Best and worst college towns.

• Position: Your Life - Brief article

With students planning their visits to prospective college or university campuses, WalletHub, the personal finance social network, conducted an in-depth analysis of the Best & Worst College Cities & Towns in America in order to find those that offer the best or worst combination of academic, social, and economic environments.

WalletHub ranked 280 U.S. cities based on 23 key metrics. Some examples from the data set include the quality of higher education, crime rates, and the cost of living.

The best, in descending order, are: Oxford, Ohio; State College, Pa.; Chapel Hill, N.C.; Corvallis, Ore.; College Station, Texas; Laramie, Wyo.; San Luis Obispo, Calif.; Stillwater, Okla.; Bozeman, Mont.; and East Lansing, Mich.

The worst, starting with the bottom, are: Yonkers, N.Y.; Bridgeport, Conn.; North Las Vegas, Nev.; Miramar, Fla.; Springfield, Mass.; Joliet, Ill.; Newark, N.J.; Coral Springs, Fla.; Hialeah, Fla.; and Port St. Lucie, Fla.

Some interesting statistics reveal:

* The cost of higher education is 10 times...