As the college admissions landscape grows ever more competitive and cutthroat, families with high school students are increasingly taking education into consideration as they make major decisions about professional growth, personal finance, and where they choose to live. Cities that offer quality educational options—whether public, private, boarding, or magnet high schools, or colleges and universities where high school students can dual enroll or conduct research—are attracting families who want to maximize their student’s odds of Ivy League admissions, even if it means uprooting their lives or shifting their careers.
There are a number of large and small cities across the nation that have seen exciting educational developments in recent years. These cities provide access to top-tier colleges and universities, extracurricular programs, and research opportunities, as well as high-performing K-12 institutions and dynamic cultural landscapes. If you are considering moving in 2025 and seeking an education-rich environment that will offer diverse opportunities for your Ivy League-bound student, add these five areas to your list:
1. South Florida (Palm Beach, Fort Lauderdale, Miami)
South Florida is known for its scenic beaches, vibrant arts scene, and rich cultural offerings. Now, cities such as Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and Palm Beach are carving out a place for themselves within the education sector. “There was a time when our clients moving from NYC, Los Angeles, Chicago, and San Francisco wanted to move to Miami for its incredible lifestyle, weather, and cultural offerings, but the constraining element was the concern of finding high caliber schools. The pandemic completely changed this perception,” says Danny Hertzberg, luxury real estate broker with The Jills Zeder Group. “I have had many clients that previously had their children in the most elite schools of NY and once they relocated, they found the same vigorous academics and all around scholastic offerings in South Florida to be at the same elite level with so much more to offer given the larger campuses and facilities.”
The area has long been home to elite private schools such as Ransom Everglades in Miami, Pine Crest in Boca Raton and Fort Lauderdale, and American Heritage Schools in Plantation and Delray Beach, each sending droves of students to Ivy League Schools each year. Hertzberg adds: “The top schools in Miami, Fort Lauderdale and Palm Beach are extremely competitive with extensive wait lists and hundreds of applicants for very few spots. As a result, top tier school acceptance often drives the real estate purchase. Many families moving to South Florida will not commit to an area or specific property until their children have been accepted to schools.” Further, Vanderbilt’s plans to build a $520 million business school campus in Palm Beach promises to make South Florida a leader in higher education as well, funneling students through an elite university into the region’s preeminent finance industry. The satellite campus will complement the well-established and highly ranked programs in real estate and international business at the University of Miami’s Herbert School of Business, solidifying the region’s reputation as “Wall Street South.”
“From cutting edge STEM programs to world class theater, sports and arts/music, word is out that Miami has arrived as a major 2025 destination to move to for education-focused parents,” says Hertzberg.
2. Austin, TX
Austin, Texas has become the most up-and-coming tech hub in the nation, challenging Silicon Valley’s status as the premier locale for STEM innovation. However, it is not just the tech industry that has blossomed in the “weirdest” city in America—Austin has likewise become a hotspot for forward-thinking education, attracting families who are seeking dynamic opportunities for their STEM-focused students. Private schools such as St. Andrew’s offer rigorous curricula and send students to top schools such as CalTech, Cal Poly, and UCLA. Likewise, K-12 schools such as the Liberal Art and Science Academy and Westwood High School offer rigorous academics and targeted programs in the sciences. The Austin Independent School District (AISD) has partnered with high-profile tech companies and nonprofits to introduce STEM-focused programs and facilities for its students. These initiatives ensure that students are prepared for the demands of a modern, tech-driven economy.
In the higher education sphere, the University of Texas at Austin has become a competitive option for students interested in Engineering, Biomedical Science, and Business, tying with the University of Florida as #7 in U.S. News & World Report’s Top Public Schools Ranking. In-state applicants benefit from significantly higher odds of admission—in the fall of 2023, in-state applicants had a 41% admissions rate, compared to 11.8% for out-of-state applicants. But it’s not just the flagship state university that makes Austin a hub for educational innovation—Elon Musk has rolled out a proposal for a tech university in Austin to complement his plans for a Montessori elementary school in the area. Families moving to Austin and surrounding regions should anticipate that the area will continue its boom as a hub of research, technological innovation, and rich educational potential.
