College basketball fans across the U.S. are gearing up for the most exciting time of year – March Madness. College basketball is a big deal in the U.S., and depending on where you live, it may have even more appeal than the professional level. 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 2024’s top spots for NCAA hoops, WalletHub crunched the numbers on more than 290 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.
“March Madness is one of the most exciting times of the year for sports fans, with 67 games packed into 21 days. You can enjoy the action from anywhere with a TV or an internet connection, but a good environment enhances the experience. The best cities for college basketball have high-performing teams, affordable and accessible games, and strong fan engagement.”
Cassandra Happe, WalletHub Analyst
Table of Contents
Main FindingsIn-Depth Look at the Best Cities for College Basketball FansRanking by City SizeAsk the ExpertsMethodology
Main Findings
Embed on your website
Best College Basketball Cities
College Basketball Teams
Best-Performing
- 1. Spokane, WA
- 2. Waco, TX
- 3. Tucson, AZ
- 4. Lawrence, KS
- 5. Des Moines, IA
Worst-Performing
- 290. North Charleston, SC
- 291. Moscow, ID
- 292. Green Bay, WI
- 293. Dover, DE
- 294. Itta Bena, MS
Best City vs. Worst City: 9x Difference
Spokane, WA vs. Itta Bena, MS
Minimum Season Ticket Price for a College Basketball Game
Lowest
- 1. Athens, OH
- 2. Montgomery, AL
- 3. Ithaca, NY
- 4. North Andover, MA
- 5. Richmond, KY
Highest
- T-282. Wichita, KS
- T-282. Bloomington, IN
- T-282. Auburn, AL
- T-282. Chapel Hill, NC
- T-282. Lexington, KY
Best City vs. Worst City: 24x Difference
Athens, OH vs. Lexington, KY
Accessible College Basketball Stadiums
Most
- T-1. Fayette, MS
- T-1. Itta Bena, MS
- T-1. Loretto, PA
- T-1. Princess Anne, MD
- 5. Grambling, LA
Least
- 290. Denver, CO
- 291. San Antonio, TX
- 292. Kansas City, MO
- 293. New York, NY
- 294. Sacramento, CA
Engaged College Basketball Fans
Most
- T-1. Chapel Hill, NC
- T-1. Bloomington, IN
- T-1. Morgantown, WV
- T-1. Lawrence, KS
- T-1. East Lansing, MI
Least
- 289. Colorado Springs, CO
- 290. Kansas City, MO
- 291. San Jose, CA
- 292. Denver, CO
- 293. Arlington, TX
Show More
In-Depth Look at the Best Cities for College Basketball Fans
Los Angeles, CA
Los Angeles is the best city for college basketball fans, with four different Division 1 NCAA teams, the UCLA Bruins, CSU Northridge Matadors, Loyola Marymount Lions and USC Trojans. These teams stand out even in a city that’s already known for its professional-level basketball.
L.A. has the largest number of NCAA championship wins since 1938, at 11 total, all of which belong to the UCLA Bruins. Los Angeles also has had four Hall of Fame coaches, which is more than any other city.
Philadelphia, PA
Philadelphia is the second-best city for college basketball, and it has the most Division 1 NCAA teams out of any city, at six, coming from La Salle, Penn, Saint Joseph's, Temple, Villanova and Drexel. One fun fact is that these teams are known as the “Big Five” despite being six teams – the name stuck around even after Drexel was added much later than the others.
Philadelphia teams have the most regular season conference wins, at 94 since 1938. They also have four national championship wins, which puts them in seventh place. The city has also had four Hall of Fame coaches, tying them with Los Angeles.
Storrs, CT
Storrs, CT is the third-best city for college basketball fans. It’s only home to one Division 1 team, the University of Connecticut Huskies, but that’s because the city is essentially built around UConn’s campus. Plus, the city really only needs one team to succeed – the UConn Huskies have won five national championships by themselves.
Storrs also boasts one of the best fan engagement out of most cities, based on UConn’s social media followers and likes. It also has a large stadium capacity, so fans can enjoy seeing games in person.
In addition, UConn’s women have an even better performance level than the men, with 11 national titles.
