{"id":51656,"date":"2026-04-09T11:46:43","date_gmt":"2026-04-09T11:46:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/christiancorner.us\/index.php\/2026\/04\/09\/want-a-guaranteed-fare-these-are-the-best-college-towns-to-invest-in-right-now-2\/"},"modified":"2026-04-09T11:47:06","modified_gmt":"2026-04-09T11:47:06","slug":"want-a-guaranteed-fare-these-are-the-best-college-towns-to-invest-in-right-now-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/christiancorner.us\/index.php\/2026\/04\/09\/want-a-guaranteed-fare-these-are-the-best-college-towns-to-invest-in-right-now-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Want a guaranteed fare? These are the best college towns to invest in right now"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>\n<\/p>\n<div xmlns:default=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" id=\"post-content\" :class=\"{ 'hidden': $store.proContent.showFullPrompt() }\">\n                            <!-- Table of contents: mobile --><\/p>\n<section class=\"px-4 relative border border-slate-200 mobile-toc lg:hidden\" x-data=\"{open:false}\">\n                    <button x-on:click=\"open = !open\" class=\"flex items-center gap-4 my-2 border-none w-full\"><br \/>\n                        <default:svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"h-6 w-6\" fill=\"none\" viewbox=\"0 0 24 24\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2\"><default:path stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" d=\"M4 8h16M4 16h16\"\/><\/default:svg><\/p>\n<p class=\"font-semibold text-slate-800 text-base m-0 js-toc-ignore\">in this article<\/p>\n<p>                    <\/button><\/p>\n<\/section>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">many<\/span><a rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"https:\/\/kenmcelroy.com\/education\/college-towns-short-term-rental-investing\/\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">    experienced investor<\/span><\/a><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">    Consider college rentals a real estate goldmine for long and short term leases. Secure a rental apartment near a prestigious institution of higher education, and you can almost guarantee your income every year. With parents keen to protect leases even if other markets cool, demand for student accommodation is such that landlords can expect uninterrupted revenue.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">If you&#8217;re wondering which college town to invest in, don&#8217;t just think about housing costs and <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">cash flow<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">. There are many other factors to consider as well.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Location is one. Often, college campuses <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">are surrounded<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">    From sketchy neighborhoods, which can ruin the rental experience.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">It is paramount to take into account the overall character of the surrounding area. Is the local economy strong? What are the enrollment statistics? Are college rental properties worth the price? <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">If the deduction process seems difficult, <\/span><a rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"https:\/\/www.rentcafe.com\/blog\/rental-market\/market-snapshots\/best-college-towns-2026\/\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">RentCafe.com analyzed 244 college towns<\/span><\/a><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">    And prepared a best list for the attention of small landowners.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Why are college towns still resilient in 2026?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Before diving into the rankings, let&#8217;s widen the lens and examine why colleges are on the market<\/span> <span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Good place to invest in 2026. Like many rental communities, the housing shortage is driving occupancy, enrollment remains high, and federal funding is driving campus projects, according to a recent report.<\/span><a rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"https:\/\/www.berkadia.com\/lp\/2026-us-student-housing-market-report\/\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">    Berkadia<\/span><\/a><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Texas and the Midwest are seeing the greatest rental gains.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">it<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">    This is in contrast to the rest of the US housing market, where the balance of power has begun<\/span><a rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2026\/02\/23\/business\/home-buying-market-real-estate-economy.html\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">    return to buyers<\/span><\/a><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">    Amid softening of fares. Meanwhile, investors have identified<\/span><a rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"https:\/\/www.wsj.com\/articles\/real-estate-tech-gets-the-message-focus-on-affordability-29ab8cfa\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">    affordability and quality of life<\/span><\/a><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">    As the primary driver of investment.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">College towns fit the narrative. According to RentCafe.com&#8217;s ranking of the best college towns in America for 2026, Bozeman, Montana leads the list for the third year in a row, followed by a mix of Western and Midwestern communities that are connected to their local universities. <\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"justify-center \" x-data=\"{ IabAdad_block_: popAd(('r720x90'), '1') }\" :class=\"IabAdad_block_.linkURL ? 