College Station, TX, United States

Living in College Station, TX means contending with a hefty tax burden and the ever-present challenge of bureaucratic red tape. As the home of Texas A&M University, the city hosts over 72,000 students who make up 86% of the population. While the university boasts a $19.2 billion endowment, the second-highest among U.S. public schools, the cost of living remains high, with students receiving $810 million in financial aid annually. Geographically, College Station is centrally located within 200 miles of three of the nation's ten largest cities, but the region's climate can be a persistent headache, with hot, humid summers. Overall, College Station caters best to those drawn to the university's strong engineering, agriculture, and military programs, and able to navigate its sizable administrative challenges.