Ithaca, N.Y.
Population: 102,544
Colleges: Cornell University, Ithaca College
If you can brave the harsh winters, this town ranks first on AIER measures of entrepreneurial activity and research and development, plus it has a high number of college-educated residents. “You can find more than 100 waterfalls, lakes, and gorges dotting the landscape near Ithaca college,” according to AIER.
