BLACKSBURG, Va. – Excitement is building as millions of Americans prepare to outsmart the bracket chaos during March Madness. This year, Hokie Nation is in the spotlight, with Blacksburg ranked as the second most affordable college town to watch the NCAA basketball tournament, just behind West Lafayette, Indiana.
The ranking comes from BadCredit.org, which analyzed 60 cities based on economic factors such as cost of living and game-day expenses, including bracket pools, watch parties, and bar tabs.
“Affordability isn’t just about cheaper drinks or lower rents, it’s about not feeling stressed out about being able to pay for it all,” said Bobbi Rebell, CFP at BadCredit.org.
The study used a weighted 100-point scoring system to determine the rankings. Here are the top five most affordable college towns to watch March Madness, according to BadCredit.org:
- West Lafayette, Indiana
- Blacksburg, Virginia
- Morgantown, West Virginia
- Ames, Iowa
- Auburn, Alabama
For the full report, click here.