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Stevens Point has been ranked highly in a national list of best college and university towns.
Wallet Hub ranks Stevens Point sixth overall among 415 U.S. cities with universities in 2019 (wallethub.com/edu/best-worst-college-cities-and-towns-in-america/8974/#overall-rankings).
Wallet Hub examined 415 cities of varying sizes across three key dimensions: wallet friendliness, social environment, and academic and economic opportunities. Within these, it compared cities based on 30 key indicators, such as students per capita, population aged 18-25, restaurants, festivals, night life, crime rate, quality of education, earnings potential for graduates, median income and share of part-time jobs, entrepreneurial activity and unemployment rate. Stevens Point scored highest on the “wallet friendliness” indicators, which measured cost of education, adjusted cost of living for young people, housing costs, entertainment costs and student loan debt.
Students will find a friendly, helpful community with numerous recreational, social and employment options, said UW-Stevens Point Chancellor Bernie Patterson. “People like to be where they’re welcomed and where they feel good, and that’s what this community does.”
WalletHub says college’s geographical location is just as important as a strong curriculum and supportive school environment to a student’s academic success and personal development. A campus visit often includes a tour of the city or town that will be a student’s home for the next several years.
Stevens Point was ranked No. 4 among small cities (population less than 125,000) by WalletHub.
UW-Stevens Point has numerous community partnerships, from mentoring with professionals to internships with a variety of local businesses and agencies. Many students volunteer with nonprofit organizations such as Big Brothers Big Sisters and the Stevens Point school district.
The university’s economic impact to the region is $421 million, according to the most recent study by NorthStar Consulting in Madison. UW-Stevens Point also generates $21.2 million in state and local tax annually.
Offering numerous theater, music, athletic events and educational programs to the public, UW-Stevens Point also helps the community culturally, economically and intellectually. “It is a great place to live for both students and non-students,” Patterson said.