Ranking by City Size
| Rank (1=Best) | Large City (Score) | Rank (1=Best) | Midsize City (Score) | Rank (1=Best) | Small City (Score) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Los Angeles, CA (59.98) | 1 | Durham, NC (53.45) | 1 | Storrs, CT (55.01) |
| 2 | Philadelphia, PA (57.04) | 2 | Ann Arbor, MI (35.59) | 2 | Lawrence, KS (51.82) |
| 3 | Lexington, KY (53.06) | 3 | Syracuse, NY (33.95) | 3 | East Lansing, MI (48.77) |
| 4 | Boston, MA (45.48) | 4 | Norman, OK (33.89) | 4 | Chapel Hill, NC (47.33) |
| 5 | New York, NY (44.22) | 5 | Providence, RI (32.86) | 5 | Loretto, PA (42.26) |
| 6 | Washington, DC (43.70) | 6 | Salt Lake City, UT (31.49) | 6 | West Point, NY (40.43) |
| 7 | Houston, TX (37.92) | 7 | Dayton, OH (31.09) | 7 | Fayetteville, AR (40.08) |
| 8 | Tulsa, OK (36.79) | 8 | Akron, OH (31.05) | 8 | Lewiston, NY (39.48) |
| 9 | Louisville, KY (35.21) | 9 | Toledo, OH (30.69) | 9 | Fayette, MS (39.32) |
| 10 | Cincinnati, OH (34.98) | 10 | Waco, TX (30.18) | 10 | College Park, MD (39.07) |
| 11 | Nashville, TN (32.77) | 11 | Provo, UT (29.55) | 11 | Morgantown, WV (38.00) |
| 12 | Omaha, NE (31.47) | 12 | Eugene, OR (29.26) | 12 | Kingston, RI (37.88) |
| 13 | Baltimore, MD (31.39) | 13 | South Bend, IN (29.24) | 13 | Hamilton, NY (37.85) |
| 14 | Long Beach, CA (31.37) | 14 | Spokane, WA (29.15) | 14 | Iowa City, IA (37.72) |
| 15 | Chicago, IL (31.35) | 15 | Norfolk, VA (29.08) | 15 | Grambling, LA (37.34) |
| 16 | Miami, FL (30.23) | 16 | Lafayette, LA (28.73) | 16 | Bloomington, IN (37.12) |
| 17 | Seattle, WA (29.41) | 17 | Baton Rouge, LA (28.37) | 17 | Charlottesville, VA (37.09) |
| 18 | San Diego, CA (28.91) | 18 | Columbia, SC (28.00) | 18 | West Lafayette, IN (36.51) |
| 19 | San Francisco, CA (28.39) | 19 | New Haven, CT (27.22) | 19 | Stillwater, OK (36.29) |
| 20 | New Orleans, LA (27.71) | 20 | Tallahassee, FL (27.17) | 20 | Murray, KY (35.52) |
| 21 | Memphis, TN (27.71) | 21 | Mobile, AL (27.06) | 21 | Princeton, NJ (35.22) |
| 22 | Dallas, TX (27.46) | 22 | Boise, ID (26.96) | 22 | Itta Bena, MS (34.34) |
| 23 | Pittsburgh, PA (27.45) | 23 | College Station, TX (26.62) | 23 | Clemson, SC (33.41) |
| 24 | Raleigh, NC (27.43) | 24 | Charleston, SC (26.42) | 24 | Athens, OH (33.34) |
| 25 | Columbus, OH (27.26) | 25 | Knoxville, TN (26.25) | 25 | Buies Creek, NC (32.91) |
| 26 | Phoenix, AZ (26.42) | 26 | St. Louis, MO (26.15) | 26 | Morehead, KY (32.83) |
| 27 | Charlotte, NC (26.11) | 27 | Tuscaloosa, AL (26.12) | 27 | Emmitsburg, MD (32.77) |
| 28 | Milwaukee, WI (25.66) | 28 | Denton, TX (26.07) | 28 | Pullman, WA (32.63) |
| 29 | Riverside, CA (25.14) | 29 | Des Moines, IA (26.03) | 29 | Starkville, MS (32.39) |
| 30 | Jacksonville, FL (25.02) | 30 | Greensboro, NC (25.79) | 30 | Jacksonville, AL (32.05) |
| 31 | Tucson, AZ (24.93) | 31 | Boulder, CO (25.65) | 31 | Princess Anne, MD (31.87) |
| 32 | Irvine, CA (24.92) | 32 | Tempe, AZ (25.62) | 32 | Troy, AL (31.73) |
