10 best college towns to own rental property

Where a high college population equals high rent

Looking for a place to invest in housing? A recent study shows that college towns might be the best option. Not only because of the demand for housing near campus for those attending the university, but because those same people are going to need somewhere to live after they graduate.

The American Institute for Economic Research has released a study that analyzes different elements of the largest metropolitan college towns and we've looked at the data to find the best options.

Here are the 10 towns with the largest concentration of college students in the U.S., along with the average fair market rent of a two-bedroom apartment.

Minneapolis

10. Minneapolis, MN

Schools: University of Minnesota, Walden University

Student Concentration: 74%

Average rent for 2-bedroom: $946

Unemployment rate: 4.8%

Earning potential: $36,358

 

Chicago

9. Chicago, IL

Schools: University of Chicago, DePaul University

Student concentration: 74.2%

Average rent for 2-bedroom: $979

Unemployment rate: 9.1%

Earning potential: $32,491

 

Manhattan

8. Manhattan, NY

Schools: New York University, Columbia University

Student concentration: 74.9%

Average rent for 2-bedroom: $1,440

Unemployment rate: 7.8%

Earning potential: $37,064

 

Philly

7. Philadelphia, PA

Schools: University of Pennsylvania, Temple University

Student concentration: 76.5%

Average rent for 2-bedroom: $1,135

Unemployment rate: 7.8%

Earning potential: $35,563

 

SF

6. San Francisco, CA

Schools: San Francisco State University, University of California San Francisco

Student Concentration: 86%

Average rent for 2-bedroom: $1,956

Unemployment rate: 6.6%

Earning potential: $41,265

 

Student Concentration: Students per 1,000 residents

Photos: Google Earth

DC

5. Washington D.C.

Schools: Georgetown University, George Washington University

Student concentration: 87.3%

Average rent for 2-bedroom: $1,469

Unemployment rate: 5.4%

Earning potential: $44,452

 

Baltimore

4. Baltimore, MD

Schools: Johns Hopkins University, Towson University

Student concentration: 87.9%

Average rent for 2-bedroom: $1,252

Unemployment rate: 6.8%

Earning potential: $39,866

 

LA

3. Los Angeles, CA

Schools: University of California Los Angeles, University of Southern California

Student concentration: 88.7%

Average rent for 2-bedroom: $1,398

Unemployment rate: 9.0%

Earning potential: $29,815

 

SD

2. San Diego, CA

Schools: San Diego State University, University of San Diego

Student concentration: 93.4%

Average rent for 2-bedroom: $1,354

Unemployment rate: 7.5%

Earning potential: $31,055

 

Boston

1. Boston, MA

Schools: Harvard, Boston College, Northeastern

Student concentration: 94.5%

Average rent of 2-bedroom: $1,454

Unemployment rate: 6.4%

Earning potential: $37,954

 

Student concentration: students per 1,000 residents

Photos: Google Earth 

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3d rendering of a row of luxury townhouses along a street

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