Located at the intersection of Interstates 57, 72, and 74 in east central Illinois, Champaign deftly skirts the line between small town and college town. The University of Illinois largely defines the city, with nearly 45,000 students enrolled (the city’s population totals around 85,000); as a result, Champaign is home to a growing sector of tech startups and other entrepreneurial endeavors growing out of the university’s research community and recent graduates.

The rental market includes a number of highly affordable options, including many apartments under $600 per month. Expect your schedule to be packed with community events when you live in Champaign, from the popular and wide-ranging Boneyard arts festival to the Sweetcorn Festival in neighboring Urbana. As the hometown of late movie critic Roger Ebert, Champaign’s historic Virginia Theatre hosts an annual film festival in his honor.