Depending on where you live, college basketball may have even more draw than the professional level does. For example, the most profitable team, the Louisville Cardinals, has a three-year average revenue of $52 million. But the sport is about much more than the money; it’s about the players and the entertainment value. Which cities provide the most exciting teams to root for?
That’s a tough question to answer, as each city has its own unique basketball history and charm. Graduates also tend to favor their alma mater, while others may have an understandable loyalty to their hometown.
To find 2020’s top spots for NCAA hoops, WalletHub crunched the numbers on more than 280 U.S. cities using nine key metrics. They range from the number of teams per city and the winning percentage of each to stadium capacity and social-media engagement. You can find the results below, followed by a Q&A with a panel of leading college basketball experts. If you disagree with where the data led us, tell us why in the Comments section. Make sure to also check out WalletHub's March Madness Stats & Facts infographic for fun and interesting stats about the matchup.
Main Findings
Best College Basketball Cities
| Overall Rank* | City | Total Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Durham, NC | 58.62 |
| 2 | Chapel Hill, NC | 53.68 |
| 3 | East Lansing, MI | 53.6 |
| 4 | Lawrence, KS | 53.52 |
| 5 | Los Angeles, CA | 53.15 |
| 6 | Lexington, KY | 52.6 |
| 7 | Storrs, CT | 51.07 |
| 8 | Loretto, PA | 50.7 |
| 9 | Philadelphia, PA | 48.43 |
| 10 | Fayette, MS | 46.25 |
| 11 | Washington, DC | 42.69 |
| 12 | Kingston, RI | 42.65 |
| 13 | Bloomington, IN | 42.08 |
| 14 | Boston, MA | 41.68 |
| 15 | College Park, MD | 41.49 |
| 16 | New York, NY | 41 |
| 17 | West Point, NY | 40.83 |
| 18 | Morgantown, WV | 40.51 |
| 19 | Charlottesville, VA | 38.92 |
| 20 | Ann Arbor, MI | 38.29 |
| 21 | Lewiston, NY | 36.92 |
| 22 | Buies Creek, NC | 36.54 |
| 23 | Ames, IA | 35.92 |
| 24 | Norman, OK | 35.76 |
| 25 | Fayetteville, AR | 34.96 |
| 26 | Itta Bena, MS | 34.44 |
| 27 | South Bend, IN | 34.23 |
| 28 | Stillwater, OK | 33.6 |
| 29 | Salt Lake City, UT | 33.43 |
| 30 | Houston, TX | 32.91 |
*Note: 1 = Best
Ranking by City Size
Rank | Large City | Rank | Midsize City | Rank | Small City |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Los Angeles, CA (53.15) | 1 | Durham, NC (58.62) | 1 | Chapel Hill, NC (53.68) |
| 2 | Lexington, KY (52.60) | 2 | Ann Arbor, MI (38.29) | 2 | East Lansing, MI (53.60) |
| 3 | Philadelphia, PA (48.43) | 3 | Norman, OK (35.76) | 3 | Lawrence, KS (53.52) |
| 4 | Washington, DC (42.69) | 4 | South Bend, IN (34.23) | 4 | Storrs, CT (51.07) |
| 5 | Boston, MA (41.68) | 5 | Salt Lake City, UT (33.43) | 5 | Loretto, PA (50.70) |
| 6 | New York, NY (41.00) | 6 | Provo, UT (30.96) | 6 | Fayette, MS (46.25) |
