Prince George is the best BC university town and ranked fourth out of 94 Canadian university towns in a recent report from online learning provider Preply.
There were 18 different variables used in the study of cities with university students, including wallet friendliness, social environment and economic opportunities.
Each town had a total score using data points, with the best score being 100, representing the quality of the university town for students to live and work after graduation.
Prince George scored 67.2 out of 100. A student looking to rent a one-bedroom apartment in Prince George will pay $1,267.86. For those looking to start a career here, earning potential is good, with an average monthly salary of $3,643.57 and an employment rate of 65.20 per cent. For a night out a meal will cost $20.50 and a beer $5.38.
Prince George scored highest in the "economic opportunity" category with 79.67 out of 100 points. This category looked at average monthly salary, GDP, employment rate, buy apartment price, and mortgage interest rates.
The best university town overall is Regina, with a total score of 72.9.
Rent in Regina for a one-bedroom apartment will cost $1,016.67, and beer is $6. For those looking to start work after graduation, the employment rate is high at 66.30 per cent and the average monthly salary at $3,734.86.
Regina scored highest out of all cities in the "economic opportunity" category with 83.3 out of 100 points.
Here are Canada's 10 best university towns of 2022, according to Preply:
- Regina, Saskatchewan
- Winnipeg, Manitoba
- London, Ontario
- Prince George, British Columbia
- Rouyn-Noranda, Québec
- Mississauga, Ontario
- Abbotsford, British Columbia
- Prince Albert, Saskatchewan
- Laval, Quebec
- Brantford, Ontario
The worst university town overall is Squamish.
Squamish came in the last spot out of 94 university towns, with a score of 32.2 out of 100. Squamish scores particularly low in all three categories with a score of under 40 for social, affordability, and economic opportunity.
Although great for mountain biking and hiking, it isn't the most affordable place to live and offers little opportunity. Rent is exceptionally high for a one-bedroom apartment at $1,724.88 and a beer at $7.25 ($1.25 more than Regina). Earning potential is also relatively low, with the average monthly salary after tax at $2,461.43.
To see all the details for Canada's 10 Best & Worst University Towns visit https://preply.com/en/blog/best-university-cities-in-canada.
