The 25 Best College Small Towns in New York
Ranked on The Town Files lifestyle rankings among 707 towns of 2,500–10,000 people in New York. #1 is Sleepy Hollow, NY.
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25Cayuga Heights, New York
More of a college town than 98% of New York towns
4,114 people · Tompkins County · median home $433,000 · income $166,526 · Jan low 15°F · 63 in snow
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24Garden City South, New York
More of a college town than 98% of New York towns
4,119 people · Nassau County · median home $740,400 · income $136,164 · Jan low 27°F · 19 in snow
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23Albertson, New York
More of a college town than 98% of New York towns
5,220 people · Nassau County · median home $803,900 · income $132,955 · Jan low 27°F · 19 in snow
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22Lawrence, New York
More of a college town than 98% of New York towns
6,809 people · Nassau County · median home $1,623,200 · income $170,000 · Jan low 26°F · 26 in snow
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21Walden, New York
More of a college town than 98% of New York towns
6,818 people · Orange County · median home $333,500 · income $87,487 · Jan low 16°F · 44 in snow
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20Sound Beach, New York
More of a college town than 98% of New York towns
7,416 people · Suffolk County · median home $428,700 · income $132,008 · Jan low 26°F · 33 in snow
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19Malverne, New York
More of a college town than 98% of New York towns
8,560 people · Nassau County · median home $651,100 · income $149,489 · Jan low 26°F · 26 in snow
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18Hamburg, New York
More of a college town than 98% of New York towns
9,696 people · Erie County · median home $248,600 · income $112,292 · Jan low 16°F · 168 in snow
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17East Williston, New York
More of a college town than 99% of New York towns
2,645 people · Nassau County · median home $1,068,500 · income $214,750 · Jan low 27°F · 19 in snow
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16Montrose, New York
More of a college town than 99% of New York towns
2,862 people · Westchester County · median home $422,700 · income $145,320 · Jan low 17°F · 40 in snow
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15Brightwaters, New York
More of a college town than 99% of New York towns
3,181 people · Suffolk County · median home $768,600 · income $218,000 · Jan low 25°F · 28 in snow
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14Manhasset Hills, New York
More of a college town than 99% of New York towns
3,649 people · Nassau County · median home $1,057,800 · income $165,536 · Jan low 27°F · 19 in snow
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13Hamilton, New York
More of a college town than 99% of New York towns
4,107 people · Madison County · median home $264,200 · income $66,750 · Jan low 11°F · 77 in snow
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12Glen Head, New York
More of a college town than 99% of New York towns
4,837 people · Nassau County · median home $872,000 · income $138,465 · Jan low 27°F · 19 in snow
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11University at Buffalo, New York
More of a college town than 99% of New York towns
6,798 people · Erie County · median home — · income — · Jan low 19°F · 95 in snow
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10Tuckahoe, New York
More of a college town than 99% of New York towns
7,084 people · Westchester County · median home $621,300 · income $104,375 · Jan low 23°F · 33 in snow
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9West Point, New York
More of a college town than 99% of New York towns
7,341 people · Orange County · median home — · income $135,333 · Jan low 21°F · 36 in snow
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8Cedarhurst, New York
More of a college town than 99% of New York towns
7,374 people · Nassau County · median home $861,900 · income $101,572 · Jan low 26°F · 26 in snow
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7Williston Park, New York
More of a college town than 99% of New York towns
7,591 people · Nassau County · median home $739,800 · income $156,382 · Jan low 27°F · 19 in snow
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6New Square, New York
More of a college town than 99% of New York towns
9,679 people · Rockland County · median home $662,400 · income $31,443 · Jan low 23°F · 36 in snow
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5Islip Terrace, New York
More of a college town than 100% of New York towns
5,323 people · Suffolk County · median home $519,200 · income $155,313 · Jan low 25°F · 32 in snow
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4Bronxville, New York
More of a college town than 100% of New York towns
6,656 people · Westchester County · median home $1,095,100 · income $215,815 · Jan low 23°F · 33 in snow
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3North Patchogue, New York
More of a college town than 100% of New York towns
6,751 people · Suffolk County · median home $450,600 · income $107,695 · Jan low 25°F · 32 in snow
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2Pelham, New York
More of a college town than 100% of New York towns
7,326 people · Westchester County · median home $915,800 · income $184,375 · Jan low 27°F · 33 in snow
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1Sleepy Hollow, New York
More of a college town than 100% of New York towns
9,986 people · Westchester County · median home $746,800 · income $104,313 · Jan low 23°F · 33 in snow
Price vs ranking
More New York rankings
- The 25 Best Small Towns to Retire in New York
- The 25 Quietest Small Towns in New York
- The 25 Most Affordable Small Towns in New York
- The 25 Best Small Towns for Families in New York
- The 25 Best Quiet, Affordable Small Towns to Retire in New York
- 25 Small Towns in New York With the Cheapest Homes
- 25 Small Towns in New York With the Mildest Winters
- The 25 Most Walkable Small Towns in New York
- 25 Small Towns in New York With the Fewest Tornadoes Since 1950
- The 25 Best Small Towns for First-Time Home Buyers in New York
Same ranking, other places
- The 50 Best College Small Towns in America
- The 25 Best College Small Towns in Pennsylvania
- The 25 Best College Small Towns in Michigan
- The 25 Best College Small Towns in Texas
- The 25 Best College Small Towns in California
- The 25 Best College Small Towns in New Jersey
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)