| 7 | Houston, TX (32.91) | 7 | Syracuse, NY (30.01) | 7 | Kingston, RI (42.65) |
| 8 | Cincinnati, OH (32.03) | 8 | Columbia, SC (28.73) | 8 | Bloomington, IN (42.08) |
| 9 | Tulsa, OK (30.63) | 9 | Eugene, OR (28.47) | 9 | College Park, MD (41.49) |
| 10 | Long Beach, CA (30.61) | 10 | Providence, RI (28.12) | 10 | West Point, NY (40.83) |
| 11 | Omaha, NE (29.31) | 11 | Spokane, WA (27.89) | 11 | Morgantown, WV (40.51) |
| 12 | Nashville, TN (28.82) | 12 | Lafayette, LA (27.18) | 12 | Charlottesville, VA (38.92) |
| 13 | Chicago, IL (28.25) | 13 | Toledo, OH (27.13) | 13 | Lewiston, NY (36.92) |
| 14 | Louisville, KY (27.83) | 14 | Dayton, OH (27.05) | 14 | Buies Creek, NC (36.54) |
| 15 | Memphis, TN (27.41) | 15 | Knoxville, TN (26.68) | 15 | Ames, IA (35.92) |
| 16 | Baltimore, MD (27.34) | 16 | Irvine, CA (25.74) | 16 | Fayetteville, AR (34.96) |
| 17 | Dallas, TX (26.34) | 17 | Abilene, TX (25.36) | 17 | Itta Bena, MS (34.44) |
| 18 | Seattle, WA (26.32) | 18 | Boulder, CO (25.34) | 18 | Stillwater, OK (33.60) |
| 19 | Phoenix, AZ (25.97) | 19 | Tempe, AZ (24.73) | 19 | Iowa City, IA (32.79) |
| 20 | Miami, FL (25.67) | 20 | Akron, OH (24.69) | 20 | Clemson, SC (32.68) |
| 21 | Milwaukee, WI (25.04) | 21 | Baton Rouge, LA (24.63) | 21 | West Lafayette, IN (32.34) |
| 22 | Pittsburgh, PA (24.63) | 22 | Tallahassee, FL (24.51) | 22 | Murray, KY (31.93) |
| 23 | Columbus, OH (24.52) | 23 | Greensboro, NC (24.48) | 23 | Spartanburg, SC (31.04) |
| 24 | Austin, TX (24.19) | 24 | Orlando, FL (24.42) | 24 | Champaign, IL (30.79) |
| 25 | San Francisco, CA (23.90) | 25 | New Haven, CT (24.37) | 25 | Hamilton, NY (30.53) |
| 26 | Arlington, TX (23.70) | 26 | Waco, TX (24.12) | 26 | Lewisburg, PA (29.99) |
| 27 | Tucson, AZ (23.65) | 27 | Lincoln, NE (23.88) | 27 | Huntsville, TX (29.78) |
| 28 | New Orleans, LA (23.64) | 28 | College Station, TX (23.79) | 28 | Princeton, NJ (29.73) |
| 29 | San Diego, CA (23.45) | 29 | Gainesville, FL (23.76) | 29 | Troy, AL (29.61) |
| 30 | San Antonio, TX (23.21) | 29 | Norfolk, VA (23.76) | 30 | Highland Heights, KY (29.61) |
| 31 | Jacksonville, FL (22.87) | 31 | Newark, NJ (23.69) | 31 | Boiling Springs, NC (28.97) |
| 32 | Portland, OR (22.46) | 32 | Charleston, SC (23.60) | 32 | Ogden, UT (28.94) |
| 33 | Sacramento, CA (22.37) | 33 | Lowell, MA (23.60) | 33 | Orangeburg, SC (28.54) |
| 34 | El Paso, TX (22.02) | 34 | Murfreesboro, TN (23.54) | 34 | Emmitsburg, MD (28.44) |
| 35 | Corpus Christi, TX (21.83) | 35 | Boise, ID (23.34) | 35 | Olean, NY (28.26) |
| 36 | St. Louis, MO (21.46) | 36 | Jackson, MS (23.31) | 36 | Prairie View, TX (28.17) |
| 37 | Bakersfield, CA (21.34) | 37 | High Point, NC (23.31) | 37 | Thibodaux, LA (27.37) |
| 38 | Fresno, CA (21.24) | 38 | Buffalo, NY (23.28) | 38 | Radford, VA (27.17) |
| 39 | Atlanta, GA (20.92) | 39 | Lubbock, TX (23.18) | 39 | Pullman, WA (26.85) |
