A college town or university town is a community that is dominated by its university population. The university may be large, or there may be several smaller institutions such as liberal arts colleges clustered, or the residential population may be small, but college towns in all cases are so dubbed because the presence of the educational institution(s) pervades economic and social life. Many local residents may be employed by the university—which may be the largest employer in the community—many businesses cater primarily to the university, and the student population may outnumber the local population.
High Street in Oxford, England, a prototypical example of a university town. There is no central campus, rather university buildings are scattered around the city between shops, for example those at centre right of the picture.
Main Street in Hanover, New Hampshire, home to the Ivy League university Dartmouth College
Kuopio, North Savonia, home to the University of Eastern Finland and Savonia University of Applied Sciences
Ann Arbor, Michigan, home to the University of Michigan
A company town is a place where practically all stores and housing are owned by the one company that is also the main employer. Company towns are often planned with a suite of amenities such as stores, houses of worship, schools, markets and recreation facilities.
The town of Siedlung Eisenheim in Oberhausen, Germany
Company town Burg in Bayreuth, Germany
Pullman in the late 19th century
An example of houses at Port Sunlight, England