3. New York City
For students and families seeking a fast-paced, opportunity-rich environment, New York City, as well as surrounding commuter towns such as Scarsdale, Rye, and Greenwich remain top choices. New York City boasts around 120 higher learning institutions—including top schools such as Columbia University, New York University, Pratt School of Design, and The Juilliard School—as well as some of the most well-regarded public and private secondary schools in the nation. Families seeking private school options find a wealth of opportunities in Dalton, Riverdale, Horace Mann, and Brearley. Meanwhile, public and magnet schools such as Stuyvesant, Brooklyn Tech, and Bronx Science offer rigorous educational pathways for exceptional students.
“New York City truly offers something for every family,” says Carrie Chiang, renowned New York City power broker at Corcoran. “Whether you’re looking for a certain type of neighborhood, outside-of-the-classroom activities for your children, a specific type of educational model—you will find it here. For that reason, moving to the city is an investment for your family not just in the short-term, but also in the long-term. In New York City, you will find rich and diverse offerings for every stage of your child’s educational and professional future.”
Beyond its rich educational offerings, the city also presents unparalleled opportunities for academic and artistic pursuits. According to Steve Gold, top New York City broker at Corcoran and star of the Netflix series Selling the City: “New York itself is a great teacher. Living here tends to make kids open-minded, resilient, and independent, while the city’s diversity readies them to be true ‘citizens of the world.’ In addition, any interest or talent can be nurtured here—from art, to dance, music, science or sports—exceptional resources to develop these skills are around every corner. New York City is also a global leader in industries like finance, the creative fields, and increasingly, tech. For those leaving school to start their professional lives, there’s no better place to seek their dream career. The possibilities are endless.”
4. The Research Triangle (Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill, NC)
The Research Triangle, encompassing Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill, is a national leader in academic and research excellence. Home to world-renowned institutions including Duke University (ranked #6 in U.S. News & World Report’s National University Ranking), the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (ranked #5 Top Public School), and North Carolina State University (ranked #26 Top Public School), the region offers unmatched opportunities in STEM, humanities, and the arts. At the secondary level, students can pursue specialist academic pathways at schools such as the North Carolina School for Science and Mathematics, the #1 public high school in America, which offers coursework in Engineering & Computer Science, Mathematics, Humanities, and Science, or Wake Early College of Health & Sciences, which allows students to earn college credit and jumpstart their careers in medicine.
Complementing the area’s rich educational scene is a booming technology sector. Research Triangle Park, which houses more than 300 companies, is among the oldest and most expansive research parks in the United States, and has been fostering innovation and technological advancements in the area since the 1950s. Further, Google established an engineering hub in Durham in 2022, which continues to fuel the tech industry in the area. Pending projects, including a $552 million Apple campus and a Meta office, indicate that the Research Triangle is poised to continue growing and expanding, meaning that relocating to the area is a promising investment for families with students of all ages.
5. The Bay Area (San Fransisco, Oakland, Berkeley)
The San Francisco Bay Area, known for housing top universities such as Stanford and UC Berkeley, as well as the tech sector in Silicon Valley, is synonymous with academic prowess and professional opportunity. The region attracts some of the brightest minds in the world, offering unparalleled access to the latest in technology, entrepreneurship, and research.
In recent years, the Bay Area has seen a surge in initiatives aimed at increasing access to quality education for students of all backgrounds. The Bay Area STEM Ecosystem works to equip young students for careers in science and technology, while the Oakland Children’s Initiative and the Children’s Health and Child Care Initiative for Alameda County, both introduced in 2023, leverage tax dollars to help low-income families access educational resources. Public secondary schools in the area are notoriously well-regarded, earning an A ranking on Niche, and stellar private school options abound, from The College Preparatory School in Oakland to The Nueva School in Hillsborough.
Meanwhile, UC Berkeley has become increasingly competitive in recent years, and in-state students have a sharp edge in the selective admissions process (in the past admissions cycle, nearly 80% of first-year admitted students at Berkeley were in-state applicants). Given that housing prices are on the decline, now is a strategic time to relocate your family to the Bay Area.
Whether you’re seeking a city with top-tier universities, innovative K-12 schools, professional opportunities, or enriching cultural experiences, these education hubs provide the resources and community your student needs to thrive. As education continues to shape urban vitality, moving to one of these education-rich cities can offer academic and professional opportunities to set your child up for success in the Ivy League college admissions process.