California’s Best College Towns

College students spend an average of 12 to 18 hours per week in the classroom. Much of their college experience is shaped by what happens off campus — the parties, the weekend bike rides, the time spent with friends. In many ways, the quality of a town can make or break the college experience. 

So which college towns are a cut above? To answer that question, RentCafe published rankings of the Best College Towns in America in 2025. The website compared localities against 12 different factors, including cost of living, tuition fees, graduation rates, natural amenities, air quality, and entertainment.

Bozeman, Montana was ranked first nationwide, followed by Pullman, Washington and Gainesville, Florida. 

These 10 California college towns received the highest marks (national rankings in parentheses):

1. Stanford (#10)

2. San Luis Obispo (#4)

3. Arcata (#23)

4. Davis (#32)

5. Berkeley (#33)

6. Chico (#90)

7. La Mirada (#157)

8. Azusa (#160)

9. Seaside (#178)

10. Santa Clara (#195)

Want to learn more about the best college towns? See the full rankings and methodology here.

List and data were compiled by RentCafe and do not reflect statistics on all college towns.