'flex pt-8' : 'hidden'\">\n<div class=\" hidden sm:block\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"block sm:hidden\">\n          <img class=\"m-0\" :src=\"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/IabAdad_block_.r320x50\" :alt=\"IabAdad_block_.r320x50Alt\" loading=\"lazy\" fetchpriority=\"low\"\/>\n        <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<h2><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Bozeman, Montana, is raising the bar for college towns<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Bozeman ranks poorly in the RentCafe rankings. A consistently high performer and home to Montana State University, Bozeman&#8217;s rise made national headlines under Fox ownership<\/span><a rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"https:\/\/www.livenowfox.com\/news\/best-college-towns-2025-rankings\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">    live now<\/span><\/a><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">    reporting that the city&#8217;s access to nature, low crime, and student-friendly cost of living make it an ideal college town. However, this is not the place for novice investors, as according to Zillow, the median home price is over <\/span><a rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"https:\/\/www.zillow.com\/home-values\/44281\/bozeman-mt\/\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">$715,000<\/span><\/a><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">For small investors, those factors are helping to make national headlines, boosting occupancy rates, as RentCafe points out, which, combined with the university&#8217;s growth, has pushed Bozeman up the rankings and left local landlords, who have owned the city for a while, flush with cash.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">The Midwest and South generate the most profits       <\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">However, larger investors typically choose huge apartment complexes to park their cash, leaving a gap in the market for shrewd mom-and-pop investors to buy smaller single-family and <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">multi Family<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">    Homes outside the complex in nearby neighborhoods, where purchase prices are more affordable. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">According to RentCafe&#8217;s listings, more affordable housing is likely to be found near many colleges in the Midwest and South, such as:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Clemson, South Carolina (Clemson University):<\/span><\/strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">    average house price<\/span><a rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"https:\/\/www.zillow.com\/home-values\/10855\/clemson-sc\/\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">    $399,130<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li><strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Laramie, Wyoming (University of Wyoming): <\/span><\/strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">average house price<\/span><a rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"https:\/\/www.zillow.com\/home-values\/32431\/laramie-wy\/\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">    $363,855<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li><strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Gainesville, Florida (University of Florida):<\/span><\/strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">    average house price <\/span><a rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"https:\/\/www.zillow.com\/home-values\/24821\/gainesville-fl\/\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">$293,024<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li><strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Athens, Ohio (Ohio University-Main Campus):<\/span><\/strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">    average house price <\/span><a rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"https:\/\/www.zillow.com\/home-values\/43969\/athens-oh\/\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">$237,159<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li><strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">East Lansing, Michigan (Michigan State University):<\/span><\/strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">    average house price <\/span><a rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"https:\/\/www.zillow.com\/home-values\/38289\/east-lansing-mi\/\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">$302,521<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">RentCafe&#8217;s extensive list of colleges covers every region and price point in the country. This is a good starting point for investors, but not a definitive guide. Once cross-referenced with other reports like WalletHub <\/span><a rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"https:\/\/wallethub.com\/edu\/e\/best-worst-college-cities-and-towns-in-america\/8974\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">2026 Best College Towns and Cities to Study<\/span><\/a><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">A clear picture emerges.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo says:<\/span><\/p>\n<p><em><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">&#8220;Cities with a low cost of living, lots of activities, and large student populations can make your college experience much less stressful and much more enjoyable. Additionally, cities with good economic climates can make it easier to get a job during or immediately after college.&#8221;<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<h2><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Investing in a college town for long term income<\/span><\/h2>\n<aside class=\"my-10 xl:my-4\">\n<p class=\"font-bold mt-0 mb-4 text-xl text-slate capitalize\">You might also like<\/p>\n<\/aside>\n<p><a rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"https:\/\/finance.yahoo.com\/news\/5-college-towns-where-buying-145613968.html\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">GoBanking Rates&#8217;<\/span><\/a><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">    The October report highlights five college towns and cities where homeowners may want to produce reliable, long-term <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">passive income<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">    From their investment. The personal finance site uses data from the Education Data Initiative and the Mortgage Research Network to identify where buying and holding a property for 10 years will yield the best returns.