PLATTEVILLE — Platteville is one of the smallest college towns in Wisconsin, but according to one ranking it ranks better than any other college town in the state.

RentCafe’s listing of college towns in the U.S. listed Platteville highest in Wisconsin, eighth in the Midwest and 20th in the country.

 “This is definitely great recognition and should be used as a tool to draw attention to our community,” said Wayne Wodarz, executive director of the Platteville Regional Chamber. “This not only can be a huge boost for UWP enrollment in future semesters, but to our local economy as well.”

Platteville is the only college town on the top 20 list that is the home of an NCAA Division III university. 

“This type of news should draw many student visits, and along with that hotel stays, dining, outdoor recreation, and other attraction interest as parents bring those students here,” said Wodarz. “The Platteville Regional Chamber has already shared this news via a shared Facebook post but will also share this great accomplishment with our regional partners to pass on the great news as well.”

The RentCafe webpage listed UW-Platteville as having the sixth-lowest tuition, fourth lowest cost of living, and third highest percentage of students receiving financial aid among the top 20 universities on its list.  

The key to Platteville’s ranking might be discerned from RentCafe’s introduction: “As you prepare to choose a place that will nurture you during your college years, remember that this new adventure is not just about the school you go to, it’s also about the people you will meet along the way and, notably, the town you’ll call home.  

“Do you see yourself studying on a blanket, on a large campus, surrounded by trees, with amazing mountain views? You’re describing one of the best college towns in the country! To determine the top locations to attend college in 2025, we based our ranking not only on the academic accolades of the universities, but on the things that college-age people today value most.”

RentCafe’s criteria include tuition and fees, cost of living, the percentage of students receiving financial aid, and the score of the college town’s university including faculty-to-student ratio and graduation rate.

The criteria also include the percentage of 20- to 29-year-olds in the population, percentage of population with college and advanced degrees, the ratio of arts, entertainment and recreation establishments, natural amenities and air quality.

The RentCafe list is led by Bozeman, Mont., home of Montana State University, with Pullman, Wash., home of Washington State University, second, and Gainesville, Fla., home of the University of Florida, third. 

Michigan has two in the top 10 — East Lansing, home of Michigan State University, is sixth, and Ann Arbor, home of the University of Michigan, is ninth. Indiana has two in the second 10 — Bloomington, home of Indiana University, is 11th, and West Lafayette, home of Purdue University, is 19th.

Elsewhere in Wisconsin, Madison ranked 44th, Whitewater ranked 69th, La Crosse ranked 77th, Stevens Point ranked 83rd and River Falls ranked 86th. Menomonie, home of UW—Stout, ranked 132nd. Eau Claire ranked 140th and Oshkosh ranked 223rd.

The list is at rentcafe.com/blog/rental-market/market-snapshots/best-college-towns-2025/.