| 40 | Raleigh, NC (20.69) | 40 | Hampton, VA (23.14) | 40 | Cullowhee, NC (26.76) |
| 41 | Riverside, CA (20.55) | 41 | Green Bay, WI (23.06) | 41 | Kent, OH (26.65) |
| 41 | Colorado Springs, CO (20.55) | 42 | Beaumont, TX (23.04) | 42 | Grambling, LA (26.53) |
| 43 | Indianapolis, IN (20.20) | 43 | Hartford, CT (23.00) | 43 | Davidson, NC (26.51) |
| 44 | Denver, CO (20.03) | 44 | Greeley, CO (22.90) | 44 | Stanford, CA (26.43) |
| 45 | Detroit, MI (19.79) | 45 | Clarksville, TN (22.67) | 45 | Cheney, WA (26.43) |
| 46 | Las Vegas, NV (19.32) | 46 | Columbia, MO (22.25) | 46 | Nacogdoches, TX (26.34) |
| 47 | Stockton, CA (19.20) | 47 | Worcester, MA (22.23) | 47 | Ruston, LA (26.28) |
| 48 | Tampa, FL (19.07) | 48 | North Charleston, SC (21.84) | 48 | Mount Pleasant, MI (26.21) |
| 49 | Kansas City, MO (18.75) | 49 | Denton, TX (21.57) | 49 | Terre Haute, IN (26.19) |
| 50 | Minneapolis, MN (18.57) | 50 | Little Rock, AR (21.34) | 50 | Jacksonville, AL (26.15) |
| 51 | Albuquerque, NM (18.42) | 51 | Mobile, AL (21.18) | 51 | Carbondale, IL (26.13) |
| 52 | Cleveland, OH (17.40) | 52 | Winston-Salem, NC (21.16) | 52 | Laramie, WY (26.08) |
| 53 | Charlotte, NC (17.13) | 53 | Peoria, IL (20.97) | 53 | New Rochelle, NY (25.91) |
| 54 | Wichita, KS (17.03) | 54 | Madison, WI (20.82) | 54 | Durham, NH (25.87) |
| 55 | San Jose, CA (16.91) | 55 | Fort Wayne, IN (20.77) | 55 | Athens, OH (25.84) |
| 56 | Fort Worth, TX (16.65) | 56 | Birmingham, AL (20.60) | 56 | Lexington, VA (25.83) |
| 57 | Chattanooga, TN (20.39) | 57 | Johnson City, TN (25.75) | ||
| 58 | Fargo, ND (20.38) | 58 | Starkville, MS (25.55) | ||
| 59 | Macon, GA (20.00) | 59 | Lynchburg, VA (25.55) | ||
| 60 | Cambridge, MA (19.62) | 60 | Cedar Falls, IA (25.48) | ||
| 61 | Des Moines, IA (19.38) | 61 | Easton, PA (25.34) | ||
| 62 | Reno, NV (18.98) | 62 | Huntington, WV (25.26) | ||
| 63 | Fort Collins, CO (18.92) | 63 | Ypsilanti, MI (25.25) | ||
| 64 | Springfield, MO (18.51) | 64 | Ithaca, NY (25.19) | ||
| 65 | Fullerton, CA (18.24) | 65 | Normal, IL (25.16) | ||
| 66 | Las Cruces, NM (17.96) | 66 | Statesboro, GA (25.06) | ||
| 67 | Athens, GA (17.52) | 67 | Williamsburg, VA (24.92) | ||
| 68 | Richmond, VA (16.85) | 68 | Brookings, SD (24.76) | ||
| 69 | Wilmington, NC (15.50) | 69 | Albany, NY (24.72) | ||
| 70 | Evansville, IN (14.23) | 70 | Hanover, NH (24.68) | ||
| 71 | Huntsville, AL (13.03) | 71 | Amherst, MA (24.51) | ||
| 72 | Jersey City, NJ (12.92) | 72 | Morehead, KY (24.49) | ||
| 73 | Montgomery, AL (12.42) | 73 | Rochester Hills, MI (24.47) | ||
| 74 | Berkeley, CA (12.17) | 74 | Rock Hill, SC (24.40) | ||
| 75 | Santa Clara, CA (11.93) | 75 | Princess Anne, MD (24.36) | ||
| 76 | Oxford, MS (24.33) | ||||
| 77 | Orem, UT (24.27) | ||||
| 78 | Hammond, LA (24.21) | ||||
| 79 | San Marcos, TX (24.12) | ||||
| 80 | Bowling Green, KY (24.09) | ||||
| 81 | State College, PA (23.96) | ||||
