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The 20 best college towns in America

Abby JacksonDec 14, 2015, 02:18 IST

Flickr / Carl Wycoff

Ames, Iowa is the top-ranked college town in the US, according to a new list from American Institute for Economic Research (AIER).

The city of roughly 60,000 people earned the top spot thanks to its affordable cost of living and ample employment opportunities in the fields of science and technology.

The rankings are calculated using 11 criteria including economic vitality, availability of entertainment, and rent. AIER defines small towns as having fewer than 250,000 residents.

Scroll through to find out the 20 best college towns.