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Within the United States of America, the collegiate density of distinctive regions throughout the nation is largely determined by the relative population densities in each region; however, the Rocky Mountains have also provided relative challenges to the presence of conventional colleges and universities.
In general, the college and university densities often increase in the eastern portion of the United States and decrease in the West.
This post was initially intended to be scheduled for Thursday, February 5, 2026. However, a related post representing Canada has been uploaded to Patreon and is available as a one-time purchase for $5.00 ($7.50 on iOS) or for $7.00/month at the Advanced Tier on novaTopFlex Patreon until cancelled.
Distinctive costs, including tuition, room and board, textbooks, and related supplies, often represent the purposes and intentions of every college and university in question. For the United States of America, private colleges and universities are often deemed “superior” to public state and territorial institutions, the latter of which primarily provide in-state incentives for every such institution in question, in most cases.
Within the Commonwealth of Virginia, a number of colleges and universities represents the Old South culture of the area. Though the College of William and Mary is the oldest in the Commonwealth and one of the colonial colleges, a number of locales elsewhere provide similar circumstances. Perhaps the most significant of the colleges beyond William and Mary is Thomas Jefferson’s University of Virginia (UVA), located firmly within the City of Charlottesville.
Within the Commonwealth of Virginia, the public state colleges and universities span the entirety of the state, though distinctive cultural traits may also occur as each university influences the surrounding regions. Christopher Newport University (CNU) is located within the City of Newport News, while the historically-black Norfolk State University is located directly within the City of Norfolk.
George Mason University is located within the Northern Virginia (NOVA) region, just outside the City of Fairfax in the unincorporated community of George Mason in Fairfax County. James Madison University, slightly further south, is located within the City of Harrisonburg, while the University of Mary Washington is located within the City of Fredericksburg. As with the historically-black Virginia State University, Old Dominion University is also physically located within the Hampton Roads region and the City of Norfolk.
The southern and western portions of the Commonwealth of Virginia also contain notable colleges and universities, including Longwood University in the Town of Farmville, the University of Virginia in the City of Charlottesville, the University of Virginia’s College at Wise, Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Virginia Military Institute in the City of Lexington, Virginia State University in the Town of Ettrick, Virginia Tech in the Town of Blacksburg, and the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg.
The modern State of Ohio is largely determined by the colleges and universities scattered throughout the state. The Northwest Ordinance has been particularly influential, with Ohio University a clear descendant of the history of the Northwest Ordinance. The College Township has also been influential in the modern State of Ohio, eventually resulting in the formation of Miami University. The information in this post largely pertains to public four-year institutions and private institutions of elite and special interest in the mainstream:
The following content will specifically refer to states containing public university systems, and only in the cases for which the university systems in question contain flagship campuses. University systems without a flagship campus will not be mentioned below; only the systems containing flagship campuses will be listed on a state-by-state basis on a single, comprehensive list:
Within the State of Indiana are the numerous public universities associated with the State, most notably the two public university systems anchored by Purdue University and Indiana University, with flagship campuses in West Lafayette and Bloomington, respectively.
Outside the Purdue and Indiana University Systems, however, the public universities separate from the system include Indiana State University in Terre Haute, the University of Southern Indiana in Evansville, Ball State University in Muncie, and Vincennes University in Vincennes.
While the State of Iowa may often be overlooked in national discussions, especially as the State is part of the quintessential “flyover country” that represents much of the American Midwest and greater interior region, the State is actually home to three (3) distinct public universities, namely the University of Iowa in Iowa City, Iowa State University in Ames, and the University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls.
Each of the six New England states contains at least one (1) public state university, even though an entire university system may not necessarily exist. The exact number of institutions is related to the cultural and historical settlement patterns of each state and specific region, though general patterns include density for a college or university and the existence of a community in more remote zones. Therefore, the following should be considered:
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