Mount Pleasant, MI, United States

Capital City

With a population of just 21,688, this Michigan college town is a far cry from the bustling metropolises many Americans dream of. The student population nearly doubles the city's size during the academic year, creating a lopsided demographic that can make it feel more like a campus than a community. And while the city's history is steeped in oil production, that legacy has long since diminished, leaving behind a largely flat, unremarkable landscape.

The bureaucracy is a persistent headache as well, with the city's boundaries overlapping the Isabella Indian Reservation, home to the federally recognized Saginaw Chippewa Tribal Nation. This tangled web of jurisdictions can make navigating local government a tedious process.

Overall, Mount Pleasant seems best suited for those seeking a quiet, affordable college town experience, far removed from the excitement (and challenges) of big-city living.