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Topping the list were establishments where room and board prices were high while house prices were relatively low. The top spot went to Philadelphia (Temple University), where the report reported the following statistics:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Average home price:<\/span><\/strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">    $234,799<\/span><\/li>\n<li><strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Three-year cost of ownership: <\/span><\/strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">$21,162<\/span><\/li>\n<li><strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Three-year cost of room and board:<\/span><\/strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">    $50,904<\/span><\/li>\n<li><strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">10 year profit: <\/span><\/strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">$73,030<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">The other four college towns on the list were:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Huntington, West Virginia (Marshall University)<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Newark, Delaware (University of Delaware)<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Tuscaloosa, Alabama (University of Alabama)<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Memphis, Tennessee (University of Memphis)<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Best college towns to buy short-term rental property<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">a fresh<\/span><a rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"https:\/\/www.airdna.co\/blog\/best-college-towns-to-buy-short-term-rental-property\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">    AirDNA Report<\/span><\/a><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">    Examined the numbers to find college towns where <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">short term rental<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">    Perform best and found that the best performers were those with the cheapest prices and highest campus-driven revenue potential, which worked best with STRs located close to campus.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">The top five markets were:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">South Bend, Indiana (University of Notre Dame)<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Lansing\/East Lansing, Michigan (Michigan State University)<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Syracuse, New York (Syracuse University)<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Columbia, South Carolina (University of South Carolina)<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Champaign\/Urbana, Illinois (University of Illinois\/Urbana-Champaign)<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">final thoughts<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">one of the following<\/span><a rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=BuiEbJyvBXI\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">    Key benefits of investing in college rentals<\/span><\/a><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">    The thing is that students often pay by the room<\/span><strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">,<\/span><\/strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">    Which turbocharges rental income on annual leases. This could also mean headaches in increasing fares. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">From <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">past<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">    From experience, I have found that there are generally decent tenants who pay on time and bad eggs who are irresponsible, entitled and think they are doing you a favor by renting out their apartment. This is where a good property manager and parental guarantee come in handy. Liability clauses and strict house rules regarding rent collection should also be in the lease and enforced uniformly, as should a higher security deposit. <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">be confiscated<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">    For damage or eviction. As a landlord, you have to take the pain; Otherwise, your fare will turn into a scene<\/span> <em><a rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=KrAf5ALLxGI\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Neighbour<\/span><\/a> <\/em><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Or<\/span> <em><a rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=V3cKVsawfY8\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Animal House<\/span><\/a><\/em><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">That said, when handled correctly in a high-demand area, student housing can be a gift that keeps on giving. As a fellow investor once told me when I bought my first student rental near a highly prestigious university, &#8220;This place is not going anywhere.&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>in this article many experienced investor Consider college rentals a real estate goldmine for long and short term leases. Secure a rental apartment near a prestigious institution of higher education, and you can almost guarantee your income every year. With parents keen to protect leases even if other markets cool, demand for student accommodation is<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":51659,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[60],"tags":[74,14660,14353,7213,4488],"class_list":["post-51656","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-meditation","tag-college","tag-fare","tag-guaranteed","tag-invest","tag-towns"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/christiancorner.us\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/51656","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/christiancorner.us\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/christiancorner.us\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/christiancorner.us\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/christiancorner.us\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=51656"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/christiancorner.us\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/51656\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":51660,"href":"https:\/\/christiancorner.us\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/51656\/revisions\/51660"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/christiancorner.us\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/51659"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/christiancorner.us\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=51656"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/christiancorner.us\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=51656"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/christiancorner.us\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=51656"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}