| 82 | Greenville, SC (23.82) | ||||
| 83 | Logan, UT (23.71) | ||||
| 84 | Corvallis, OR (23.60) | ||||
| 84 | Annapolis, MD (23.60) | ||||
| 86 | DeKalb, IL (23.34) | ||||
| 87 | Trenton, NJ (23.32) | ||||
| 88 | Muncie, IN (23.30) | ||||
| 88 | Charleston, IL (23.30) | ||||
| 90 | Moraga, CA (23.19) | ||||
| 91 | Davis, CA (23.18) | ||||
| 92 | Burlington, VT (23.16) | ||||
| 93 | Farmville, VA (23.10) | ||||
| 94 | Cape Girardeau, MO (23.09) | ||||
| 95 | Long Branch, NJ (22.97) | ||||
| 96 | Natchitoches, LA (22.94) | ||||
| 97 | Richmond, KY (22.81) | ||||
| 98 | Hempstead, NY (22.81) | ||||
| 99 | Florence, AL (22.80) | ||||
| 100 | Monroe, LA (22.77) | ||||
| 101 | Pine Bluff, AR (22.77) | ||||
| 102 | Stony Brook, NY (22.73) | ||||
| 103 | Martin, TN (22.54) | ||||
| 104 | Elon, NC (22.51) | ||||
| 105 | Boone, NC (22.41) | ||||
| 106 | Bowling Green, OH (22.39) | ||||
| 107 | Conway, SC (22.38) | ||||
| 108 | Fairfield, CT (22.22) | ||||
| 109 | Santa Barbara, CA (22.21) | ||||
| 110 | Towson, MD (21.86) | ||||
| 111 | Harrisonburg, VA (21.80) | ||||
| 112 | Valparaiso, IN (21.74) | ||||
| 113 | Fairfax, VA (21.68) | ||||
| 114 | Moscow, ID (21.44) | ||||
| 115 | Kalamazoo, MI (21.20) | ||||
| 116 | Tuscaloosa, AL (21.17) | ||||
| 117 | Newark, DE (21.17) | ||||
| 118 | Macomb, IL (21.08) | ||||
| 119 | Oxford, OH (20.49) | ||||
| 120 | Clinton, SC (20.41) | ||||
| 121 | Lake Charles, LA (20.31) | ||||
| 122 | Cookeville, TN (20.18) | ||||
| 123 | Grand Forks, ND (20.15) | ||||
| 124 | Asheville, NC (20.07) | ||||
| 125 | Jonesboro, AR (20.01) | ||||
| 126 | Bozeman, MT (19.98) | ||||
| 127 | Greenville, NC (19.92) | ||||
| 128 | North Andover, MA (19.92) | ||||
| 129 | Blacksburg, VA (19.90) | ||||
| 130 | San Luis Obispo, CA (19.89) | ||||
| 131 | Edwardsville, IL (19.73) | ||||
| 132 | Fort Myers, FL (19.68) | ||||
| 133 | Cedar City, UT (19.60) | ||||
| 134 | Manhattan, KS (19.57) | ||||
| 135 | Edinburg, TX (19.41) | ||||
| 136 | Missoula, MT (19.33) | ||||
| 137 | Hattiesburg, MS (19.25) | ||||
| 138 | Auburn, AL (19.04) | ||||
| 139 | Binghamton, NY (18.95) | ||||
| 140 | Conway, AR (18.91) | ||||
| 141 | Youngstown, OH (18.63) | ||||
| 142 | Hackensack, NJ (18.62) | ||||
| 143 | Vermillion, SD (18.55) | ||||
| 144 | Boca Raton, FL (18.34) | ||||
| 145 | Orono, ME (18.24) | ||||
| 146 | DeLand, FL (18.04) | ||||
| 147 | Evanston, IL (17.49) | ||||
| 148 | Poughkeepsie, NY (17.48) | ||||
| 149 | Kennesaw, GA (17.10) | ||||
| 150 | Bethlehem, PA (17.07) | ||||
| 151 | Flagstaff, AZ (16.70) | ||||
| 152 | Dover, DE (15.71) | ||||
| 153 | New Brunswick, NJ (15.36) | ||||
| 154 | Malibu, CA (14.19) | ||||
| 155 | Daytona Beach, FL (11.01) | ||||
| 156 | New Britain, CT (10.99) | ||||
| 157 | Pocatello, ID (7.97) |
Ask the Experts
