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San Antonio neighbor booms as 4th fastest-growing U.S. college town, report says

San Marcos ranked No. 4 nationally.

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San Antonio might be one of the fastest growing cities in the U.S., but there's one Central Texas city that's outdoing it in a different category of population growth. A new study by university scholarship website BrokeScholar has deemed San Marcos the No. 4 fastest-growing college town in the country.

San Marcos' population in 2000 was 36,120; in 2023 the population has nearly doubled to 70,372. For scale, U.S. News and World Report says Texas State University had an undergraduate enrollment of 33,175 in the fall of 2021.

It's not just a university or its enrollment that attracts newcomers, the study says, but the "cultural oasis" that the college towns maintain.

"These collegiate strongholds benefit from an influx of new residents eager to enjoy a good football game and an existing mix of music, culture, and young energy," the report's author wrote.

San Marcos is a hub for cultural growth, with its community of local artists and countless recreational activities. A popular kayak tour along the San Marcos River won a Texas Travel Award earlier this year for the best outdoor activity.

BrokeScholar estimates the city's population to expand to over 86,000 people by 2030, and nearly 154,000 people by 2050.

The report further indicates the growth trends are so strong in Central Texas that an educational "mega-region" is surfacing. These findings confirm earlier reports of the area between Austin and San Antonio becoming the next mega-metro that could rival Dallas-Fort Worth in the future.

Also in the top 10 is Denton, north of Dallas-Fort Worth, ranking No. 6 with an overall population of 160,564 residents. College Station earned No. 8 with an overall population of 123,238 in 2023, with an estimated growth by 2030 of 19 percent to 147,126 residents.

The top 10 fastest-growing college towns in the U.S. are:

No. 1 – Bozeman, Montana
No. 2 – Oxford, Mississippi
No. 3 – Cedar City, Utah
No. 4 – San Marcos, Texas
No. 5 – Auburn, Alabama
No. 6 – Denton, Texas
No. 7 – Cullowhee, North Carolina
No. 8 – College Station, Texas
No. 9 – Fayetteville, Arkansas
No. 10 – Raleigh, North Carolina

BrokeScholar pulled data from the U.S. Census Bureau between 2000 and 2023 to determine annual growth rates and make population projections for 2030.

The full report and its methodology can be found on brokescholar.com.

BrokeScholar Study Fastest-Growing College Town San Marcos San Marcos, Texas austin colleges reports texas universities San Antonio

Drop the Debt

Students of families making under $100,000 will get free tuition to UT

University of Texas at San Antonio/Instagram

This is an extension of a previous program with a lower income eligibility.

Beginning next fall, some students accepted into schools within the University of Texas system will receive free tuition and have all fees waived, the board of regents announced on Wednesday.

In order to qualify, families of undergraduates must make less than $100,000 a year.

The board gave preliminary approval to the plan on Wednesday. After the full board’s consideration and vote on Thursday, the plan will include a new, immediate infusion of $35 million directly to campuses to offer the financial aid benefit. The plan also directs additional investment in endowments supporting financial aid to ensure a commitment for tuition relief.

In 2019, the regents established a $167 million endowment at UT Austin to completely cover tuition and mandatory fees for in-state undergraduate students from families with an income of up to $65,000. In 2022, the regents approved a second endowment of almost $300 million called “Promise Plus” to extend the program to all UT academic institutions.

“To be in a position to make sure our students can attend a UT institution without accruing more debt is very important to all of us [...]” Kevin P. Eltife, chairman of the board of regents, said.

Read the full story and watch the video at KVUE.com.

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