5 of the coolest college towns where you can buy a home for under $250,000

Living in a college town means more than just being surrounded by a youthful population: These places often are full of cultural activities, education opportunities, affordable restaurants, and sports and community events. That may be why they’re popular places both for families and retirees to move. Sometimes though getting all of that in one town can be pricey. So here are 5 college towns with median housing prices under $250,000, and with mortgage rates still remain near record lows — some 15-year rates are near 2% and some 30-year rates are below 3%, as you can see here  — these spots may be within your budget.

If you’re looking for great food and southern charm: Savannah, Ga.

The Savannah College of Art and Design, Savannah State University and Armstrong Atlantic State University are all located in this charming Georgia town, which means lifetime learning opportunities abound: For example, you can partake in classes ranging from like personal finance, to screenwriting, and even earn a certificate in mediation at Armstrong. The city itself offers picturesque cobblestone streets, historic squares, championship golf courses and access to white-sand beaches. And Foodies will delight in Savannah’s relaxed, but delicious, dining scene (Southern Living named it one of the best foodie cities in the south), and there are plenty of options for both high-end and affordable shopping as well.

Median home value: $220,932
Population: 143,632
Cost of living: Below average (score of 83.2/100, with 100 being average)
Sources: Median home values from Zillow; other stats from Sperling’s Best Places

If you want a culturally rich city: New Haven, Conn.

Known as Connecticut’s culture capital, New Haven has plenty of museums, galleries, theaters, music, shopping, dining and more, as well as a walkable downtown. It also has a handful of colleges in the area including Yale University, the University of New Haven and Quinnipiac University, and it just about two-and-a-half hours from both Boston and New York City should you want more world-class cultural options. Fun fact: If you love pizza, this is your spot: New Haven is home to the lauded Pepe’s Pizzeria Napoletana and Modern Apizza.

Median home value: $243,497
Population: 130,801
Cost of living: Above average (score of 102.2/100, with 100 being average)
Sources: Median home values from Zillow; other stats from Sperling’s Best Places

If you want to live amid beautiful outdoors: Eau Claire, Wis.

Roughly and hour and a half from Minneapolis, Eau Claire is home to the 337-acre University of Wisconsin—Eau Claire campus, where more than 10,000 undergraduate students are enrolled. It offers plenty of continuing education courses for personal and professional development, from building cultural intelligence, to talent management to succession planning and effective presentation techniques. The city, set along the Chippewa River, has plenty of parks, bike trails, boat docks, deer hunting, dog parks, multiple community gardens and even groomed cross-country trails. Foodies will enjoy some of the city’s best known restaurants like The Lakely and Mona Lisa’s and Forage, which operates inside the defunct Uniroyal plant.

Median home value: $230,734
Population: 69,087
Cost of living: Below average (score of 86.7/100, with 100 being average)
Sources: Median home values from Zillow; other stats from Sperling’s Best Places

If you want a metropolitan setting: Houston, Texas

University of Houston, Rice University, Texas Southern University, The Art Institute of Houston and more are all located in America’s fourth largest city. Houston is home to many professional major league sports teams like the Houston Astros, Houston Texans and Houston Rockets, and is known as the world capital of space exploration with NASA’s Johnson Space Center and the Space Center Houston residing there. Houston also offers lively nightlife, abundant shopping, renowned rodeos, many restaurants, museums, a ballet and other cultural activities. There’s even a Michelin star restaurant, Le Jardinier, located in the Museum of Fine Arts.

Median home value: $226,925
Population: 2,316,120
Cost of living: Below average (score of 96.5/100, with 100 being average)
Sources: Median home values from Zillow; other stats from Sperling’s Best Places

If you’re looking for a quaint Northeast town with lots of green space: Allentown, Penn.

Ranked one of the Top 100 Best Places to Live by U.S. News & World Report in 2017, colleges abound in this town. Lehigh University, Muhlenberg College, Lafayette College, Penn State Lehigh Valley and more are all located within 30 minutes of Allentown. The town encompasses museums, theaters, music, entertainment and more than two dozen award-winning parks, with more acres of parks per resident than any other city of its size in the nation. For lifelong learners interested in continuing their education, Lehigh University offers many courses and programs as does Penn State Lehigh Valley. The town is rich with Pennsylvania Dutch history, and has plenty of museums including the America on Wheels Museum, the Museum of Indian Culture and Mack Trucks Historical Museum.

Median home value: $216,394
Population: 121,470
Cost of living: Below average (score of 88.8/100, with 100 being average)
Sources: Median home values from Zillow; other stats from Sperling’s Best Places