| 33 | Bakersfield, CA (24.42) | 33 | Birmingham, AL (25.53) | 33 | Boiling Springs, NC (31.62) |
| 34 | Orlando, FL (24.38) | 34 | Lowell, MA (25.49) | 34 | Kent, OH (31.37) |
| 35 | Detroit, MI (24.01) | 35 | Fullerton, CA (25.11) | 35 | New Rochelle, NY (30.90) |
| 36 | Cleveland, OH (23.93) | 36 | Peoria, IL (25.02) | 36 | Olean, NY (30.37) |
| 37 | San Antonio, TX (23.88) | 37 | Abilene, TX (25.00) | 37 | Nacogdoches, TX (30.34) |
| 38 | El Paso, TX (23.62) | 38 | Lubbock, TX (24.96) | 38 | Farmville, VA (30.25) |
| 39 | Newark, NJ (23.12) | 39 | Fort Collins, CO (24.94) | 39 | Cheney, WA (30.14) |
| 40 | Atlanta, GA (22.82) | 40 | Fort Wayne, IN (24.81) | 40 | Carbondale, IL (30.04) |
| 41 | Fresno, CA (22.67) | 41 | Fargo, ND (24.71) | 41 | Bowling Green, KY (29.88) |
| 42 | St. Paul, MN (22.26) | 42 | Springfield, MO (24.66) | 42 | Huntsville, TX (29.79) |
| 43 | Las Vegas, NV (21.95) | 43 | Jackson, MS (24.64) | 43 | Cullowhee, NC (29.49) |
| 44 | Portland, OR (21.91) | 44 | Buffalo, NY (24.62) | 44 | Prairie View, TX (29.40) |
| 45 | Albuquerque, NM (21.34) | 45 | Chattanooga, TN (24.45) | 45 | Annapolis, MD (29.30) |
| 46 | Colorado Springs, CO (21.22) | 46 | Santa Clara, CA (24.36) | 46 | Spartanburg, SC (29.25) |
| 47 | Indianapolis, IN (20.83) | 47 | Richmond, VA (23.89) | 47 | Highland Heights, KY (29.22) |
| 48 | Honolulu, HI (20.59) | 48 | Gainesville, FL (23.28) | 48 | Ithaca, NY (29.10) |
| 49 | Kansas City, MO (20.58) | 49 | Murfreesboro, TN (23.17) | 49 | Ruston, LA (28.62) |
| 50 | Fort Worth, TX (20.38) | 50 | Winston-Salem, NC (23.14) | 50 | Hempstead, NY (28.42) |
| 51 | Tampa, FL (20.07) | 51 | Reno, NV (23.04) | 51 | Lynchburg, VA (28.19) |
| 52 | Corpus Christi, TX (19.59) | 52 | Madison, WI (22.56) | 52 | Manhattan, KS (28.12) |
| 53 | San Jose, CA (19.48) | 53 | Macon, GA (22.51) | 53 | Ames, IA (27.92) |
| 54 | Minneapolis, MN (19.33) | 54 | North Charleston, SC (22.48) | 54 | Richmond, KY (27.86) |
| 55 | Sacramento, CA (19.20) | 55 | Little Rock, AR (21.72) | 55 | Thibodaux, LA (27.71) |
| 56 | Denver, CO (19.15) | 56 | Greeley, CO (21.67) | 56 | Champaign, IL (27.68) |
| 57 | Arlington, TX (19.08) | 57 | Cambridge, MA (21.27) | 57 | Stanford, CA (27.60) |
| 58 | Stockton, CA (16.88) | 58 | Columbia, MO (21.11) | 58 | Rock Hill, SC (27.55) |
| 59 | Austin, TX (13.94) | 59 | Montgomery, AL (20.93) | 59 | Brookings, SD (27.54) |
| 60 | Wichita, KS (13.14) | 60 | Beaumont, TX (20.89) | 60 | Ogden, UT (27.46) |
| 61 | Lincoln, NE (20.49) | 61 | Burlington, VT (27.43) | ||
| 62 | Hampton, VA (20.43) | 62 | Conway, SC (26.97) | ||
| 63 | Evansville, IN (20.13) | 63 | Davidson, NC (26.94) | ||
| 64 | Wilmington, NC (20.06) | 64 | Albany, NY (26.78) | ||
| 65 | Clarksville, TN (19.60) | 65 | Radford, VA (26.72) | ||
| 66 | Las Cruces, NM (19.58) | 66 | Hanover, NH (26.68) | ||
| 67 | Jersey City, NJ (18.89) | 67 | Lexington, VA (26.60) | ||
| 68 | Edinburg, TX (18.78) | 68 | Hammond, LA (26.59) | ||
| 69 | Worcester, MA (18.70) | 69 | Corvallis, OR (26.52) | ||
