College towns have long been a favorite of retirees seeking an active lifestyle in an amenity-rich environment. Warren Bland, PhD, has just released his "Top Ten" College Towns for 2007, ranked on their overall scores on the 12 criteria utilized to evaluate places in his book "Retire in Style: 60 Outstanding Places Across the USA and Canada". As Bland appropriately points out, "most college towns offer outstanding cultural arts choices including lectures, movies and art exhibits; numerous athletic events; and continuing education opportunities; and many have great medical facilities nearby."
Bland's top college towns, rank-ordered by overall rating of place are:
1. Boulder, CO
2. Chapel Hill, NC
3. Madison, WI
4. Gainesville, FL
5. Oxford, MS
6. Charlottesville, VA
7. Eugene, OR
8. Fayetteville, AR
9. Ithaca, NY
10. Bloomington, IN
Dr. Bland's model uses 12 criteria most important to retirees. They are landscape, climate, quality of life, cost of living, transportation, retail services, health care, community services, cultural activities, recreational activities, work/volunteer activities, and crime.
Bland is a well-known expert in his field. An award-winning geographer and university professor, he has appeared on Bloomberg, Fox News and CNN and has been quoted in AARP Magazine, the NY Times, the LA Times, Consumer's Digest, US News and World Report and many other leading media sources. Bland's book is available through all major booksellers, at Amazon.com and directly through the publisher's website at www.nextdecade.com
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