These Washington Cities Are Among The 'Best College Towns' In America

High school seniors have to do a lot of preparation for college, from financial aid applications to orientation. Campus visits are considered essential, too. After all, this is where students will spend several years of their life.

Experts claim the school's geographical location should be a factor in selecting the school as well, especially when it comes to expenses and other factors. So, WalletHub conducted a study to see which American cities and towns have the considered the best colleges towns in the nation.

Eight Washington cities and towns made it on the list. Below are the city and town rankings by size:

Large Cities

• Seattle (No. 3)

Midsize Cities

• Vancouver (No. 7)
• Bellevue (No. 23)
• Spokane (No. 32)
• Tacoma (No. 48)
• Kent (No. 104)

Small Cities

• Bellingham (No. 24)
• Pullman (No. 112)

Another interesting finding: Seattle ranked No. 11 overall among all 415 cities and towns analyzed. Vancouver came in the No. 23 spot overall, too.

Writer Adam McCann said, "It’s in students’ interest to live in a city with a reasonable cost of living, as well as one that provides good academic and work opportunities. The ideal city should also provide a fun social environment to help students deal with the stress of college.

Photo: Getty Images