For more input on what makes for a great college basketball city and how residents can ramp up their fandom without spending too much, we asked the following questions to a panel of leading industry experts. You can check out their bios and responses below.
- What, in your mind, makes a good college basketball fan?
- What do you think is the best city for college basketball fans and why?
- Do you have any tips for how basketball fans can enjoy the sport without breaking the bank?
Ask the Experts
- Erin Whiteside
Associate Professor, University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Read More
- Steve Ross
Ph.D. – Associate Professor, Sport Management Program Chair, Director - Institutional Review Board, Concordia University, St. Paul
Read More
- Tom Shirley
Assistant Vice President of Athletics/Head Women's Basketball Coach, Thomas Jefferson University
Read More
Methodology
In order to identify the best and worst cities for college basketball fans, WalletHub compared the 289 U.S. cities with at least one college (Division 1) team using nine relevant metrics, which are listed below with their corresponding weights. Each metric was graded on a 100-point scale, with a score of 100 representing the most favorable conditions for college basketball fans.
We determined each city’s weighted average across all metrics to calculate its overall score and used the resulting scores to rank-order our sample. Cities were also ranked based on population size, using the following groupings:
- Large Cities: More than 300,000 people
- Midsize Cities: 100,000 to 300,000 people
- Small Cities: Fewer than 100,000 people
NCAA Basketball
- Number of College Basketball (Division 1) Teams: Full Weight (~12.50 Points)
- Performance Level of College Basketball (Division 1) Team(s): Full Weight (~12.50 Points)
Note: This metric was calculated by dividing “Number of Wins” by “Total Games Played” and using the past three seasons’ averages. - Number of Basketball (Division 1) Championship Wins: Full Weight (~12.50 Points)
- Number of College Basketball (Division 1) Conference Regular Season Championship Wins: Half Weight (~6.25 Points)
- Number of Hall of Fame Head Coaches: Full Weight (~12.50 Points)
- Minimum Season Ticket Price for a College Basketball (Division 1) Game: Full Weight (~12.50 Points)
- College-Basketball Fans Engagement: Sesqui-Weight (~18.75 Points)
Note: This metric was calculated by adding “Number of Twitter Followers” and “Number of Facebook ‘Likes’ per Capita.” - Number of Coaches in Past 10 Seasons: Half Weight (~6.25 Points)
Note: “Past 10 Seasons” include seasons 2010–2011 to 2019–2020. - College-Basketball Stadium Capacity: Half Weight (~6.25 Points)
Note: This metric was calculated by dividing “Stadium Capacity” by “City Population.”
Sources: Data used to create these rankings were collected from the U.S. Census Bureau, ESPN, Sports Reference, NCAA.org, each team’s website and social media accounts.