Apparently one of the grading criteria is drinking in huge quantities. About the only things of note in Athens are Ohio University and the bars that serve it.
If you look Ogdensberg and Messina are small towns on the river, yet 10 like inland from each is Canton and Potsdam, they are both college towns.
Ogdensberg-Messina has in that orbit, Potsdam, NY. Home of Clarkson U., and SUNY Potsdam. Ten miles down the road is Canton, NY. Home of St. Lawrence U. and SUNY Canton
Ithaca, has Cornell an Ithaca, as well as Wells College Aurora, a few miles away and Thomkins-Cortland Community College in Dryden.
Looks like all of them are college towns
Where’s DC.....and Chicago?