| 70 | High Point, NC (18.09) | 70 | Santa Barbara, CA (26.50) | ||
| 71 | Athens, GA (17.36) | 71 | Lewisburg, PA (26.48) | ||
| 72 | Huntsville, AL (16.22) | 72 | Davis, CA (26.44) | ||
| 73 | Green Bay, WI (14.20) | 73 | Boone, NC (26.39) | ||
| 74 | Berkeley, CA (12.62) | 74 | Greenville, SC (26.35) | ||
| 75 | Durham, NH (26.22) | ||||
| 76 | Cedar City, UT (26.17) | ||||
| 77 | San Marcos, TX (26.05) | ||||
| 78 | Huntington, WV (26.00) | ||||
| 79 | Harrisonburg, VA (25.81) | ||||
| 80 | Moraga, CA (25.75) | ||||
| 81 | Cedar Falls, IA (25.63) | ||||
| 82 | North Andover, MA (25.24) | ||||
| 83 | Laramie, WY (24.93) | ||||
| 84 | Fairfield, CT (24.82) | ||||
| 85 | Terre Haute, IN (24.80) | ||||
| 86 | Bethlehem, PA (24.69) | ||||
| 87 | Easton, PA (24.65) | ||||
| 88 | Trenton, NJ (24.53) | ||||
| 89 | Florence, AL (24.46) | ||||
| 90 | Bozeman, MT (24.43) | ||||
| 91 | Long Branch, NJ (24.34) | ||||
| 92 | Muncie, IN (24.26) | ||||
| 93 | Blacksburg, VA (24.22) | ||||
| 94 | Mount Pleasant, MI (24.16) | ||||
| 95 | St. Charles, MO (24.13) | ||||
| 96 | DeLand, FL (24.13) | ||||
| 97 | Amherst, MA (24.02) | ||||
| 98 | Newark, DE (23.98) | ||||
| 99 | Williamsburg, VA (23.89) | ||||
| 100 | Ypsilanti, MI (23.81) | ||||
| 101 | Orem, UT (23.62) | ||||
| 102 | Monroe, LA (23.61) | ||||
| 103 | Oxford, OH (23.54) | ||||
| 104 | Statesboro, GA (23.51) | ||||
| 105 | Asheville, NC (23.46) | ||||
| 106 | Stephenville, TX (23.44) | ||||
| 107 | Hattiesburg, MS (23.37) | ||||
| 108 | Poughkeepsie, NY (23.33) | ||||
| 109 | Orangeburg, SC (23.30) | ||||
| 110 | Rochester Hills, MI (23.21) | ||||
| 111 | Cape Girardeau, MO (23.15) | ||||
| 112 | Normal, IL (23.14) | ||||
| 113 | Orono, ME (23.13) | ||||
| 114 | Towson, MD (23.11) | ||||
| 115 | Macomb, IL (23.11) | ||||
| 116 | Vermillion, SD (23.05) | ||||
| 117 | Bowling Green, OH (23.00) | ||||
| 118 | Stony Brook, NY (22.90) | ||||
| 119 | State College, PA (22.79) | ||||
| 120 | Youngstown, OH (22.70) | ||||
| 121 | Natchitoches, LA (22.70) | ||||
| 122 | Edwardsville, IL (22.69) | ||||
| 123 | Cookeville, TN (22.60) | ||||
| 124 | Missoula, MT (22.45) | ||||
| 125 | Martin, TN (22.36) | ||||
| 126 | Evanston, IL (22.30) | ||||
| 127 | Fort Myers, FL (22.21) | ||||
| 128 | Clinton, SC (21.86) | ||||
| 129 | New Brunswick, NJ (21.82) | ||||
| 130 | Flagstaff, AZ (21.80) | ||||
| 131 | Charleston, IL (21.56) | ||||
| 132 | Elon, NC (21.53) | ||||
| 133 | DeKalb, IL (21.49) | ||||
| 134 | Logan, UT (21.43) | ||||
| 135 | Oxford, MS (21.41) | ||||
| 136 | Kennesaw, GA (21.37) | ||||
| 137 | Conway, AR (21.33) | ||||
| 138 | Greenville, NC (21.20) | ||||
| 139 | San Luis Obispo, CA (21.04) | ||||
| 140 | St. George, UT (21.04) | ||||
| 141 | Auburn, AL (20.95) | ||||
| 142 | Binghamton, NY (20.77) | ||||
| 143 | Jonesboro, AR (20.61) | ||||
| 144 | Malibu, CA (20.51) | ||||
| 145 | Pine Bluff, AR (20.31) | ||||
| 146 | Grand Forks, ND (19.65) | ||||
| 147 | Lake Charles, LA (19.21) | ||||
