The 10 most expensive college towns in America

Median housing price: $450,000

Estimated cost of necessities: $64,953 per year

Home to the University of Chapel Hill, it would be hard to run out of things to do in this college town with its vibrant scene on Franklin Street and exciting athletic rivalry with nearby Duke University.

Median housing price: $579,000

Estimated cost of necessities: $69,296 per year

The beautiful campus of UC-Davis, a top public research university, can be found in this college town. Situated between Napa Valley and Sacramento, it's just 70 miles east of San Francisco.

Median housing price: $650,000

Estimated cost of necessities: $77,991 per year

This quintessential college town boasts Princeton University, the fourth oldest college in the US and one that continually ranks among the best colleges. The Ivy League campus is the centerpiece of the town, and residents can get a taste of the institution's prestige and history by auditing classes.

Median housing price: $675,000

Estimated cost of necessities: $73,887 per year

Claremont has a unique educational set-up, with a consortium of five undergraduate liberal arts colleges — Pomona, Scripps, Claremont McKenna, Harvey Mudd, and Pitzer — and two graduate institutions. You'll get the small, college town feel, while still having access to Los Angeles, which is about 30 miles away.

Median housing price: $685,000

Estimated cost of necessities: $85,793 per year

You'll be surrounded by academic excellence if you settle in Cambridge. It hosts two of the most elite schools in the world: Harvard University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology. What's more, you'll be a mile away from the lively and historic city of Boston.

Median housing price: $690,000

Estimated cost of necessities: $73,007 per year

In addition to excellent wine, you'll find California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo. The institution owns more than 10,000 acres of land, and recently added a 450-acre avocado and lemon ranch thanks to a generous donation.

Median housing price: $789,000

Estimated cost of necessities: $76,017 per year

A magnet for those with active lifestyles thanks to its endless bike paths and hiking trails, Boulder is also home to the first campus of the University of Colorado system: CU-Boulder. Living in this serene place will cost you, but jobs are prevalent through the university and established companies, including IBM.

Median housing price: $814,000

Estimated cost of necessities: $82,094 per year

You'll get the best of both worlds if you settle down in Santa Cruz: soothing beach life and vibrant college town life. The beach town is home to UC-Santa Cruz, which happens to be the city's biggest employer.

Median housing price: $849,000

Estimated cost of necessities: $81,621 per year

The most expensive college town, where the real estate market has taken off thanks to the technology boom, also happens to be the most liberal town in California. Located on the east shore of San Francisco Bay, Berkeley's most well-known institution is UC-Berkeley, the flagship campus of the University of California system.