Murray, Kentucky Nominated for Best Small College Towns in the US

Murray, Kentucky, home of the Murray State Racers, is nominated for USA Today's Reader's Choice Award for the Best Small College Town in the country, and it needs your votes to win!

I have spent a lot of time in Kentucky, even living there for about five years, in college. Yes, I took a victory lap. What I can say about my time in the Bluegrass State is that Kentucky has a lot to offer families. Kentucky has a lot of places full of southern hospitality. These places are full of residents who show kindness, warmth, and are welcoming of visitors to their homes or towns.

Now, when it comes to college towns, sometimes they can get a bad rep for being too wild and loud. However, not all college towns are like that. Case in point, the Kentucky college town that was named one of the best small college towns in the United States. It also happens to be the college that I attended in Kentucky.

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Murray, Kentucky: One of the Best Small College Towns in the US

USA Today's Reader's Choice Award for the Best Small College Town revealed the nominees for 2026. These towns have fun, youthful vibes, unexpected dining and shopping options, and plenty of cultural offerings, aside from the beautiful college campus. Among the nominees in 2026 is the town that came in fourth place in 2025, and that is none other than Murray, Kentucky. Home of Murray State University, Murray has a lot to offer, but needs your votes to win the whole thing.

Here's what USA Today had to say about Murray, Kentucky:

The worlds of Murray, Kentucky, and Murray State University have been intertwined since the college opened in 1922 in the heart of town. As a quintessential college town, Murray has lots of pubs and bars, casual restaurants run by local owners, and outdoor outfitters to keep everyone enjoying the local parks which offer amenities like disc golf, a skate park, and a huge soccer complex. Non-collegiate visitors love the famed Calloway County Quilt Trail, which features more than 60 quilt patterns painted on barns, homes, and other buildings throughout the countryside.

Murray, Kentucky, is a Great Community

It really doesn't come as much of a surprise to me that Murray made this list. I mean, it was once named the friendliest small town in America. I have nothing but good things to say about Murray and my time there. It was a great time, and the town itself was so welcoming. Plus, there's plenty to see and do in the area. I have to admit, one of my favorite pizza places is located there in Murray. It's called Matt B's Pizza. You can go in there and buy pizza by the slice...oh, and those cheese sticks dipped in honey butter...amazing! Murray is also a short drive from Kentucky Lake, Lake Barkley, and Land Between the Lakes.

Vote once per day until voting closes on Monday, March 30, at noon ET. The winning small towns will be announced on Wednesday, April 8. Get your votes in by clicking here.