The 25 Best College Small Towns in Pennsylvania
Ranked on The Town Files lifestyle rankings among 931 towns of 2,500–10,000 people in Pennsylvania. #1 is Gettysburg, PA.
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25Prospect Park, Pennsylvania
More of a college town than 98% of Pennsylvania towns
6,427 people · Delaware County · median home $244,600 · income $63,077 · Jan low 26°F · 23 in snow
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24Ambler, Pennsylvania
More of a college town than 98% of Pennsylvania towns
6,807 people · Montgomery County · median home $377,300 · income $77,394 · Jan low 23°F · 25 in snow
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23Huntingdon, Pennsylvania
More of a college town than 98% of Pennsylvania towns
6,827 people · Huntingdon County · median home $198,900 · income $67,125 · Jan low 21°F · 31 in snow
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22Grove City, Pennsylvania
More of a college town than 98% of Pennsylvania towns
7,871 people · Mercer County · median home $171,600 · income $57,169 · Jan low 17°F · 37 in snow
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21Canonsburg, Pennsylvania
More of a college town than 98% of Pennsylvania towns
9,744 people · Washington County · median home $213,200 · income $79,227 · Jan low 20°F · 32 in snow
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20Kulpmont, Pennsylvania
More of a college town than 99% of Pennsylvania towns
2,758 people · Northumberland County · median home $84,000 · income $49,785 · Jan low 19°F · 34 in snow
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19New Britain, Pennsylvania
More of a college town than 99% of Pennsylvania towns
2,836 people · Bucks County · median home $407,000 · income $125,227 · Jan low 23°F · 22 in snow
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18Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania
More of a college town than 99% of Pennsylvania towns
3,081 people · Butler County · median home $255,400 · income $52,262 · Jan low 17°F · 31 in snow
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17Etna, Pennsylvania
More of a college town than 99% of Pennsylvania towns
3,437 people · Allegheny County · median home $135,800 · income $53,654 · Jan low 21°F · 29 in snow
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16St. Davids, Pennsylvania
More of a college town than 99% of Pennsylvania towns
3,604 people · Delaware County · median home $1,001,600 · income $163,173 · Jan low 23°F · 8 in snow
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15Forty Fort, Pennsylvania
More of a college town than 99% of Pennsylvania towns
4,239 people · Luzerne County · median home $173,000 · income $74,432 · Jan low 20°F · 45 in snow
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14Grantley, Pennsylvania
More of a college town than 99% of Pennsylvania towns
4,524 people · York County · median home $429,400 · income $167,069 · Jan low 21°F · 25 in snow
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13Lemoyne, Pennsylvania
More of a college town than 99% of Pennsylvania towns
4,659 people · Cumberland County · median home $241,300 · income $62,086 · Jan low 22°F · 24 in snow
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12Annville, Pennsylvania
More of a college town than 99% of Pennsylvania towns
4,759 people · Lebanon County · median home $199,200 · income $71,321 · Jan low 22°F · 24 in snow
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11Edinboro, Pennsylvania
More of a college town than 99% of Pennsylvania towns
4,964 people · Erie County · median home $222,700 · income $48,173 · Jan low 16°F · 104 in snow
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10Collegeville, Pennsylvania
More of a college town than 99% of Pennsylvania towns
5,043 people · Montgomery County · median home $443,000 · income $91,466 · Jan low 20°F · 13 in snow
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9Turtle Creek, Pennsylvania
More of a college town than 99% of Pennsylvania towns
5,114 people · Allegheny County · median home $84,900 · income $45,997 · Jan low 22°F · 25 in snow
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8Villanova, Pennsylvania
More of a college town than 99% of Pennsylvania towns
8,213 people · Delaware County · median home $946,400 · income $250,001 · Jan low 23°F · 8 in snow
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7Penndel, Pennsylvania
More of a college town than 100% of Pennsylvania towns
2,515 people · Bucks County · median home $336,200 · income $75,517 · Jan low 22°F · 20 in snow
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6Messiah College, Pennsylvania
More of a college town than 100% of Pennsylvania towns
2,841 people · Cumberland County · median home — · income — · Jan low 25°F · 26 in snow
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5Kutztown University, Pennsylvania
More of a college town than 100% of Pennsylvania towns
3,094 people · Berks County · median home — · income $18,676 · Jan low 20°F · 18 in snow
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4East Greenville, Pennsylvania
More of a college town than 100% of Pennsylvania towns
3,166 people · Montgomery County · median home $253,400 · income $87,396 · Jan low 19°F · 26 in snow
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3Clarion, Pennsylvania
More of a college town than 100% of Pennsylvania towns
3,931 people · Clarion County · median home $163,200 · income $47,181 · Jan low 16°F · 43 in snow
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2Swarthmore, Pennsylvania
More of a college town than 100% of Pennsylvania towns
6,543 people · Delaware County · median home $633,800 · income $152,361 · Jan low 26°F · 23 in snow
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1Gettysburg, Pennsylvania
More of a college town than 100% of Pennsylvania towns
7,106 people · Adams County · median home $241,500 · income $54,365 · Jan low 21°F · 27 in snow
Price vs ranking
More Pennsylvania rankings
- The 25 Best Small Towns to Retire in Pennsylvania
- The 25 Quietest Small Towns in Pennsylvania
- The 25 Most Affordable Small Towns in Pennsylvania
- The 25 Best Small Towns for Families in Pennsylvania
- The 25 Best Quiet, Affordable Small Towns to Retire in Pennsylvania
- 25 Small Towns in Pennsylvania With the Cheapest Homes
- 25 Small Towns in Pennsylvania With the Mildest Winters
- The 25 Most Walkable Small Towns in Pennsylvania
- 25 Small Towns in Pennsylvania With the Fewest Tornadoes Since 1950
- The 25 Best Small Towns for First-Time Home Buyers in Pennsylvania
Same ranking, other places
- The 50 Best College Small Towns in America
- The 25 Best College Small Towns in New York
- 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)