Not all college students are transients. Some are fully emancipated adults. Some are dependents on their parents’ 1040, others are not.
60 colleges in the Boston area, many are not locals. Some register to vote at home and in Boston.
College students are not exclusively transients, no, but in “college towns” their numbers are artificially boosted by those who do not live there during the summer or week long holidays. They can even come from someplace else in the state.
These cities are noticeably empty when the visitors have left.
“Not all college students are transients. Some are fully emancipated adults. Some are dependents on their parents 1040, others are not.”
Agreed.
If students are dependents, they should be counted as residents of the state in which their parents live.
If not, they are residents of the state in which they go to school. Even if they moved there just to attend it.