuses. In fiscal year 2026, the university launched a record 40 startups, while university-backed startups raised a record $796 million in venture capital.

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