The best college town or city for students in every US state

Austin, Texas, was ranked as the best college town in the US in a WalletHub study.

CRobertson/Getty Images A WalletHub study ranked over 400 college locations across the US.

It ranked college towns and larger cities on affordability, social scene, and academic prospects.

Austin was ranked as the best place for students in the US, with Ann Arbor and Orlando following.

Where a student attends college can shape their experience as much as academics, athletics, and campus life do.

Beyond being the backdrop for college memories, a school's setting often determines what students do outside class and the opportunities and experiences they have access to as they pursue their degrees.

In a study released last October, WalletHub analyzed more than 400 college towns across the US — defined as cities with college populations over 7,500 students — in three categories: wallet-friendliness, social environment, and academic and economic opportunity .

While some states had many of their college locations listed — California had 90 locations on the list, and Florida took up five of the top 15 spots — others were barely represented, and Maine had no entries at all.

The analysis considered factors such as housing and education costs , the share of residents ages 18 to 35, nightlife and dining options, higher education quality, and graduates' earning potential to determine each location's rank.

The study used data from federal agencies , including the US Census Bureau, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and the National Center for Education Statistics, as well as from companies such as TransUnion, TripAdvisor, and Yelp, along with other WalletHub research.

For this list, we took the highest-ranked place in each US state to determine the best college town or city in every state.

ALABAMA: Huntsville Sean Pavone/Getty Images/iStockphoto National rank (in WalletHub's report): #52 Schools: University of Alabama in Huntsville; Alabama A&M University Huntsville's college scene is closely tied to the city's aerospace and research economy.

Home to the University of Alabama in Huntsville and Alabama A&M University, it was Alabama's top-ranked city in the WalletHub study, ranking 52nd among college towns nationwide.

ALASKA: Anchorage Jacob Boomsma/Getty Images National rank: #191 School: University of Alaska Anchorage Urban yet outdoorsy, Anchorage and its unique natural setting make for Alaska's best college town.