When does a college town become a city? (fit in, employment)
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Cities from the sizes of Ithica, Ann Arbor, Madison, Columbus, and to Austin have often been labeled simply as a "college town" because they have a large university(s) in their city limits. I guess my question is, when do they become more than a college town? Many many cities have large universities in their city limits, what size do you think they have to be, or what qualities do they need to have to be respected for more than just a university? Just curious.
When nobody notices college students anymore, than it becomes a city. Like when somebody says "What do you do" and they reply "I'm a student", then it has become a city that has a college in it, which of course, all large cities do.
I feel that a college town becomes a city when the college is no longer the only major employment center in the city. Austin is a city with a major college. It is also a hotbed for tech start ups and the state capital. Same for Columbus, minus tech start ups. Madison, same.
I would consider Bloomington (IU) or West Lafayette (Purdue) a college town.
This is just my opinion on when to decide whether or not a city is a college town or not: If the college wasn't there, could the city survive?
Now I know there would definitely be a negative impact if the city wasn't there, but could the city make it without University of XYZ? If so, then it's not a college town.
When not everything revolves around that college. College towns are usually under 100 thousand population. Cities like Columbus and Austin aren't strictly a college town, they are regular cities.
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I think Austin has gotten over that hump only in the last 10 years or so. Even so, some of the remnants remain--but those are part of its charm. Austin the college town > Austin the city. Austin the city is just another Texas boomtown. Austin the college town had some personality.
I feel that a college town becomes a city when the college is no longer the only major employment center in the city. Austin is a city with a major college. It is also a hotbed for tech start ups and the state capital. Same for Columbus, minus tech start ups. Madison, same.
Where would Lincoln, Nebraska fit into this? Its population is certainly on the high side for a "college town", and the state government would count as a major employer.
Where would Lincoln, Nebraska fit into this? Its population is certainly on the high side for a "college town", and the state government would count as a major employer.
I wouldn't consider Lincoln a college town. I actually didn't know Lincoln had so many people! But no, not a college town in my opinion. The college is a part of the city, but life doesn't revolve around the college (at least, I wouldn't think so).
College towns are Ruston, LA, College Station, TX, Oxford, MS, Tuscaloosa, AL, Fayetteville, AR, and Gainesville, FL. Cities like Baton Rouge, LA (LSU), Austin (UT), and Columbia, SC (USC) are not college towns.
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