Palo Alto, Berkeley, San Jose among priciest college towns

Bay Area (Map, News) - Three Bay Area towns ranked among the top 10 most expensive college housing markets in the nation, according to a Coldwell Banker Colllege Home Price Comparison Index released this week.

Palo Alto, home to Stanford University, topped the list for the third year in a row as the most expensive college town. The average price there for a 2,220 square foot, four bedroom, two-and-a-half bath home with a family room and a two-car garage was $1.67 million.

Berkeley, where the same home averaged $1.28 million, placed fifth in the ranking, while San Jose, with an average price of $1.14 million, placed sixth.

The most affordable college town in the country, defined as a town that is home to a Football Bowl Subdivision (I-A) school, was Muncie, Indiana, where the same home averages just $150,000.