| 148 | Johnson City, TN (19.06) | ||||
| 149 | Boca Raton, FL (19.04) | ||||
| 150 | Valparaiso, IN (18.61) | ||||
| 151 | Hackensack, NJ (18.38) | ||||
| 152 | Moscow, ID (18.16) | ||||
| 153 | Kalamazoo, MI (17.94) | ||||
| 154 | Commerce, TX (17.58) | ||||
| 155 | Fairfax, VA (17.42) | ||||
| 156 | Easton, MA (15.60) | ||||
| 157 | Dover, DE (14.67) | ||||
| 158 | Pocatello, ID (12.73) | ||||
| 159 | Daytona Beach, FL (10.12) | ||||
| 160 | New Britain, CT (8.96) |
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?
- What are the challenges, if any, of college basketball in America?
Ask the Experts
Brian A. Turner
Ph.D. – Professor, Sport Management; Member, Athletic Council; Kinesiology Graduate Studies Chair – Ohio State University
Read More
Dr. Allison Smith
Assistant Professor of Sport Leadership and Administration; Advisor; Sport Leadership and Administration Student Association (SLASA) & Women in Sport Leadership and Administration (WSLA); SLA Study Abroad & Equity in Sport Leadership Conference Coordinator, Sport Leadership and Administration Program, Department of Counseling & School Psychology, College of Education & Human Development – University of Massachusetts Boston
Read More
Brandon Podgorski
Director of the Center for Sports Studies, Ketner School of Business – Trine University
Read More
Marcella G. Otto-Dorenkott
Ph.D. – Assistant Professor, Sport Management, Department of Kinesiology and Physical Education – Northern Illinois University
Read More
Yann Abdourazakou
Ph.D. – Professor, Department of Management and Marketing – California State University, Dominguez Hills
Read More
Jennifer Lee Hoffman
Ph.D. – Associate Professor, Intercollegiate Athletic Leadership – University of Washington, College of Education
Read More
Methodology
In order to identify the best and worst cities for college basketball fans, WalletHub compared the 294 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 (~13.33 Points)
- Performance Level of College Basketball (Division 1) Team(s): Full Weight (~13.33 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 (~13.33 Points)
- Number of College Basketball (Division 1) Conference Regular Season Championship Wins: Half Weight (~6.67 Points)
- Number of Hall of Fame Head Coaches: Full Weight (~13.33 Points)
- Minimum Season Ticket Price for a College Basketball (Division 1) Game: Full Weight (~13.33 Points)
- College-Basketball Fans Engagement: Full Weight (~13.33 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 (~6.67 Points)
Note: “Past 10 Seasons” include seasons 2014–2015 to 2023–2024. - College-Basketball Stadium Capacity: Half Weight (~6.67 Points)
Note: This metric was calculated by dividing “Stadium Capacity” by “City Population.”
Sources: Data used to create these rankings were collected as of February 13, 2024 from the U.S. Census Bureau, ESPN, Sports Reference, NCAA.org, each team’s website and social media accounts.
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