Bowling Green, Ky. – August 6, 2015 –Yesterday Bowling Green was named a Top 10 Best College Town on Livability.com. Named number 10 on the list, Bowling Green’s strong connection with Western Kentucky University and the city’s collection of restaurants, parks, arts and cultural amenities determined its spot on the list.

Earlier this year, Forbes named Bowling Green one of the Top 25 Best Places to Retire, a list the city also made in 2014. Last year, Western Kentucky University and community leaders launched a new member-driven program dedicated to offering high quality, intellectually stimulating, non-credit educational programs and experiences. Called the Society for Lifelong Learning at WKU, the program encourages mature adults age 50 and over to gain and enhance a sense of community.

Bowling Green is home to heavy concentrations of opposing age demographics, making the city attractive for a wide range of people. With activities downtown aimed at young people and families, plus the cost of living, educational opportunities and ease of access that are important to people nearing retirement age, the city provides a balance for extremely differing age groups.

Mitch Kline, City Editor at Livability.com, said the team analyzed several factors and the overall city vibes for eligible college town contenders.

“We started by looking at more than 1,500 cities across the country and used data to create a ‘short list’ of college towns. We analyzed the number of colleges located in and around cities, educational attainment levels, the percentage of jobs in a city that are tied to the education sector, the percentage of residents who are 25- to 29-years old and several quality of life factors,” Kline said. “From this we used our own expertise and experience to arrive at the final list.”

Kline said colleges play important roles as economic stabilizers and cultural draws. He said some cities also have heavier concentrations in populations of varying age dynamics that make the city appealing.

“While Bowling Green is a hip, bustling college town with lots to offer young people, the city was also named one of the best places to retire for the past two consecutive years,” Telia Butler, Public Relations Manager at the Bowling Green Area Convention & Visitors Bureau said. “Our city’s diverse opportunities with cultural experiences, activities at several of our attractions, the standard of living and overall quality of life are important factors attracting more people to both visit and move here.”

For the complete Top 10 Best College Town list with details, go to http://www.livability.com For t.he full list of the Top 25 Best Places to Retire in 2015, visit http://www.forbes.com

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